Scheduling
Time & Attendance
Forecasting
HRIS
Payroll
Task Management
Performance Management
Employee Engagement
Benefits
By Sheena Harrison
Jan. 9, 2013
Workplace wellness programs can reduce medical costs by more than 18 percent for the average worker, according to a report published by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
The January edition of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, published by the Elk Grove Village, Illinois-based ACOEM, includes a study titled “Medical Care Savings From Workplace Wellness Programs: What Is a Realistic Savings Potential?”
The report said wellness programs could reduce costs for risks such as physical inactivity, smoking, high blood pressure and obesity. If the risk factors were lowered to “theoretical minimums,” health care expenses could be lowered by an average of $650, or 18.4 percent, for all working adults, the study said.
Cost savings can reach up to 28 percent for aging employees and retirees who participate in wellness programs, according to the study.
“Medical care savings from workplace wellness programs will increase with time given that more eligible wellness program members participate, effective control of heightened risk factors improves, and greater risk reversal can be achieved,” the report says.
Sheena Harrison writes for Business Insurance, a sister publication of Workforce Management. Comment below or email editors@workforce.com.
Stay informed and connected. Get human resources news and HR features via Workforce Management’s Twitter feed or RSS feeds for mobile devices and news readers.
Schedule, engage, and pay your staff in one system with Workforce.com.
Staffing Management
4 proven steps for tackling employee absenteeismabsence management, Employee scheduling software, predictive scheduling, shift bid, shift swapping
Time and Attendance
8 ways to reduce overtime and labor costslabor costs, overtime, scheduling, time tracking, work hours