According to a study published by the American Journal of Health Promotions, for every $1 spent on wellness programs, employers can expect a return of $2.30 to $10.10           through lower medical claims, reduced absenteeism, improved productivity and other  factors affecting their bottom line.

Recent surveys and studies showed the following outcomes:

- Everett, Wash. –based Providence Health System showed a company savings of $1.5 million, with $4.24 saved for every $1 spent over three years, according to company        officials.

- Officials for Wilmington, Del.-based DuPont Co. cited a 47.5- percent drop in absenteeism over a six-year period for participants in their wellness program.

- Omaha, Neb. –based Union Pacific Railroad, with mostly union and blue-collar employees, introduced an employee wellness program after its medical costs soared to $6,000 per employee.  After Union Pacific officials instituted what they called “a modest wellness program,” they reported savings $1.26 million in health care costs in just one year, more than 50 percent more than they invested in the program.

- Medical claims were 55 percent lower over six years for employees participating in a wellness program compared with those not in the program at Grand Rapids, Michigan based Steelcase Inc., according to company officials.  That statistic, however, could be        explained by the tendency for healthy people to more readily participate in the plans.

- Superior Coffee and Foods, a subsidiary of Chicago-based Sara Lee, reported the wellness program for its 1,200 employees showed 22 percent fewer hospital admissions, 29- percent shorter hospital stays and 42-percent lower expenses per admission when compared with other divisions.  Long-term disability costs dropped 40 percent.

- The Canadian Life Assurance Co. found turnover among wellness – program participants was reduced 32.4 percent over a seven-year period.

“Some programs can take three to five years to fully realize the return”, said Spectrum’s Stevens, a researcher of the return on investment to employers from Wellness Programs.  “But more typically employers generally see a $3.30 return for every $1spent within the first year”, she added.

As proof of corporate wellness program’s effectiveness rises, Stevens said, more Fortune 500 companies are developing in-house departments to take care of it, while smaller companies are turning to outside agencies in growing number to administer their programs.

A Nutri-Living workplace wellness program can have many benefits for both employers and workers.  The most important benefit is healthier, happier lives for workers and this is something that our community and society benefits from as a whole.  Healthy employees experience increased job satisfaction, fewer absences and increased productivity.

By providing wellness programs employers can help employees to understand their current health status and how to reduce health risks.  Workplace wellness programs provide access, opportunity and the encouragement workers need to actively participate in improving their own health.