Americans like to make New Year's resolutions, hoping to lose weight or quit smoking.

For employers, January is the perfect time to revive communication programs on wellness initiatives.

The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses reports that worksite wellness programs, including weight management and tobacco cessation initiatives, can help workers stay healthy and benefit the company's bottom line.

Research shows employees who had access to workplace weight-management believe it played a vital role in their weight loss.

Some measures employees cite as contributing to their success included: workplace support groups, guidance from onsite professionals, onsite exercise classes, healthier food selections in cafeterias and employer incentives for reaching weight-loss goals.

The fact that employees view these measures as instrumental to their weight loss indicates the value of workplace weight-management programs, says Richard Kowalski, president of AAOHN, a Georgia-based association.

Successful programs represent "a call-to-action for more businesses to provide employees with the types of onsite wellness programs that speak directly to obesity, and for more employees to take advantage of these programs," he adds.

Employers can also help workers to kick the tobacco habit by implementing worksite tobacco cessation programs. This will include paying for workers to participate in smoking cessation programs, partnering with health care providers, offering referral support and providing self-help materials.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, employers pay $47.2 billion in indirect costs from smoking-attributable illness and death, including absenteeism, worker's compensation payments, accidents and fires, property damage and second-hand smoke exposure.

"The worksite is an ideal environment in which to encourage smokers to quit," Kowalski explains. "Employees spend so much time at work that smoke-free policies can provide the incentive they need to succeed."