By Chris Mullins
An increasing number of employers in West Virginia and across the country are implementing well-being programs to help their employees live healthier lives, reduce health care costs and improve employee productivity and satisfaction.
A recent employer survey by Willis Towers Watson found that 72 percent of U.S. companies “aim to improve their health and well-being strategies and programs over the next three years to differentiate themselves from organizations with which they compete for talent.”
Giving employees and families in West Virginia the tools to live life to its fullest is more important than ever. In the past five years, the number of adults in West Virginia with diabetes increased 25 percent and obesity currently impacts more than one-third of adults, according to the latest America’s Health Rankings report from the UnitedHealth Foundation.
The evidence shows that proven wellness programs can be one important part of addressing these challenges for West Virginians.
One example is UnitedHealthcare’s Real Appeal, a proven well-being program offered to all UnitedHealthcare members in West Virginia. Evidence shows that Real Appeal helps individuals make lasting changes in their weight that can improve their health and save them money. In fact, the latest research shows participants saved up to 16 percent in annual medical costs compared to non-participants. Individuals nationwide have lost more than 1.5 million pounds and counting.
What makes a program like Real Appeal successful? For starters, the program is based on decades of clinical research on weight loss and how to reduce the risk of developing diseases like diabetes. A successful well-being program is full of small, doable steps that are individually customized to work in the long run for your life, your family and your body. Lastly, a successful program has to be accessible, and Real Appeal is free to eligible UnitedHealthcare members in West Virginia.
Since May is Global Employee Health and Fitness Month, it’s an ideal time for West Virginia employers to research, assess and enhance well-being programs. To help employers support their employees’ health goals, here are five Cs that may drive engagement and create a successful well-being program.
Commitment
Executive leadership must make wellness a priority by leading the program and creating a culture of well-being. It is important to set the tone for your organization and serve as the CEO of well-being by passionately and visibly supporting, participating in and communicating the importance of wellness. Also, mid-level managers and direct supervisors should set the tone for their departments by informing, educating and motivating employees.
Communication
When it comes to well-being programs, don’t launch it and leave it. Establish communication touch-points throughout the year that reintroduce employees to the program and remind them about the value of participating. Show what’s in it for them, from the intrinsic perspective—their health—to the extrinsic perspective—available incentives. To support those efforts, consider forming a wellness champion network composed of a group of volunteer employees who help in planning, communicating and implementing the program. Also, a well-being program website or intranet site can provide information and enable employees to get their questions answered.
Culture
Employees spend more waking hours at work than anywhere else, so it makes sense that creating a healthier environment would help support positive behavior changes. Some examples include providing stress-related educational information, creating indoor/outdoor walking paths, installing bike racks and on-site exercise equipment or yoga classes, launching a lunchtime walking club or a take the stairs campaign and providing healthier vending options.
Cash
Research shows that valued incentives drive participation, which can ultimately lead to engagement. Incentives must resonate with your unique workforce. For example, merchant gift cards and premium credits resonate well with most employees. But incentives are not a one-size-fits-all proposition. The value and appeal of a particular incentive varies among employees, making the right incentive selection important.
Contribute
A well-being program cannot be billed as employee–focused if employee input is not solicited and applied. By giving employees the opportunity to share their feedback, they can provide key information to structure the program to help meet their needs and interests and give employees a sense of ownership. Remember to solicit and give open and honest feedback to further identify what is working and what needs to change to increase engagement and satisfaction.
More than 53 percent of employees with access to a company well-being program say it has made a positive impact on their health, according to a recent UnitedHealthcare survey. Among those, 88 percent said the programs motivated them to pay more attention to their health, 67 percent said the initiatives helped them reduce their bodyweight, and 30 percent said the resources helped detect a disease or medical condition.
The evidence is clear. As more employers explore innovative well-being programs, more and more West Virginians will have access to vital resources to improve their health and save money in the process.
About the Author
Chris Mullins is CEO of UnitedHealthcare Mid-Atlantic, which includes West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.
