About half (49%) of employers who have wellness initiatives offer a weight loss program, with 46% citing the need to control health care costs and 35% claiming quality of life for employees as their reason for the offering, reports the International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans.
"Helping employees maintain a healthy weight is one way employers believe they can control health care costs," says Kelli Kolsrud, senior information and research specialist at IFEBP. "Employee weight loss programs have gained popularity in recent years. These programs are often successful because participants have a built-in support system. Morning donuts are replaced with fresh fruit, lunch hours are spent walking with colleagues - it's really about building a culture of wellness that encourages success," she adds.
The survey on wellness programs found that wellness competitions were the second most popular program under fitness and nutrition, with 48% of respondents offering walking and fitness challenges. Forty-two percent of employers provide healthier food in the cafeteria or snack areas, while 33% supply on-site fitness equipment and 32% offer off-site fitness programs and gym reimbursements.
Companies are getting the word out that they want their employees to lead a healthier lifestyle though online resources (61%), health fairs (57%), nurse advice hotlines (53%) and wellness newsletters (52%), the survey report notes. Most wellness programs are relatively young, with 67% of employers indicating that their initiatives have been in existence for four years or less.
To drum up participation by employees, four-fifths of wellness programs entail some type of incentive. The most popular incentives include non-cash prizes (39%) and gift cards (32%). Of those companies that use wellness incentives, 22% offer cash rewards and insurance premium reductions.
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