Worksite Wellness Benefits

With employees spending more than one-third of their day at work, employers are in a unique position to promote healthy habits. Unhealthy lifestyle habits increase the risk of chronic diseases, which have a negative effect on your employees and increasing the health care for the company. In addition, worksite wellness initiatives have been shown to help attract and retain employees. 

Additional annual costs per employee linked to:

  • Smoking: $5,800
  • Diabetes: $4,413
  • Obesity: $4,237
  • High blood pressure: $1,077

Source: Berman et al. tobaccocontrol.bmj.com. June 3, 2013. NBCH February 2012; Van Nuys etal. American Journal of Health Promotion, May/June 2014; Kowlessar et al, JOEM, May 2011.

Improving health can:

  • Increase productivity. Research shows a link between physical activity and cognitive benefits like memory and focus. Presenteeism, in which employees are at work but have reduced productivity.
  • Reduce absenteeism.  Healthier employees miss less work. Worksite wellness helps reduce absenteeism which saves the company by reducing the costs to cover absent employees.
  • Decrease health care costs. Healthy, active employees have lower health costs. Lower health costs benefit both the employer and the employee.
  • Attract and retain employees. Worksite wellness initiatives support employee wellness and create a more positive working environment, which attracts and retains employees.