Employees Find Wellness Programs Ineffective

Employee-benefits programs can go a long way in not only keeping workers healthy, but also keeping them happy, according to a new survey by One Medical.

Fifty-nine percent of respondents say employee-benefits programs are “very important” in determining how they feel about their jobs and employers. Thirty-six percent said benefits were “somewhat important” in making these decisions.

The findings also showed benefits can be deal breakers for people looking at multiple job offers. Sixty-nine percent of respondents said they would choose one job over another if it offered better benefits. Moreover, employees seem to value benefits more than “perks.” The survey found two out of three people said they would rather have wellness benefits than perks.

Despite the draw of benefits programs, some employees said that companies are not doing enough to invest in their workers’ health and wellness. A majority of respondents (64%) believe that keeping employees healthy should be the main drive behind a company’s benefits program. However, 66% of employees believe their employers are more focused on managing costs. Forty-nine percent said they believe keeping employees healthy is a top priority for their companies.

Fifty-two percent of survey takers said their company is making sufficient investments in their wellness and preventive care, but only 25% believe their companies’ health and wellness programs are effective in making them healthier.

One Medical found that 82% of companies are providing medical insurance and about half are investing in health and wellness programs. Forty-six percent offer employee assistance programs, 40% offer on-site vacations, 31% deliver fitness benefits, 27% back workshops, and 21% provide on-site health screening.

One Medical’s research was gathered by surveying more than 1,000 full-time professionals across the U.S. about their opinions, desires and perceptions regarding their companies’ employee-benefits programs. Respondents worked for companies of all sizes spanning 20 different industries, according to One Medical. Their ages ranged from 16 through 60 and older. Survey takers were evenly split between men and women, the company said.

The survey’s full results can be found here.