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According to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Health Research Institute, healthcare costs are expected to increase nearly 10% in 2009 for employers. To help control those costs, most employers plan to depend on wellness programs and health plans that personalize member experiences.

Work health promotion programs can positively affect employee health and productivity. A review of 46 studies evaluating the effects of work health promotion programs found that that worksite wellness programs resulted in a 22% reduction in sick leave. In addition, the worksite wellness programs resulted in reduced emotional exhaustion and “burnout,” improved overall mental health, and reduced absences.

Worksite health promotion programs can take various forms, such as targeting general lifestyle, health and safety issues, or specific disease predictors (e.g., smoking or high blood pressure). But to be effective, they “should target both physical and psychosocial environments at work,” said lead researcher Dr. Jaana Kuoppala.

Reference:

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2008;50:1216-1227.