Health-conscious Employers are Opting for Onsite Wellness Services

Posted by: BeneFIT Corporate Wellness
Date: September 18, 2019

On Monday, Derrick arrived at work knowing he would be able to take part in onsite wellness services; specifically, a biometric health screening being provided by an outside wellness provider. The company had been communicating this to employees, and they had time to prepare. Derrick had his BMI and body fat %, blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose checked. In the consultation that followed, the board-certified health coach on hand explained that Derrick’s risk factors for hypertension were elevated. He made an appointment with his doctor that very day, grateful for this intervention before a serious problem developed, and without interrupting his daily work routine.

One of the most efficient ways to ensure your employees are getting the opportunity to improve their health is by bringing well-being services to them. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans spend almost 2,000 hours at work, on average, per year. Therein lies a prime opportunity for employers to introduce and implement wellness programs as part of the regular workday, making it easy for employees to engage.

Why offer wellness at work?

Two advantages to onsite wellness services are access and convenience. When these services are provided, all employees can get involved – especially those who may not have the opportunity to seek services elsewhere. In terms of convenience, nothing is easier than integrating wellness into employees’ daily schedules.

Onsite services offer individualized interaction between the provider and the employee. This approach offers the opportunity to foster a longer-term relationship with a health professional, which could result in driving sustainability in the well-being effort.

There is also the better business factor: More than one study has shown a positive correlation between a company culture that promotes health and a healthy bottom line. More than 90 percent of business leaders say that promoting wellness can affect employee productivity and performance.* It makes sense that when the company culture embraces this kind of workstyle and behavior, employees are happier and healthier, and naturally more productive.

Which services are best on-location?

Several services especially lend themselves to an onsite format and provide employees with fundamental wellness building blocks. Onsite wellness services can be implemented in any size company, among any size employee population. If they are delivered by a quality wellness provider, they incorporate reporting, so that employers can learn about the health of their workforce. Seeing aggregate results helps guide action and lead to programs that directly address the most concerning issues found within the employee population. The following services are recommended for onsite implementation:

Biometric Screenings and Health Fairs are an efficient and effective way for employees to know their important numbers: blood pressure, body composition that includes BMI and body fat %, cholesterol, and glucose. Health professionals are available for personal consultation after the screenings to help participants understand what their numbers mean, and how to address indications of a health risk.

Health Coaching done well comprises personal sessions with a board-certified health coach to help employees achieve their goals toward improved well-being. Bringing a coach onsite builds rapport with participants and may encourage employees to meet with a coach who were otherwise hesitate to engage over the phone.

Weight Management is a common interest among employees in all industries. A quality program will go beyond any kind of diet to address the cognitive side of weight management, as well as nutrition education. When combined with health coaching, this type of program offers a more comprehensive solution than programs that address diet alone.

Educational Workshops offer many topics to choose from, are delivered at the workplace by a certified health expert, and can be extremely impactful for employees. Ideally, there is flexibility in length, such as 30-, 45- or 60-minute presentations, so that the workshops can fit into the workday schedule of a particular industry and company.

What to look for in a provider

Engaging a wellness provider to conduct services at the company site is convenient and therefore increases engagement, but how does an employer identify a reliable vendor? Since wellness providers exist at every level of the quality scale, employers should take care to employ a provider that values quality and will offer sustainable change to an employee population.

When evaluating a wellness provider for your population, key considerations include:

• Location of provider: For onsite services, you may want a provider local to your area so that your programs don’t incur unnecessary travel and setup costs.
• Accreditation: Ask if your provider is accredited in Wellness and Health Promotion by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)
• Board certification: Ensure that health coaches coming onsite are board certified. Ask the company for a portfolio of current and past clients, and if they are willing to facilitate reference connections to discuss their experience with the provider.
• Appropriate interventions: Confirm that any biometric screenings are aligned with the recommendations from the U.S. Preventable Services Task Force (USPSTF)
• Data integrity: Make certain your onsite vendor has established processes for obtaining consent from your employees, managing protected health information, and reviewing aggregate reporting.
• Member experience: Choose a wellness provider with a knowledgeable and friendly staff, as members’ interaction with employees can mean the difference between addressing a health issue and ignoring it.

Get in touch with us about bringing wellness onsite at your company.

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*https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/benefits/pages/wellness-productivity-link-.aspx