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Employers Must Effectively Communicate to Workers about Wellness Programs

More and more companies are investing in wellness programs. But such programs are unlikely to be effective if workers don’t know that they exist. And according to a new survey, many employees are unaware of their employers’ wellness programs.

A new Brodeur Partners survey found that although seven in 10 US workplaces offer wellness programs, many employees don’t know about these programs.

Specifically, only about one-third (34%) of the 542 employed Americans surveyed said they have a health and wellness program at work despite the fact that another study found that 70% of workplaces have such programs.

‘Clearly, there’s a disconnect,’ said Brodeur Partners CEO Andrea Coville. ‘Either employees aren’t getting the memo about the programs that exist in their workplaces or they don’t consider what their employers are offering to be true wellness programs.’

The Brodeur findings are consistent with similar research. For example, according to Gallup, although more than 85% of companies with more than 1,000 employees offer a wellness program, only 60% of US employees are aware that their company offers one.

Bottom line: Coville says, ‘Companies need to communicate clearly, aggressively and creatively about what they’re offering and how the programs can enhance their employees’ well-being.’ So if you have a wellness program, make sure you actively promote it to workers and encourage them to use the program.

OHS Insider has resources to help you implement a wellness program in your workplace or convince senior management to do so, including:

  • A study that suggests wellness programs may lead to improved worker health, increased productivity and reduced costs for employers
  • The benefits of wellness programs for small companies
  • Worker wellness fact sheet
  • Model Wellness Questionnaire
  • Checklist for evaluating your readiness for an integrated OHS and wellness program
  • Checklist for integrating your OHS and wellness programs.