Employer Wellness

Unless specifically stated otherwise, most organization-employee relationships in America are governed by the principle of at-will employment. Under this system a organization, or the employee, can terminate the relationship without any required showing of cause. This at-will standard gives private organizations large power in governing the behavior of staff members. In this environment, organizations can Finding Wealth Through Wellness 10 creatively design Workplace Health Promotion Programs based upon their specifi c corporate culture. Workplace Health Promotion Programs generally take three main forms:

Voluntary Corporate Health Promotion Programs – The most popular form of employee Corporate Health Promotion Program, in most cases they are made available to staff members but participation (or lack thereof) is not linked to any type of consequence. Due to ineffective communication, frequently staff members are either unaware of these offerings or confuse them with insurance-based medical care. Incentive-based – Corporate Health Promotion Programs based on incentives reward staff members for participation in Corporate Health Promotion Program activities. Incentives generally include decreased Health Care premiums, health club membership or customized support offerings. In these programs, employees’ behavior can be linked to a particular reward.

Mandatory Company Health Promotion Programs – Some companies require, or ban, certain health-related conduct. These can take the form of mandatory Health Risk Assessments for staff members and restrictions on smoking or alcohol use. While mandating behavior is an effective method to eliminate high-risk behavior, the cost savings must be measured against the potential message sent to existing and prospective staff members. Given that staff members are already under various levels of scrutiny in the workplace, individuals may resist attempts by companies to regulate off-duty conduct. Additionally, some staff members may fi nd it diffi cult to comply, forcing companies into the uncomfortable postion of punishing an otherwise productive employee.

In the short-term a mandate-based Corporate Health Promotion Program can guide to an increase in turnover, as employees either choose to leave or are fi red for noncompliance. In the long-term, the policy may prevent the employer from hiring an otherwise qualifi ed applicant, or may serve as a deterrent for individuals considering the employer. Limits in recruiting, for instance, led CNN to rescind a 13-year ban on hiring smokers.18

Companies need to make sure that Employee Health Promotion Programs are aligned with the values and culture that drive organization operations. If a organization emphasizes trust and individual responsibility, then a mandate-based program will likely cause more dissension than it would in a organization that already heavily regulates organization conduct. Moreover, a work environment with a large disengaged population will likely have poor participation in a voluntarybased program. When calculating cost savings, employers need to take a wider view and consider the effects on long-term employee engagement.

In 2005, Michigan-based insurance benefits provider Weyco instituted a smoking ban for all of its nearly 200 employees. Workers are subject to random testing and if they fail a mandatory breathalyzer test, they will be fi red. It is believed that Weyco is the first company to use testing to enforce a smoking ban – most companies ask employees to self-report behavior. Four employees (more than 2% of the total workforce) left Weyco as a result of the policy. A year prior to the ban the company createed a $50 smoking fee, which would be waived if a employee passed a nicotine test or agreed to take a smokingcessation class. Weyco’s president Howard Weyers published that 20 employees quit smoking through this program.20 Workers were told they had one year before the total ban would go into effect. Under the new Worksite Wellness Program, Weyco does offer $35 a month for employees who want to use a fi tness center and another $65 a month for employees who meet fitness objectives and goals.