True or False:
Company culture is not affected by the presence of a wellness programs.

FALSE

The topic of company (or corporate) culture has been a popular area of research. Often times, the culture can determine whether or not a person stays in an employment position. Employee turnover is often attributed to differences in pay, hours, management and benefits, all of which affect company culture. We often hear that employees don’t leave jobs, they leave the management. While true, wellness programs have been found to tremendously improve company culture.

Wellness programs were originally implemented as a means of controlling healthcare expenditures. Now, the value of wellness program s has transitioned from a hard-dollar return-on investment (ROI) to the value-of-investment (VOI)¹. This is not to say that a good wellness program takes precedence over management skill, but it does add value to a happier, healthier workforce.
Here’s how:

“When health and well-being are actively promoted, organizations are seen as 4 times less likely to lose talent within the next year.”
    - World Health Forum²

Additionally, the Right Management study² found that wellness programs were associated with being more creative, productive and engaged.

“The health status of your employees directly influences their work behavior, attendance and on-the-job performance. Therefore, improving employee well-being will result in a more productive workforce”
    - David Chenoweth with SHRM Foundation³

As discussed in a previous Thursday Thinker, absenteeism and presenteeism all affect productivity in the workplace. Feeling unwell, not only with physical conditions but mental conditions also, can result in an unproductive, sluggish workday.

Wellness programs are offered by more than two-thirds of US employers, however not all programs are equally effective⁴. The Integrated Health Advocacy Program® (IHAP®) advocates for the person, and places the patient at the center of care. To hear about how IHAP has changed the lives of its participants, view our testimonials. For more information on changing the lives of employees while saving healthcare dollars, contact Maria Kuhn at 630-761-4427 (IHAP) or mkuhn@ihap.com.

1 Willis North America Inc. (2015). The Willis Health and Productivity Survey Report 2015. New York, NY.

2 Valet, Vicky. "More Than Two-Thirds Of U.S. Employers Currently Offer Wellness Programs, Study Says." Forbes. July 8, 2015. Web. May 31, 2016

3 Alistair Dornan of Right Management (a Manpower Company). (2010). The Wellness Imperative: Creating More Effective Organizations (Report). Retrived June 6, 2016 from World Economic Forum: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_HE_WellnessImperativeCreatingMoreEffectiveOrganizations_Report_2010.pdf

4 Snyder, Richard, Dr., Eberbach, Kimberly., Reynolds, Lorrie., Walters, Karen., Sethi, Sumit. & Cornish, Cynthia. (2013). Employee wellness as a strategic business imperative [White Paper]. Retrived June 6, 2016. from Independence Blue Cross: https://www.ibx.com/pdfs/employers/employer_resources/wellness_whitepapers/wellness_whitepaper_112013.pdf