Workplaces have been proven to be great places to promote wellness.  After all, people spend more time at work than doing anything else.  Studies suggest that for every $1 invested in wellness, a company saves $3 to $5 in health and safety costs.  Businesses that invest in employee health reap financial rewards through savings on healthcare costs, disability pay, absenteeism, turnover and safety problems. 

Regardless of the size of a business, workplace wellness programs can pay.  Statistically, in a company of 100:

            ~          60 sit all day to do their work

            ~          50 don’t wear seat belts regularly

            ~          50 feel they’re under moderate stress

            ~          35 are overweight

            ~          30 smoke

            ~          27 have cardiovascular disease

            ~          25 have high cholesterol

            ~          10 are heavy drinkers

            ~          10 have high blood pressure

            ~          5 have diagnosed diabetes and another 5 have undiagnosed diabetes

            ~          7 use marijuana

            ~          1 uses cocaine

At least one quarter of the health care costs incurred by working adults can be attributed to modifiable health risks (e.g., diet, exercise, tobacco use, etc.) .  Fortunately, there is a way to hold back the trend.  Growing research links an invididual’s lifestyle behaviors to their health risk.

The good news is worksite wellness programs can:

            ~          Reduce health care costs

            ~          Decrease workers’ compensation claims

            ~          Decrease employee absenteeism

            ~          Increase worker productivity

            ~          Improve employee morale

The bottom line is that workplace wellness programs can benefit any size business –small or large.