Employer Sponsored Fitness Programs
Are You Fit For Employment?
Jerry Rose
Business 5000, Fall I
Instructor Janet Winchester-Silbaugh
28 September, 2009
Abstract
This paper contains research done on employer-mandated health and wellness programs. These programs were reviewed from the perspective of 3 major ideas from our text book; Global Economy, Business Ethics and Starting Your Own Business. My research methodology consisted of reviewing articles from professional business publications, studies and organizations. U.S. companies are at a disadvantage compared to their foreign competitors when it comes to health care costs. A properly implemented health and wellness program can minimize or eliminate this disadvantage by reducing health care cost and minimizing lost productivity due to health issues and produce a positive return on investment. An employer who implements a health and wellness program has an ethical responsibility to the employee to protect any information derived from that program that could potentially adversely affect the employee later on in life. Employers have a responsibility to their investors and shareholders to actively try to control health care costs that affect the profitability of the company. A new company just starting out would be wise to implement a health and wellness program from the inception of the company and not wait till later in the company’s life to do it.
BACKGROUND With all the recent debate in the news about health insurance and the various plans put forth to ensure all Americans have health insurance, one issue that interested me is employer-sponsored health and wellness programs. There is an increasing trend among employers who provide health insurance to influence their employees’ lifestyle thru health and wellness programs. Employer health care costs have increased steadily as a percentage of hourly wages and salaries since 1960. In 2006, employers paid almost 9.0% in health care contributions which exceeded the amount they paid in
Jerry Rose
Business 5000, Fall I
Instructor Janet Winchester-Silbaugh
28 September, 2009
Abstract
This paper contains research done on employer-mandated health and wellness programs. These programs were reviewed from the perspective of 3 major ideas from our text book; Global Economy, Business Ethics and Starting Your Own Business. My research methodology consisted of reviewing articles from professional business publications, studies and organizations. U.S. companies are at a disadvantage compared to their foreign competitors when it comes to health care costs. A properly implemented health and wellness program can minimize or eliminate this disadvantage by reducing health care cost and minimizing lost productivity due to health issues and produce a positive return on investment. An employer who implements a health and wellness program has an ethical responsibility to the employee to protect any information derived from that program that could potentially adversely affect the employee later on in life. Employers have a responsibility to their investors and shareholders to actively try to control health care costs that affect the profitability of the company. A new company just starting out would be wise to implement a health and wellness program from the inception of the company and not wait till later in the company’s life to do it.
BACKGROUND With all the recent debate in the news about health insurance and the various plans put forth to ensure all Americans have health insurance, one issue that interested me is employer-sponsored health and wellness programs. There is an increasing trend among employers who provide health insurance to influence their employees’ lifestyle thru health and wellness programs. Employer health care costs have increased steadily as a percentage of hourly wages and salaries since 1960. In 2006, employers paid almost 9.0% in health care contributions which exceeded the amount they paid in
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