Benefits March 13, 2015

‘Integrated’ Well-Being Programs Yield Better Results

A wellness program that has more components and is more integrated with a company’s culture produces higher health benefit cost savings.
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‘Integrated’ well-being programs produced more positive results for employers than did traditional wellness programs, according to a study by WorldatWork.

Supporting workers both at the office and beyond can have positive results for an employer in terms of increased productivity, engagement levels and employee satisfaction, as well as positive changes in employee behaviors. This differs from organizations that limit employee well-being to more traditional wellness offerings with the sole purpose of lowering health care costs, WorldatWork says in its survey report, “Total Rewards and Well-Being.”

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A well-being scale was developed based on answers to key questions in the survey. Critical issues considered in the scoring continuum include:

  • Number and types of well-being programs offered—42 points possible, programs considered innovative were allotted additional points over some traditional programs;
  • Eligibility for well-being programs—6 points possible;
  • Organizational strategy when it comes to employee well-being—5 points possible;
  • The culture of well-being within the organization—4 points possible;
  • Balance of programs offered—4 points possible;
  • Organizational support for employees when it comes to defining a strong sense of self or purpose through beliefs, principles, values and ethical judgments—3 points possible;
  • Senior management’s view of well-being—3 points possible;
  • Use of well-being in attraction of new employees—1 point possible;
  • Well-being communication—1 point possible; and
  • Line managers and supervisors authorized to support employees when participating in the well-being programs offered—1 point possible.

The maximum number of points possible is 70. Organizations scoring between 1 and 34 on the continuum are considered to have “traditional wellness” programs, while those scoring between 35 and 70 have “integrated well-being” programs.

The study found employers with integrated well-being programs were more likely to report an extremely positive or positive effect of the program on their health care costs (73%) than were employers with traditional wellness programs. Likewise, employers with integrated well-being programs reported more positive effects from their programs on employee engagement (80% vs. 54% of employers with traditional wellness programs), disability costs (60% vs. 38%), employee satisfaction (77% vs. 68%) and employee turnover (48% vs. 37%).

The survey shows 96% of organizations support employee well-being programs, and nearly three-quarters (74%) report they plan to increase their well-being offerings or activities in the next two years. Eighty-two percent of responding organizations said employee health is a top motivator for offering well-being activities; while 78% of organizations noted curbing employee medical costs was their goal for offering the programs.

The survey report is online here.

Break from the Grind March 12, 2015

A Little Friday File Fun

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In Kingsport, Tennessee, a woman at a Kmart jewelry counter used wire cutters to cut a security cable that was attached to a counter top display case. The case contained 37 separate pairs of earrings, valued at $249.99 each. The woman proceeded to load the approximately three feet tall glass container into her buggy, according to the Kingsport Times-News, and proceeded to wheel it out the front doors. She was abruptly stopped in the breezeway and escorted to an office, where police were called.

In Panama City Beach, Florida, a so-called “church” has lost its tax-exempt status. The News Herald of Panama City reports The Life Center: A Spiritual Community has been operating a seven-day-a-week party called Amnesia: The Tabernacle since February 28. The “church” was hosting na.ked paint parties and slumber-party Sundays featuring the “se.xiest ladies on the beach.” Patrons were charged a “donation” of $20 at the door. On the walls inside were T-shirts emblazoned with ob.scene gestures and signs that say “I hate being so.ber.”

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In Lakeland, Florida, a woman walked around the crossing gates and into the path of a passing freight train. The woman was clipped by the train and tossed into the air. She suffered a compound fracture to her right arm and her right leg was also injured, according to the Orlando Sentinel. She told police she did not hear the train horn and did not see the crossing arms down when she crossed; she was texting.

In Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, police approached a man who had stepped into traffic. He claimed he was walking erratically because he was trying to avoid stepping in dog poo on the sidewalk, but police say he seemed to be under the influence, according to the Associated Press. When officers tried to arrest him, he dropped to the ground and rolled in the waste, telling officers they couldn’t arrest him because he was covered in poo. They arrested him for public dru.nkeness.

In Milton, Georgia, police said three 17-year-olds were seen with a 16-year-old accomplice stealing a pet goat from the owner’s home. A witness called 911 and the teens were pulled over with the goat still in the back of their pickup truck. The police report said one of the teens told officers he wanted to use the goat as a prop to ask a girl, “would you goat with me to prom?” A Milton police captain told a local news station, “Well, you know, it’s quite possible that these teens didn’t realize the severity of what they were doing.”

In Regensburg, Germany, archaeologists announced the discovery of a 250-year-old pretzel dubbed “the oldest ever found.” Silvia Codreanau-Windauer of the Bavarian State Bavarian Bureau for the Conservation of Historic Monuments said the pretzel was found alongside other baked goods including rolls and a croissant dough during an archaeological dig last summer, according to the UPI.

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