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Pros & Cons of a Wellness Program

Among the benefits that employers can offer their workers are wellness programs that seek to improve the health and general well-being of those who participate. Wellness programs include gym memberships, health and fitness education, and smoking cessation programs. However, for all the good they do, wellness programs aren't a good fit for every employer.

  1. Healthier Workers

    • One of the biggest advantages of a wellness program is an improvement to worker health. Workers who participate may be able to save on their health insurance premiums, and employers who offer wellness programs can likewise pay less for the group insurance they provide for their employees. Healthier workers also take fewer sick days, contributing to workplace productivity and efficiency.

    Improved Morale

    • Wellness programs can help improve a business's level of employee morale. As wellness programs are optional for employers, they appear as special services to employees, especially to those who come from companies that declined to offer such a program. Additionally, workers who spend time together outside the office participating in a wellness program can build more effective teamwork and communication bonds.

    Cost

    • The biggest drawback to most employers is the cost of a wellness program. Since employees usually don't contribute directly to the cost of the program, employers are left paying the bill, regardless of how many workers opt to participate and what the net results of the program actually are. When combined with other employee benefits, the cost of a wellness program may become unaffordable, especially for a business going through a period of financial difficulty.

    Difficult Analysis

    • Another disadvantage of wellness programs is the difficulty in measuring their effectiveness. The benefits are largely abstract and long-term, which makes it difficult for proponents to justify the cost to board members or owners, the ones to approve starting or continuing a wellness program. Wellness programs have varying success rates and depend largely on the goals and level of participation of workers, which can vary over time based on work schedules and the types of services a wellness program covers.

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