Most employees with access to workplace wellness programs say the programs have made a positive impact on their health, even though a majority are unwilling to devote more than one hour per day to health-related activities such as consistent exercise, according to a new survey by UnitedHealthcare.Â
These are some of the findings from this year’s UnitedHealthcare Consumer Sentiment Survey: “Wellness Check Up,” which examines employees’ opinions about employer-sponsored wellness programs. The nationwide survey’s key findings include:
- Most employees say they are interested in wellness programs. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of all employees say they are interested in wellness programs, while 59 percent of people with access to such programs said the initiatives have made a positive impact on their health. A majority (85 percent) of respondents with access to a wellness program say they are “somewhat aware” or “very aware” of the details of the program.
- Yet many employees underestimate available wellness incentives. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of respondents underestimate potential wellness-related financial incentives available through employer programs, which average $742 per employee per year, according to a recent study by the National Business Group on Health.
- Some employees are willing to spend more than one hour per day on wellness. More than one-third (36 percent) said they are willing to devote more than an hour per day on health-related activities, such as consistent exercise, researching healthy food or recipes, or engaging in wellness coaching. However, about two-thirds (63 percent) of respondents are unwilling to devote at least an hour per day to improving their health.
- More employees own activity trackers. Twenty-five percent of employees own an activity tracker, nearly double the 13 percent in 2016, according to a previous UnitedHealthcare survey.
“By engaging employees in their health, workplace wellness programs may be able to encourage well-being, prevent disease before it starts and, as result, help lower medical costs,” said Rebecca Madsen, UnitedHealthcare chief consumer officer. “This survey underscores the value of employer-sponsored wellness programs and the importance of making them accessible to more employees.”
From: Business Record
