What Are the Different Types of Wellness Programs?

You might be surprised to learn how many different wellness programs your company offers for free or for a low cost. Businesses and insurance providers want you to be healthy because you’ll miss fewer days, make fewer insurance claims and be more productive in the workplace. Ask your human resources department about the different health and wellness programs the company offers and how you can take advantage of them.

Fitness

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about two-thirds of adults in the United States are either overweight or obese. Employees who maintain a healthy weight and improve their strength and muscular endurance reduce their risk for diabetes, back pain, stroke, heart attack and other problems that affect their performance at work. Businesses offer a variety of group and individual fitness programs including fitness center memberships, rebates on exercise equipment purchases, on-site gyms and employee workout classes. Ask your company about starting a weight-loss or fitness competition to increase teamwork, morale and productivity and to decrease health-care costs.

Nutrition

Businesses often include nutrition education in their wellness programs by offering one-on-one counseling sessions, group seminars, educational materials and healthy menu items in the company cafeteria. Check the website of your company’s insurance provider to see if they have a nutrition area for employees of client companies. Suggest that your company bring in a registered dietitian for a lecture or seminar.

Smoking Cessation

Workers who smoke cost businesses about $1,300 per year more than workers who don’t, according to the CDC, and many companies pay for individual smoking-cessation programs. Insurers are particularly interested in smoking cessation and often offer lower health and life insurance premiums to those who enroll. Check with your company to see if it offers assistance for employees who want to stop smoking. If they don’t, suggest that they do and offer to be a volunteer to get the program started.

Pregnancy and Maternity

Before and after giving birth, new mothers can increase costs for a company. A healthy mother and child decrease absenteeism and increase productivity, which is why many businesses offer pre- and postnatal counseling. If your company doesn’t have a formal pregnancy wellness program, ask your insurance provider if it provides resources. If your business employs many young women but doesn't provide a pregnancy wellness program, offer a proposal for a pregnancy wellness benefit, working with the company’s insurance provider to lay out the costs and benefits.