Value-Based Care News

Employers, Employees Face Disconnect Over Wellness Programming

Under a third of employees view wellness programming as an effective tool in improving their health even though 52 percent of employers believe their wellness programs work.

Employers and employees have conflicting views on wellness programming

Source: Thinkstock

By Thomas Beaton

- More than half of employers believe that their wellness programming is effective for improving health and reducing spending, but only a third of their employees think the same thing, according to a new Willis Watson Towers survey.

However, employers are somewhat more likely than their employees to think that wellness is a high priority.  About 65 percent of employees said that improving their health is a personal priority, while 87 percent of employers said increasing employee engagement and wellness is also a top priority for their businesses.

Employees that are sick or unhealthy are two times more likely to become disengaged with their work and take three times more days off than healthy members.

“Employers remain committed to their health and well-being programs because they understand the advantages of having a healthy and engaged workforce,” Shelly Wolff, a senior healthcare consultant at Willis Towers Watson, said in a press release. “However, employers understand that existing approaches have not been effective and so are looking at new directions to change employees’ health behaviors.”

Employers may need to change their wellness programming strategies to align more closely with what their employees really want and need, the survey suggested.

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Fifty-four percent of employees say their employers should offer financial rewards for living a healthy lifestyle. Forty-six percent of employees would only participate in a wellness program if offered a financial incentive, which is up from 35 percent of employees in 2011.

Employers are likely to have more success if they tailor wellness incentives to specific employee health goals, the team said.

“Our research and experience show these rewards are not effective except when used in specific ways, such as discrete tasks that offer an immediate payout,” said Steve Nyce, a senior economist at Willis Towers Watson.

“We suggest that employers rethink how their programs are designed and incented to create longer-term behavior changes. Employees do not want to be told what to do; rather, they want to be supported with programs that lead to improved well-being. It’s an essential balance that’s not very easy to achieve.”

Employers could leverage employee technology trends by incorporating them into wellness programming.

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The team found that 60 percent of employees use technology to manage their health. Forty-one percent of employees use wearables to monitor fitness activity and 30 percent use technology to track eating habits.

“Online tools are critical in helping employees of all ages make decisions about health care choices in a complex market,” said Cara McNulty, a senior healthcare consultant at Willis Towers Watson.

“The real change, however, will come from point solutions that connect with individuals. Technology can be key to integrate these programs that link multiple areas of an employee’s life and help to create a consumer-grade experience that is critical to attracting employees and sustaining employee engagement.”

Employees are extremely receptive to on-site wellness, the team found.

Nearly 58 percent of employees whose employers offer onsite or near-site wellness access agree their employers’ overall wellness initiatives meet their needs. Conversely, only 25 percent of employees are receptive to overall wellness initiatives when employers do not offer on-site wellness activities.

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“Onsite services and activities have a halo effect by generating positive perceptions and engagement around other aspects of an employer’s health and well-being program, even for those not directly affected or even using those services or activities,” Nyce said.

“This is a critical component for employers that want to build a healthy workplace culture.”

Wellness programming remains a healthcare challenge for employers that have succeeded in providing medical benefits to their employees.

A recent study by AHIP recently found that 71 percent of employees are satisfied with their overall medical benefits and 75 percent feel that their health plans effectively cover the majority of their medical costs.

However, AHIP’s research also revealed a need for improved wellness-related benefits within employer-sponsored health plans. Sixty-three percent of employees viewed benefits related to wellness programming as personally valuable. Fifty-percent of employees expressed interest in chronic condition wellness incentives that lower their monthly premiums.

Employers have a need to develop wellness programs that target specific chronic conditions and health objectives in an encouraging way rather than as an employer directive, the team concluded.

“If there was ever a time for employers to rethink their approach to well-being, it’s now,” Wolff said.

“We fully expect other employers will begin to adopt new approaches that examine workforce generational needs, target and personalize programs, and emphasize flexibility and mobilization to meet employees where they are.”