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When thinking about employee benefits, insurance and the care for an injury or illness often come to mind. However, organizations can shift this mindset to a healthier approach by being more proactive and focusing on wellness.

The goal is to urge employees to make healthier lifestyle choices every day, which can lead to better outcomes and less spending on health care. It involves an ongoing process of actively managing and promoting taking care of oneself before insurance and reactive care become the focus of any benefits plan.

It’s a big undertaking because it requires a culture shift and equipping employees with knowledge and tools to help them improve their financial, health, mental and social well-being.

The business case

Every organization must create a business case for investing time, money and resources in such a large initiative.

Organizations must understand the value of the investment, specifically the impact on morale, absenteeism, productivity, retention and engagement. In addition, consider the direct and indirect savings associated with the initiative.

The organization’s return on investment will be seen in the savings realized by having healthier employees.

As more employers move to self-funded plans and retain the risk of their claims, wellness becomes critical to a health plan’s cost containment strategy. When employees understand that their health choices impact their finances, it then turns into savings for the company as well.

Getting started

There are four general principles organizations can use to launch a wellness initiative.

• Change in diet: Include items such as whole foods, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, nuts and Greek yogurt in the lunchroom.
• Get active: Encourage employees to take breaks throughout the day to take a quick walk. Provide an on-site gym, create friendly fitness competitions and sit/stand desks.
• Manage Stress: Provide access to mental health services in the benefits plan.
• Work/life balance: Employees should have time to enjoy their home lives, while also having enough time to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night.

They may seem simple, but these concepts can be the foundation for enhancing the well-being of individuals and boosting productivity at work.

The experienced team at Unison Risk Advisors can help you design employee benefits around wellness.

Related Content:

Culture of Health: Taking a Personal Approach (Part 2)

Culture of Health: Caring for the Whole Employee (Part 3)

Culture of Health: Encouraging Primary Care (Part 4)

Culture of Health: Pay Attention to the Data (Part 5)

To learn more, please contact us below or learn more on our Employee Benefits page.