The Power of Prevention: Lower Healthcare Costs with Employee Wellness Programs
When it comes to lowering healthcare costs, employee wellness at work is more important than ever. Studies show that unhealthy lifestyle behaviors such as poor eating habits are one of the main contributors to many chronic diseases, which incur up to 75% of all healthcare costs. Implementing employee wellness programs can help reduce healthcare expenditures.
The United States spends more on healthcare than any other nation – about $3 trillion annually. Chronic disease places a huge economic demand on healthcare spending. Although chronic diseases are among the costliest healthcare issues, they are also among the most preventable.
An Ounce of Prevention
Preventing disease is key to improving America’s health and keeping rising health costs under control. The CDC reports that there are four modifiable behaviors that contribute to chronic diseases:
- Lack of physical activity
- Poor nutrition
- Tobacco use
- Excessive alcohol consumption
To appreciate how workplace wellness programs can reduce healthcare costs, it’s important to understand how health behaviors are directly linked to the cost of health care. A 2016 CDC report showed that sedentary adults spend $1,313 more on health care every year, and a 2012 Gallup poll showed that employees with overall well-being have 41% lower healthcare costs. That means the healthier the employee, the less out-of-pocket spend on healthcare costs.
A Pound of Cure
When businesses and employees invest in prevention, the benefits are shared. Healthier employees feel better and take less time off from work, reducing absenteeism and increasing productivity. Businesses benefit because a healthier workforce reduces long-term health care costs and increases stability and productivity. When done right, employee wellness programs bring benefits to the workplace that can’t be ignored.
It’s never too late to instill healthy lifestyle practices. Employee wellness programs can help improve lifestyle choices and even encourage employees to maintain their healthier lifestyles for life.
Nutritious food options at work are now part of many employee wellness programs. Healthy vending machines are a simple way to provide employees with healthier options that support health and wellness objectives, while still giving employees choices. With over 2,500 healthy vending product options to choose from, operators can find the exact mix that employees are looking for, customized to each location.
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