Workplace Health & Wellness
Employees are an organization’s most valuable asset. So it only makes sense to protect that human capital. One of the best ways to do so is by implementing workplace health and wellness initiatives because they serve as a major factor in work performance, employee engagement, and stress management, among other things. Too often, companies view these efforts as average HR seminars that get checked off the list annually when in fact health and wellness programming should take center stage in business strategy.
If the return on investment (ROI) is holding your organization from shifting its approach to one that shines a spotlight on wellbeing, DHS is here to tell you how you can measure the ROI while also meeting the needs of your employees. Let us show you what to search for to find the best ROI program in your area.
What is an ROI Program?
ROI is the money an organization saves per every dollar it invests in wellness. This is often the deciding factor in whether or not wellness programs get implemented, but there are other outcomes to consider when evaluating a program’s success. In plain terms, the organization can divide annual healthcare cost savings by the cost of the wellness program. This shows that for every dollar invested in wellness, the company saved $X.
But there’s more to it than just cost savings. An ROI program should include specific goals and measure the changing behaviors of the workforce across several months or years. Aside from lower healthcare costs, compare before and after figures for sick time/absenteeism, job satisfaction, turnover, etc. Has productivity increased because sick days decreased? Is employee engagement growing, and are they recommending the programs to colleagues? Maximum ROI usually comes from employees with chronic health conditions who have the most to gain from health and wellness programs, but don’t underestimate the value of intangible elements.
How to Measure Employee Wellness
Like many workplace initiatives, measurement is key for wellness. Here are a few ways you can measure how employee wellness changes after program implementation:
- Biometric Measurements. Raw physiological data like height and weight, blood pressure, blood and glucose levels, Body Mass Index/BMI and more show how employees have changed after participating in wellness programs. While a before-and-after comparison is important, capturing this data at all can potentially facilitate earlier intervention of chronic and even severe health concerns (i.e. Type 2 diabetes, etc.).
- Turnover. Employees leaving their jobs can be an indication of high stress and low job satisfaction. Wellness programs about stress reduction and mental health could go a long way in avoiding employee burnout, and these programs often improve satisfaction because employees view the company as more invested in them personally.
- Sick Time. Aside from seasonal fluctuation thanks to cold and flu waves, many employers see sick time utilization drop after implementing wellness programs. As employees change diet and exercise habits, they tend to experience less illness and therefore less sick days.
- Health Insurance Claims. Just like with sick time, the diet and exercise leads to overall improved health. That means fewer, or less costly health insurance claims. Some individuals may experience an uptick as they learn to pay more attention to their health, but overall, these claims – and costs – go down for both individuals and the organization.
- Morale. Ask your team to complete an anonymous job satisfaction survey to see how they feel about the organization following wellness program implementation. Those who engage with programming often feel more valued by the company and exhibit higher morale, team camaraderie and even become more likely to recommend the organization to others looking for work.
When you partner with DHS for corporate health and wellness, you gain access to our comprehensive technology solution that makes measurement a breeze. The DHS Wellness 360 Platform shows how an employee’s wellness program engagement affects their attendance and productivity, and whether the program reduced turnover and workplace injuries, claims and the like. Tracking actionable data within your company portal shows you what’s working and helps you see the return on your investment in real time.
Benefits of ROI Programs
Research shows that when corporations offer wellness programs to their employees, they see a 21% increase in productivity. Businesses also report more ascension per capita, fewer sick days, a decrease in complaints and a happier, harder-working team. Simply put: wellness programs translate into higher revenue.
But that’s not all. These programs offer a host of personal benefits to employees, too. New, healthy habits help them become more focused, well-rested, less likely to experience chronic disease, and so much more. Imagine how this kind of change in not just one, but many employees, could impact your organization tomorrow and for the long term.
Get Wellness Programs with a Proven Return from DHS
Discovery Health Services knows that when employees are engaged with wellness programming, all parties and aspects of your business will reap the rewards. We also know that not every company is the same – it’s why DHS creates services that can be tailored to the unique wellness needs within your workplace. Talk to our team today about how workplace wellness and true ROI programs can benefit your team today.