Creating a healthy corporate culture: integrating wellness is a key factor for success.

• Author: Stephens, Sally
• Position: Indiana Wellness Guide

According to Hewitt's 2007 Emerging Health Trends survey, approximately 80 percent of mid-size and large employers offer some type of wellness initiative. Today, the most effective programs integrate into the benefit plan design and company culture, provide branding and promotion of the program to both individuals and families and track results to make sure the desired outcomes and return on investment are achieved.

Wellness programs that function in separate silos from human resources, the health plan and/or third party administrator will not have the same impact. Only when they all come together can these programs be truly effective for the employer. Employers whose wellness programs are well integrated can have an average 12 percent greater return on their investment than those that operate individual programs in isolation.

Another key factor in maximizing the return on wellness programs is to design a delivery model that actively engages the employee and their spouses. Statistics indicate that as much as 70 percent of the employers health care costs are generated...