As wellness programs spread in popularity among U.S. employers due to soaring healthcare costs, many businesses are beginning to realize that how the way in which a wellness program is introduced and supported is equally important as the program itself.
According to the UBA Employer Opinion Survey, 99.4 percent of top managers heavily consider corporate healthcare costs, while an additioanl 86.6 percent of respondents consider their impact on employees of critical concern.
"The ability of employers to afford their healthcare benefits has become more of a factor this year than in our last survey, affecting 44 percent of employers," said Bill Stafford, vice president of member services and surveys for UBA.
While wellness programs were once perceived as extraneous expenses, businesses are now beginning to recognize their potential for lowering costs, improving staff morale and even boosting productivity.
Still, the slow economy has caused many companies to cut back on spending and, as a result, employee wellness initiatives.
"When clients experience a substantial increase in premiums, they recognize that they need to do something," Deenie Robertson, an account executive for health consultancy in Anchorage, Alaska, explained. "When they feel they cannot continue to increase premiums and need to consider new ways to keep costs down, they turn to wellness."
