A new global survey found many U.S. employers didn't measure their wellness program's effectiveness in 2010.
According to "WORKING WELL: A Global Survey of Health Promotion and Workplace Wellness Strategies," released by Buck Consultants – a fourth annual global wellness survey – only 37 percent of U.S. employers actually measure their program's effectiveness. The results were analyzed among responses from more than 1,200 organizations in 47 countries representing more than 13 million employees.
Employers in the U.S. also spent 35 percent more – about $220 – on each employee who participated in a wellness program compared to 2009. Wellness programs continued to gain momentum this year among U.S.-based organizations, according to Buck Consultants, as a key strategy to reduce the cost of providing health care, improve worker productivity, and reduce absenteeism.
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Among U.S. respondents, 40 percent have measured how wellness programs affect the cost of providing health care benefits to their employees. Of those, 45 percent report success in slowing health care cost increases, with a typical reduction of two to five percentage points per year.
The U.S. results contrast with results in other regions on the health risks that drive wellness programs. Globally, reducing workplace stress is the top driver of wellness programs, particularly in Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and Africa. In the United States, the lack of physical activity is the top driver, and stress ranks much lower (sixth) as a health risk targeted by these programs.
Other key findings of Buck's wellness study include:
- Globally, 66 percent of respondents have a formal wellness strategy, a significant increase from 49 percent in 2007.
- Wellness programs are most prevalent in North America, where 74 percent of responding employers offer them.
- Eleven percent of U.S. respondents spend more than $500 per employee per year on wellness rewards, with the largest rewards reported at $3,000 per employee.
- The fastest-growing components of wellness programs are technology-driven tools. In three years, employers around the world expect a six-fold increase in their use of mobile technology – such as smartphones – to support employee wellness initiatives.
Additional issues covered by Buck's global survey include program design, organizational ownership of wellness programs, and communication strategies.
Buck Consultants' survey was conducted in association with Pfizer, CIGNA, Wolf Kirsten International Health Consulting, and WorldatWork.
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