Workplace Wellness Needed Now

Posted by Lisa Nichols Mar 10, 2008

Workplace wellness can help reduce employee obesity problems. Companies that implement health management programs get their money back and then some. According to the Wellness Councils of America, companies can get a return of $24 on every dollar spent on a workplace wellness program. And a new study about American employees’ obesity problems indicates the timing couldn’t be better to begin a health management program at your company.

New Study Points to Workplace Wellness Benefits

Companies can benefit from a workplace wellness program. According to a new report, 65% of American employees are overweight or obese. Kronos Optimal Health Company analyzed the results of almost 10,000 American employee health screenings and found that 65% of women and 77% of men who are 40 or older are obese or overweight.

Encourage employees to spend their lunch hours and breaks getting fit as part of your workplace wellness program. Offering low-fat vending machine snacks and cafeteria meals and providing health management programs to help employees get healthy can benefit companies in a number of ways. In addition to saving money on healthcare costs when employees are in good physical shape, a workplace wellness program may also result in reduced absenteeism- to the tune of 30% annually, according to a 2005 survey by The Art of Health Promotion.

Get tips for starting a low cost or free workplace wellness program at your company now.