The majority of all employers doing business in the United States are taking a closer look at the overall health of their companies employee population and looking at employee wellness programs as one of the most important business strategies of their future. Most Chief Financial Officers have come to realize that the second most expensive line item on a balance sheet is the cost of health insurance. Corporate human resource teams are being assembled to start implementing wellness programs in full scale to help reduce costs of future healthcare increases. Start here by getting wellness quotes from the top providers in the industry.
LEARN ABOUT CORPORATE WELLNESS PROGRAMS!
Most companies are starting to realize that having a wellness program in place is the correct thing to do for any corporate culture. So many studies are available that show an increase in employee production, happiness, and all while reducing health insurance costs upon implementation. Benefit programs on the corporate level take on a large variety. Be sure you do your research before proceeding forward with your corporate wellness program.
On a national level, nearly 80% of employers that have 50 or more employees have implemented some variation of a wellness program, said Alex Smith, a corporate wellness consultant in California.
Smith said that the new health insurance reform law that the Obama Administration has come to pass offers federal grant money to those employers that offer an employee wellness program. These funds are expected to be appropriated sometime toward the end of 2011. This will be a huge lift for smaller employers that have less than 100 employees. It is designed to help small business groups to keep up a healthy lifestyle. Funds will be offered for employers that offer wellness programs that offer four basic components.
COMPONENTS OF A CORPORATE WELLNESS PROGRAM
-Total Health awareness
-Incentives to offer employee interaction
-Programs that aid in behavioral modification
-Employee programs that offer healthier lifestyles
Smith continued to say that, the wellness regulations for healthcare reform have yet to be written, but employers should look forward and start doing the research now. That will help offer a seamless implementation process when the funds are available for these programs. Learn more about various programs and wellness terms at our wellness glossary. You will be able to get answers to items like how acupuncture can help be component to your total plan.