The emphasis on wellness is more than a nice thing for companies to do for its employees — it makes good business sense. Some data show that people in the U.S. spend twice as much per capita on healthcare as those in European countries, but we are twice as sick with chronic disease. The reason for this chronic case of overspending and under performing is clear: We have systematically neglected wellness and disease prevention. In the U.S., 95 percent of every healthcare dollar is spent on treating illnesses and conditions after they occur. We spend peanuts on prevention.
Encouraging employees to take action to become healthier not only means they spend less on health care — good for them, and good for self-insured employers — but it’s also good for productivity. These wellness programs educate and provide incentives (or penalties) for reducing health risks and avoiding unnecessary costs. Health care consumerism, preventive care, improved nutrition and more exercise are all elements of an effective wellness program. In the end, employees feel better physically while they feel better about the companies for which they work.
VZ Communications has been advising companies on developing effective wellness programs for several years. We help you make the business case for a wellness program and develop the branding, communications elements and educational programs needed for success.
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