Health & Medical Discussion (ANSWERED)

QUESTION

Please read the following articles and then answer the questions below.

ANSWER

What Are Your Initial Thoughts About Corporate Wellness Programming? (Did You Know What It Was? Have You Previously Participated In A Corporate Wellness Program?)

Corporate wellness programming is an approach employers take to achieve a healthy workplace through daily work schedules incorporating health activities to promote the employees’ health. I have come across this term, although my understanding of corporate wellness programming was the physical activities and retreats that employees take away from their work. This understanding has been altered through observation of the scholarly works that explore corporate wellness, from the incorporation of wellness activities to the work point of view. However, I have participated in a corporate wellness program through physical activity/exercises. I was part of a voluntary program offered by a local hospital meant to educate local communities about self-care to reduce instances of diseases like diabetes and obesity. We were required to help the community members learn basic exercises, which we taught and participated in.

Were Those Thoughts Congruent with The Articles? Why Or Why Not?

My thoughts on corporate wellness programming were congruent with the articles to some extent, i.e., I understood that the primary goal of the programs was to promote the health and wellness of the employees, and so did the articles. Moreover, I understood that the wellness programs were done as part of the leisure activities within an organization, which is often not the case. For instance, Musich et al. (2015) studied the ‘Well at Dell’ program, where the organization had set specific goals to be achieved, like health outcomes, medical and productivity cost outcomes, and employee satisfaction. Therefore, comparing my understanding of corporate wellness and the articles, there is congruence apart from the goals aspect.

Which Business Aspect, Of Corporate Wellness, Within the Articles Did You Find the Most Interesting and Would You Be the Most Likely to Apply In the Field?

Corporate wellness goes both ways, such that the employee benefits from health practices that help them avoid diseases and disruption at work while the organization saves on costs associated with compensating employees. However, the most intriguing business aspect of corporate wellness is the Return on Investment (ROI) it has on the organization implementing the practice. Besides the ROI, cost savings and healthcare utilization play a significant role in ensuring the realization of the benefits of corporate wellness programs.

Kaspin et al. (2013) investigate the economic benefits of Corporate Wellness Programs, where they relate healthy behaviors in an organization to business benefits. In their investigation, they report that employers now use financial rewards like cash, vacations, and gift cards to take health-risk assessments, participate in wellness programs, and receive preventive care. This investment has returns, i.e., the organization will save on costs used in healthcare for their employees. Hart (2013) explains that some businesses may not be in a position to negotiate with healthcare providers to subsidize the costs of providing care to their employees. Therefore, the ROI for corporate wellness programs is the cost-saving aspect.

I would want to apply the financial rewards aspect of the articles to get employees to participate in wellness programs outside the office. Giving out gifts will motivate the employees to participate more and save on future healthcare costs. Although the ROI is not realized immediately, the changes in health behaviors can be seen in the employees as they change their habits with regard to healthy lives.

What Do You Perceive to be the Greatest Obstacle to Business Success in the Field of Corporate Wellness within Corporate Wellness Programming?

Some studies question the feasibility of the perceived ROI in corporate wellness, which is becoming a challenge for the bid to get organizations to incorporate healthy behaviors into their workplaces (Merrill and LeCheminant, 2016). Nonetheless, the main challenge lies in the high health spending in organizations. Most small businesses may not match big corporations with a large number of employees and make great profits. Hart (2019) states that almost 60% of the profit gained after tax is spent on corporate health benefits. This is particularly discouraging to small businesses as they seek to reduce the number of corporate wellness programs within their organizations. Otherwise, the overall business success is drawn back by the excessive spending of the profits gained.

References

Hart, J. (2013). Making The Case For Corporate Wellness: Interventions Benefit Employees And Bottom Line. Alternative And Complementary Therapies, 19(1), 40-43. https://Doi.Org/10.1089/Act.2013.19105

Kaspin, L. C., Gorman, K. M., & Miller, R. M. (2013). Systematic Review Of Employer-Sponsored Wellness Strategies And Their Economic And Health-Related Outcomes. Population Health Management, 16(1), 14-21. https://Doi.Org/10.1089/Pop.2012.0006

Merrill, R. M., & Lecheminant, J. D. (2016). Medical Cost Analysis Of A School District Worksite Wellness Program. Preventive Medicine Reports, 3, 159-165. https://Doi.Org/10.1016/J.Pmedr.2016.01.002

Musich, S., Mccalister, T., Wang, S., & Hawkins, K. (2015). An Evaluation Of The Well At Dell Health Management Program: Health Risk Change And Financial Return On Investment. American Journal Of Health Promotion, 29(3), 147-157. https://Doi.Org/10.4278/Ajhp.131115-QUAN-582

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