Tracking the data on the effectiveness of employee well-being programs can feel like you’re watching a Ping-Pong match. While more than 60% of U.S. businesses offer such programs, research on their effectiveness has been mixed. There are findings that point to positive gains in both cost savings and productivity measures, while other studies, including the recent report from the National Bureau of Economic Research, find that programs can make for good recruitment tools but won’t do much to lower costs or improve health. The result: persistent questions on whether well-being programs deliver meaningful value and, if so, which ones do.
How to Gauge the Effectiveness of Employee Wellness Programs
60% of U.S. businesses offer one, but far fewer know if they’re working.
October 03, 2018
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Summary.
Tracking the data on the effectiveness of employee well-being programs can feel like you’re watching a Ping-Pong match. While more than 60% of U.S. businesses offer such programs, research on their effectiveness has been mixed. There are findings that point to positive gains in both cost savings and productivity measures, while other studies, including the recent report from the National Bureau of Economic Research, find that programs can make for good recruitment tools but won’t do much to lower costs or improve health. The result: persistent questions on whether well-being programs deliver meaningful value and, if so, which ones do. What lies at the heart of the inconsistent results is not the programs per se but rather how we define and ultimately measure “well-being.” WebMD Health Services has developed a measurement system that addresses this deficiency.