Effects of worksite wellness on employee health outcomes and employer costs

INTRODUCTION Worksite wellness programs have become increasingly frequent as the prevention of chronic diseases becomes more popular and healthcare costs for organizations climb. Previous worksite wellness programs have shown improvements in some health indicators (body mass index, blood pressure, and cholesterol) and health outcomes (reported nutrition and physical activity). This study examined the impact of a worksite wellness program that included improving cafeteria and vending machine options. METHODS The worksite wellness program was implemented in 2008 in a metal fabrication business. The program included: educational information about nutritional guidelines, on-site flu vaccines, routine physical examinations and preventive screenings, tobacco cessation program and an annual health screening. A health wellness committee was also formed to champion healthy behaviors in the workplace. Biometric data was collected through annual employee health screenings (free to employees). Healthcare claims data was also analyzed to determine if there had been a cost-savings impact. RESULTS Findings to be presented include: nutritional changes that were made at the workplace; participation rates of employees; changes in employee health status; areas of cost savings, containment, and increases from claims data. DISCUSSION This implementation of worksite wellness takes the common wellness model and applies it to a new population. The business has historically had a high turnover rate with the majority of employees being from a racial minority group. Analyzing the implementation as well as health outcomes and economic impact of the wellness program will support the implementation of future interventions in diverse settings.