ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Are you one of those employers who offer health benefits for their employees? Other than healthcare insurance, have you created or thought of coming up with a workplace wellness program? 

Employers have different goals in coming up with a workplace wellness program. But like other employers in Albuquerque, you might be wondering if it’s worth it. Do your expectations match reality?

Let’s discuss what workplace wellness programs mean for your business:

• What is a workplace wellness program?
• What are the latest trends of a workplace wellness program?
• Do workplace wellness programs work?
• How does direct primary care contribute to the workplace wellness program?
• How do Workplace Wellness Program and DPC serve as employee recruitment and retention tools?

What is a workplace wellness program?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 156 million people spend most of their time at work. Thus, it becomes an opportunity for employers to create a safe and illness-free environment.

A wellness program aims to promote a healthy lifestyle. And it intends to improve the health and well-being of employees in their workplace.

Experts categorize it into three prevention measures:

1. Primary prevention efforts involve employees who are generally healthy. Activities revolve around maintaining the good health of your employees. Your employees need a wellness program that encourages them to pursue healthy activities. Examples are exercise, proper diet, and stress management.

2. Secondary prevention efforts target high-risk employees. They include employees who are obese, smoking, and frequent alcohol drinkers. Examples of wellness activities are weight loss practices and smoking cessation.

3. Tertiary prevention efforts,  geared towards managing diseases and chronic illnesses, target employees with asthma, diabetes, heart or kidney disease, and cancer. Likewise, a wellness program promotes medication or treatment compliance and self-care management.

What are the latest trends of a workplace wellness program?

A shift in wellness offerings depends on the changing times. Based on the Kaiser Family Foundation survey, 84% of employers with more than 200 employees offered workplace wellness programs in 2019. It included weight loss, smoking cessation, behavior and lifestyle counseling, and screening.

In contrast, a more recent report by Wellable reveals employers invest in these five initiatives:

1. Mental health (88%)
2. Telemedicine (87%)
3. Stress management/resilience (81%)
4. Mindfulness and meditation (69 %)
5. COVID-19 risk intake/wellness passport (63%)

Programs can include different kinds of wellness activities. However, it’s best to adapt the specific activities to the present need. 

MOBE CEO Chris Cronin, in an interview with Forbes, shared insights. First, Cronin said there’s no one-size-fits-all program. Instead, personalizing a program based on each employee’s health needs are the primary goal.

Cronin adds that it’s vital for leaders to provide support and accessibility, like data science or analytic tools. Cronin further stated employers should find and involve employees who need the program most. 

Do workplace wellness programs work?

• Upside

1. Good health means productive employees and reduced costs on absenteeism. The key is designing the program properly, which results in improved health of employees and better productivity. 

The program, to be effective, needs to be customized for the benefit of your employees. Good health is maintained and monitored with the right program in place. As a result, you can save from the reduced cost of absenteeism with a healthy workforce.

2. A study shows employees benefit from workplace wellness programs in three ways. First, it reduces risk factors like smoking. Second, it promotes healthy behaviors like fitness and exercise. 

And third, it helps manage lifestyle-related diseases that lead to sickness and early death. Hypertension, diabetes, and kidney or heart disease are examples. 

3. Another study enjoined employees from a prominent US warehouse retail company.

Again, it reveals higher rates of positive health behaviors. For example, employees reported actively exercising and managing weight, unlike the other group without a program. 

The study did not find any significant improvements in health and health care costs. However, a different study shows that having an employee wellness program adds to an employees’ job satisfaction. It helps retain employees.

• Downside

1. Critics call workplace wellness programs a sham. Workplace wellness program fees cost about $100 per employee per year. Add to cost are incentives to motivate employees to join the program. Plus, productivity drops when employees go for a screening or health assessment.

2. Remember the No. 2 on the Upside? The same study claims that the workplace wellness program had no significant impact even if employees reported positive health behaviors. In addition, the researchers did not find any health improvements or health savings after 18 months. 

3. According to the Health Enhancement Research Organization, workplace wellness programs do not make money. Therefore, it does not result in a positive return of investment (ROI) for employers.

However, a Harvard University study reveals large employers gain positive ROI or generate savings. It benefits the health of employees and the budget of employers.

How does direct primary care contribute to the workplace wellness program?

Direct Primary Care (DPC)

1. DPC prevents diseases through regular check-ups and screenings. Before creating a program for your employees, DPC can help come up with baseline health data. 
   
   Your employees go through an assessment to identify their specific health needs.  During the progress of your program, the practitioners make adjustments because employees undergo regular check-ups.
   
   Moreover, routine health screenings show when your employees get sick. Examples are high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and cancer.

2. DPC manages chronic illnesses that can lead to more expenses or untimely death. Employees with chronic diseases can undergo a program based on their health status. 
   
   Employees can get the proper attention and healthcare while achieving their program goals. A DPC medical practitioner monitors their health through disease management.

3. DPC offers personalized consults, nutrition counseling, and weight management. These programs go hand-in-hand with a workplace wellness program. Instead of in-house or company-sponsored counseling, DPC does all the job.  
   
   Health counseling is personalized, which results in positive expected outcomes. For instance, at Well Life Family Practice, we offer a women’s wellness program for female employees. Unlike other DPCs, we give integrative medicine options to employees looking for alternative treatments.

4. DPC saves on healthcare costs. DPC offers a fixed monthly payment, including services compatible with workplace wellness programs. Employees don’t have to spend on extra healthcare services when they need them. 
   
   Services are not limited to health counseling during the workplace wellness program. DPC offers a wide array of services. For example, we offer these services to our members:

• Discounted medications and labs
• 24/7 telemedicine
• Acute care
• Chronic disease management
• Health care for the whole family

How do Workplace Wellness Program and DPC serve as employee recruitment and retention tools?

Workplace Wellness Program and DPC share commonalities. Both aim to maintain a healthy workforce that is economical. In addition, both serve as employee recruitment and retention tools.

According to the Principal Financial Well-Being Index, 45% of American employees working for small and medium businesses stay because of wellness programs.

In addition, 47% of employees without a wellness program said they would join one for better health. Among these employees, 30% said a wellness program reduces personal health care costs. Another 30% said it gives them a bigger chance of living a healthier and longer life.

Wellness programs work to retain employees and recruit new ones. It attracts potential candidates, especially among millennials. Millennials are known to be fitness and health buffs. They consider a program in deciding to apply to a company.

Do you want to attract talented candidates in general? The unemployment rate in Albuquerque is at 5.9 as of August 2021. This rate is lower compared to the previous months. 

If you want to attract potential candidates, offer them more than the essential benefits. It includes workplace wellness programs, as well as DPC as a health benefit. A study shows that 87% of employees considered health and wellness packages in selecting an employer.

Employers offering these health benefits stand out. They are sought after by employees who want more than a basic salary. 

Bottomline

Employers gain from DPC with or without a workplace wellness program.  You can add value to your existing program with DPC. It does not compete but complements the common goal of keeping your employees healthy.

A workplace wellness program has its upside and downside. DPC offers services a wellness program cannot deliver for a fixed monthly rate, and it retains your hardworking employees. At the same time, a wellness program attracts talents to your business.

Well Life Family Practice brings more than employee health benefits. It works to your advantage as it reduces your healthcare cost. 

You don’t have to be a large company to avail of our healthcare services. Small businesses like yours can join.