New Survey Shows Use of Health and Wellness Incentives Growing
New Survey Shows Use of Health and Wellness Incentives Growing
Aon Hewitt conducted a new survey that shows employers in the Unites States are using health and well incentives to motivate their employees to participate in health and wellness programs. Of the 2,000 employers surveyed, 84 percent provide incentives for employee participation in a health risk questionnaire and 64 percent provide incentives for employee participation in biometric screenings (HR.BLR.com, 2012). In addition to providing incentives for questionnaire participation, 58 percent of employers who offer participation incentives are also providing monetary incentives for completing health and wellness managements programs such weight loss, smoking cessation, cholesterol, and blood sugar to name a few, thus developing “accountability for better health” (HR.BLR.com, 2012). By requiring and rewarding employees to participate and complete these programs, it helps improve the employee’s lifestyle and minimize negative future impact and health costs for both employee and employer.
Relevancy to HR
This article is relevant to HR because it helps HR professionals, especially in the benefits field, leverage HRQs and biometric screenings to identify ways to develop employee wellness programs that help promote health awareness for both the employee and the employers, as well as implement passive or active preventative measures for the employee and their dependents. Everyone is potentially exposed to some form of genetic or behaviorally driven disease or illness and these programs help identify those who have potential health risks and may provide employees with more affordable health care resources, as well as assist in managing health care costs. In addition, by encouraging and rewarding employees to participate and complete health and wellness programs, it not only sends out the message that the employer cares about its employees, but that it will attract and retain talent because it is a
Aon Hewitt conducted a new survey that shows employers in the Unites States are using health and well incentives to motivate their employees to participate in health and wellness programs. Of the 2,000 employers surveyed, 84 percent provide incentives for employee participation in a health risk questionnaire and 64 percent provide incentives for employee participation in biometric screenings (HR.BLR.com, 2012). In addition to providing incentives for questionnaire participation, 58 percent of employers who offer participation incentives are also providing monetary incentives for completing health and wellness managements programs such weight loss, smoking cessation, cholesterol, and blood sugar to name a few, thus developing “accountability for better health” (HR.BLR.com, 2012). By requiring and rewarding employees to participate and complete these programs, it helps improve the employee’s lifestyle and minimize negative future impact and health costs for both employee and employer.
Relevancy to HR
This article is relevant to HR because it helps HR professionals, especially in the benefits field, leverage HRQs and biometric screenings to identify ways to develop employee wellness programs that help promote health awareness for both the employee and the employers, as well as implement passive or active preventative measures for the employee and their dependents. Everyone is potentially exposed to some form of genetic or behaviorally driven disease or illness and these programs help identify those who have potential health risks and may provide employees with more affordable health care resources, as well as assist in managing health care costs. In addition, by encouraging and rewarding employees to participate and complete health and wellness programs, it not only sends out the message that the employer cares about its employees, but that it will attract and retain talent because it is a