One Medical Survey says Employees Think Workplace Wellness Falls Short

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workplace wellness falls short Nearly three-quarters of respondents to a One Medical survey on benefits packages said they carefully compared benefits packages when weighing offers from prospective employers. And the health care components of the benefits package is the one they examine most closely.

Two-thirds of respondents said they would take a benefits package heavy on health care components over one loaded with non-health perks. And 75 percent of employees over the age of 45 said they would choose better health benefits over more perks.

Two-thirds of respondents also agreed with the statement that “keeping them healthy should be one of the top goals of their company’s benefits program.” Among this survey group, 49 percent said they believe their health is a top priority of their employer. Two-thirds said managing the cost of health benefits is of higher priority to the corporation than is employee health.

Employees who work for companies with some sort of wellness plan cited the following as components of the plan:

  • Employee assistance programs (45 percent);
  • On-site vaccinations (45 percent);
  • Fitness benefits (31 percent);
  • Health-related workshops (31 percent);
  • On-site health screening (25 percent).

Overall, employer health plans do not seem to represent especially wise financial investments, and are not accomplishing the goal of enhancing employee health.

“Many professionals still believe that their employer isn’t doing enough to keep them healthy. Only about half of survey respondents (52 percent) say their company is making sufficient investments in their wellness and preventative care, and only 29 percent think their company’s health and wellness programs are actually making them healthier,” the report said.

By Joshua Bjerke