Calculating unhealthy costs: strengthen the bottom line with a well workplace.

• Author: Turrow, Larry
• Position: Indiana Wellness Guide

Regardless of industry or occupation, we are constantly asked to do more in less time. Your employees' responses to workplace demands may be to scarf down fast food instead of eating healthy meals, to continue tasks instead of taking necessary breaks, or to resort to cigarettes or alcohol after stressful days.

Evidence from successful Worksite Wellness programs suggests that skipping that double cheeseburger, walking away from that task for a while to stretch and refresh, cutting back on tobacco and booze, exercising more, and paying attention to common disease warning signs leaves employees healthier, and helps an organization's bottom line. As your employee population becomes healthier, attendance increases, annual health care claims decrease, and the organization stems the rising tide of annual health insurance premiums.

Wellness Programs Save Money

Approximately 70 percent of health care costs in the United States result from preventable lifestyle-based claims. Highly stressed employees cost employers $1,000 more per year in health expense than less stressed peers, obese employees' health expense is $750 more per year, and smokers' health expense is $500 more per year. The effects of high stress, obesity, smoking, and sedentary lifestyles lead employees to "big ticket" conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Since health-related expenses account for an ever increasing portion of total employee compensation, Worksite Wellness programs that address preventable claims have become critical organizational cost-containment tools.

How Much Can We Save?

Historical data have shown that Worksite Wellness programs save $1.50-$6.00 for every dollar invested. Where an organization falls within that range depends on its dedication to wellness.

The Wellness Councils of America separate programs into three tiers. "Quality of Work Life" focuses on improving relationships between employer and employees; savings range from $1.50-$2.00 for each dollar invested. "Traditional or Conventional Wellness" adds voluntary on-site strategies such as health risk assessments, weight reduction programs, smoking cessation programs, gym memberships, and printed materials detailing warning signs for chronic disease; savings range from $2.00-$3.50 for each dollar invested. "Health and Productivity Management" adds benchmarking, wellness teams, wellness coaches, proactive disease management, and financial incentives for...