Workplace wellness programs are programs where employers institute financial incentives for their employees to improve their health, with plans for them to require less health-care spending. This is now a $6 billion industry. For example, you can pay your workers not to smoke, and they just might require fewer trips to the doctor.
Now do these really work? Aaron Caroll digs into the evidence below. The simple answer is: "not really". However, there is evidence that some programs strictly targeted on disease management can provide some savings. But these broad programs aimed towards improving employee health in general don't seem to be reducing spending. Futhermore, employers often use them as a convenient excuse to shift costs from employers to workers. Watch the video below to learn more:
