More Workplaces Are Expanding Definition of Wellness Programs

An annual well-being survey from the National Business Group on Health (NBGH) and Fidelity Investments found more than 90 percent of employers are raising their investment in employee emotional health and financial wellness programs, reports FierceHealthcare . Concurrently, 77 percent plan to boost stress management training, 72 percent intend to increase community involvement and volunteerism activities, and 60 percent plan to add programs to encourage social connectedness for their workers. "More employers are viewing holistic well-being as an integral part of their overall workforce strategy," says NBGH CEO Brian Marcotte. "The goal is to create a competitive advantage by deploying the healthiest, most productive, engaged, and competitive workforce possible to boost business performance and empower great people and communities." Almost 90 percent of survey respondents noted they offer financial incentives, up from 74 percent in the last annual survey. In addition, the average employee incentive amount rose to $784 for 2018, up nearly 6 percent from $742 last year, and 50 percent from the average of $521 in 2013. Almost three out of 10 employers plan to continue increasing financial incentives over the next three to five years. These results mirror a shift in employers' focus of wellness programs outside their interest in impacting physical health and health costs to supporting cultural changes in the workplace, largely on account of research which shows getting a clear return on investment in wellness is difficult.