{"id":1363,"date":"2020-01-02T10:03:27","date_gmt":"2020-01-02T17:03:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/?p=1363"},"modified":"2026-03-11T13:09:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T19:09:14","slug":"do-corporate-wellness-programs-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Corporate Wellness Programs Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/#Do_corporate_wellness_programs_actually_work\" >Do corporate wellness programs actually work?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/#What_evidence_shows_how_corporate_wellness_programs_reduce_healthcare_costs\" >What evidence shows how corporate wellness programs reduce healthcare costs?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/#Is_there_credible_evidence_supporting_corporate_wellness_program_results\" >Is there credible evidence supporting corporate wellness program results?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/#Lets_Break_It_Down%E2%80%A6\" >Let&#8217;s Break It Down&#8230;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/#What_is_the_annual_cost_of_unhealthy_employee_behaviors\" >What is the annual cost of unhealthy employee behaviors?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/#How_do_corporate_wellness_programs_reduce_healthcare_costs\" >How do corporate wellness programs reduce healthcare costs?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/#What_do_corporate_wellness_results_look_like_in_real-world_settings\" >What do corporate wellness results look like in real-world settings?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/#Are_employee_wellness_programs_worth_the_investment\" >Are employee wellness programs worth the investment?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/#Why_do_corporate_wellness_programs_fail\" >Why do corporate wellness programs fail?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/#What_else_should_employers_consider_when_evaluating_corporate_wellness_programs\" >What else should employers consider when evaluating corporate wellness programs?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/#REFERENCES\" >REFERENCES<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" >Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote executive-summary is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\" style=\"border-width:1px;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);font-size:17px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p style=\"font-size:20px\"><strong>Executive Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group executive-summary\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\"><strong>Do corporate wellness programs work?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"executive-summary\" style=\"font-size:16px\">Yes\u2014corporate wellness programs work when they are guided by experts and tailored to the needs of the organization. Decades of research show that programs led by experienced wellness professionals and built around customizable strategies are far more effective at improving health behaviors, reducing risk factors, and lowering medical costs. An expert guide helps employers avoid common mistakes, adjust programs based on real data, and keep employees engaged, which leads to healthier employees and stronger long-term business results.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-do-corporate-wellness-programs-actually-work\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_corporate_wellness_programs_actually_work\"><\/span>Do corporate wellness programs actually work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Investing in a company wellness program above and beyond basic insurance may have you wondering do corporate wellness programs work? There are hundreds of published research studies that prove corporate wellness programs can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Help employees eat healthy and be active<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reduce elevated employee health risks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reduce the need for medical care<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improve employee morale<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increase employee productivity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improve employee recruitment and retention<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the main reasons <a href=\"http:\/\/www.snacknation.com\/blog\/employee-wellbeing\/\">corporate wellbeing programs<\/a> exist is to help <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2019\/01\/02\/impact-employee-wellness-health-care-costs\/\">reduce healthcare costs<\/a>. But do corporate wellness programs work? Today there is more scientific evidence than ever to support the ability of corporate wellness programs to improve employee health, reduce elevated health risks, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2016\/09\/12\/wellness-roi\/\">reduce healthcare costs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/employee-wellness-committee.jpg\" alt=\"do corporate wellness programs work, what do workplace wellness programs do, workplace wellness programs study, best workplace wellness programs\" style=\"width:600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>These epidemiology studies use population databases to look at the relationships between health behaviors and&nbsp;how they are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/benefits-of-wellness-lower-health-care-costs\/\">reducing healthcare costs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They all report that unhealthy behaviors and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2016\/07\/11\/how-to-do-biometric-screening\/\">elevated health risks<\/a> are directly related to elevated health care costs. Just like the research demonstrating the dangers of cigarette smoking, few of these studies are randomized clinical trials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the evidence reveals that most of our healthcare costs are directly related to unhealthy lifestyle choices. To understand <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2019\/01\/04\/the-nations-best-wellness-programs\/\">how wellness programs reduce healthcare costs<\/a> it&#8217;s important to understand how our health behaviors are directly linked to the cost of health care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-evidence-shows-how-corporate-wellness-programs-reduce-healthcare-costs\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_evidence_shows_how_corporate_wellness_programs_reduce_healthcare_costs\"><\/span>What evidence shows how corporate wellness programs reduce healthcare costs?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2016, Centers for Disease Control published a paper connecting inadequate physical activity with healthcare costs. This is just one of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2019\/01\/02\/impact-employee-wellness-health-care-costs\/\">dozens of similar papers.<\/a> To fully comprehend how powerful these studies are let me show you briefly what they did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The CDC researchers merged data from the National Health Interview Survey (2001-2010) and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. The national health interview survey uses face-to-face interviews to gather health information from individuals all around the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20230605094742\/https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/exercsie-weight-loss-e1562328065501.jpg\" alt=\"do corporate wellness programs work, what do workplace wellness programs do, workplace wellness programs study, best workplace wellness programs\" style=\"width:573px;height:382px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The medical expenditure panel survey collects health care cost data from both federal agencies and private insurance companies. When these two data sets were merged it included information on over 58,000 individuals. The researchers then evaluated the difference in health care costs between different levels of physical activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Individuals who exercised more than 150 minutes per week spent about $4,500 per year on healthcare costs. Those who got between zero and 150 minutes of exercise a week spent $5,076 per year and those that didn&#8217;t exercise at all spent $5,813 per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This chart shows the difference in cost according to the different levels of physical activity. Compared to those are active, sedentary adults spend $1,313 more on health care every year.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"996\" height=\"733\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/WellSteps-inactivity.png\" alt=\"wellsteps-inactivity do corporate wellness programs work\" class=\"wp-image-1365\" style=\"width:760px;height:559px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/WellSteps-inactivity.png 996w, https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/WellSteps-inactivity-300x221.png 300w, https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/WellSteps-inactivity-768x565.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 996px) 100vw, 996px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-is-there-credible-evidence-supporting-corporate-wellness-program-results\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_there_credible_evidence_supporting_corporate_wellness_program_results\"><\/span>Is there credible evidence supporting corporate wellness program results?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Critics will complain that this proves nothing because it is impossible to tell which came first\u2014high health care costs or sedentary behavior. But in this study the researchers controlled for differences in age, sex, body mass index, socioeconomic status and other confounding factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More importantly, the physical activity data was gathered at year one but healthcare cost claims data wasn&#8217;t used until two years after that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This study is just one of many that consistently shows that the less active you are the more you spend in healthcare costs.&nbsp;But this study also answers the question of how corporate wellness programs work to reduce healthcare costs. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2019\/01\/02\/impact-employee-wellness-health-care-costs\/\">The study <\/a>also determined that 11.1% of the total healthcare cost of the United States was directly related to inadequate physical activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-let-s-break-it-down\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lets_Break_It_Down%E2%80%A6\"><\/span>Let&#8217;s Break It Down&#8230;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s do some math. Last year the United States spent $3 trillion on healthcare which means physical inactivity is directly responsible for $333 billion in health care costs ($3 trillion x 11.1%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using other epidemiology studies we can do same calculations for different&nbsp;unhealthy behaviors. There are enormous studies that have carefully looked at the healthcare costs associated with smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. Each of these unhealthy behaviors is highly associated with elevated health care costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From these various studies I&#8217;ve put together a pie chart showing the total percentage of our healthcare expenditure that is directly related to each of these unhealthy behaviors.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"925\" height=\"708\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/wellsteps-reduces-health-care-costs.png\" alt=\"wellsteps-reduces-health-care-costs do corporate wellness programs work\" class=\"wp-image-1366\" style=\"width:703px;height:537px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/wellsteps-reduces-health-care-costs.png 925w, https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/wellsteps-reduces-health-care-costs-300x230.png 300w, https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/wellsteps-reduces-health-care-costs-768x588.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 925px) 100vw, 925px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Diabetes alone explains 20% of our total healthcare cost. When we include substance abuse, stress, accidents and poor nutrition the total amount of our healthcare costs that can be explained by poor lifestyle behaviors equals almost 70%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This means that of the $3 trillion we spend on healthcare 70% of that is due to individuals eating the wrong kinds of foods, not moving around enough, using tobacco, or having other unhealthy lifestyle behaviors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is actually great news because it suggests that we actually have some control over this enormous expense. If most of the cost of healthcare in the United States is due to poor lifestyle choices, then helping people adopt and maintain healthy behaviors will have a direct affect on our nation&#8217;s health care costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-the-annual-cost-of-unhealthy-employee-behaviors\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_annual_cost_of_unhealthy_employee_behaviors\"><\/span>What is the annual cost of unhealthy employee behaviors?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This last chart sums it up pretty well. If you compare the healthcare cost between smokers and non-smokers the difference is about $2,056 per person per year. The difference between those who are physically active and those who are not is about $1,313 per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having high blood pressure costs an additional $733 per year, if you suffer from obesity, you&#8217;re likely to spend $2,085 more than those who do not. And if you have diabetes you&#8217;re going to spend $2,151 more than those who are diabetes free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"896\" height=\"717\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/wellsteps-impoves-health-behaviors.png\" alt=\"wellsteps-impoves-health-behaviors\" class=\"wp-image-1364\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/wellsteps-impoves-health-behaviors.png 896w, https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/wellsteps-impoves-health-behaviors-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/wellsteps-impoves-health-behaviors-768x615.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 896px) 100vw, 896px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>These connections are extremely well-documented. For the skeptics out there I have included a full list of the references I use to create these graphs. They are located at the bottom of this page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20220313115220\/https:\/\/www.nejm.org\/doi\/full\/10.1056\/NEJM199205213262107\">New England Journal of Medicine<\/a> reported that for every 1% drop in total cholesterol, the risk of having a heart attack dropped by 2 to 3%. For every one point drop in elevated diastolic blood pressure, there is another 2 to 3% drop in heart disease risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As we change behaviors we reduce elevated health risks, we reduce the likelihood of developing chronic disease, and we essentially stay out of our expensive healthcare system. It pretty much looks like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"302\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/wellsteps-wellness-model-1024x302.png\" alt=\"wellsteps-wellness-model do corporate wellness programs work\" class=\"wp-image-1367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/wellsteps-wellness-model-1024x302.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/wellsteps-wellness-model-300x88.png 300w, https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/wellsteps-wellness-model-768x226.png 768w, https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/wellsteps-wellness-model.png 1170w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-do-corporate-wellness-programs-reduce-healthcare-costs\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_corporate_wellness_programs_reduce_healthcare_costs\"><\/span>How do corporate wellness programs reduce healthcare costs?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This figure also tells us what corporate wellness programs need to do to work. It all starts with our unhealthy behaviors. Comprehensive wellness programs that follow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2016\/09\/07\/best-worksite-wellness-programs\/\">effective behavior change strategies<\/a> will improve employee health behaviors and will reduce elevated health risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These programs will also help employees maintain these healthy behaviors for the rest of their lives. This is a pretty tall order and quite frankly most wellness programs probably fail to produce these results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is why many claim that wellness programs do not work and are ineffective at reducing healthcare costs. Most of these claims are probably correct. About the most difficult thing we as humans can do is to change behaviors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In order for a wellness program to have any effect on healthcare costs it must be successful at helping individuals adopt and maintain healthy behaviors.&nbsp;In an earlier blog I have shown the exact steps wellness programs need to take if they are to be successful at helping employees change behaviors. You can find that article&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2016\/09\/07\/best-worksite-wellness-programs\/\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-do-corporate-wellness-results-look-like-in-real-world-settings\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_do_corporate_wellness_results_look_like_in_real-world_settings\"><\/span>What do corporate wellness results look like in real-world settings?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2015\/12\/11\/how-wellness-programs-save-money\/\">Here is an example<\/a> of how a worksite used these exact steps to reduce health care costs. &nbsp;In this example, the 3500 employee of Boise School District participated in the WellSteps solution. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because the program was focused on behavior change, employees were able to adopt and maintain healthy behaviors. Consequently, elevated health risks improved and reductions in health care costs were achieved. Each of these program outcomes was carefully documented in publications in peer reviewed medical journals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The epidemiology studies discussed above suggest that poor health behaviors are strongly linked with elevated health care costs. &nbsp;Now we have additional proof that wellness programs that change employee behavior can reduce health care costs.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/corporate-wellness-committee-walking.jpg\" alt=\"what do workplace wellness programs do, workplace wellness programs study, best workplace wellness programs\" style=\"width:650px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"are-employee-wellness-programs-worth-it\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_employee_wellness_programs_worth_the_investment\"><\/span>Are employee wellness programs worth the investment?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Return on investment (ROI) evaluations show that good wellness programs save more money than they cost. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/wellness-roi-employee-well-being-programs\/\">value on investment (VOI)<\/a> is even larger.  Wellness programs are popular because companies and employees like them.  Here is proof they can even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/wellness-programs-in-the-workplace-2\/\">improve company stock price<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-do-corporate-wellness-programs-fail\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_corporate_wellness_programs_fail\"><\/span>Why do corporate wellness programs fail?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Wellness programs fail when they:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lack strong leadership<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don&#8217;t have a functioning wellness committee<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don&#8217;t offer fun, valuable incentives<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fail to integrate with other departments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have overly complicated programs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use sticks instead of carrots as incentives<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don&#8217;t include spouses or significant others<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don&#8217;t use technology like fitness trackers or wellness apps<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking to explore <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/01\/health-and-wellness-in-the-workplace\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">why they work<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-else-should-employers-consider-when-evaluating-corporate-wellness-programs\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_else_should_employers_consider_when_evaluating_corporate_wellness_programs\"><\/span>What else should employers consider when evaluating corporate wellness programs?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Need more convincing? Check out <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/employee-well-being-at-work\/\">7 Important Reasons to Offer Employee Well-being at Work<\/a><\/strong>. Then, reach out to our team for a free demo and discover how a customized corporate wellness program for your organization will bring many of the results and benefits we&#8217;ve discussed today. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/demosignup\">Click here<\/a><\/strong> to get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/demosignup\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"597\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/CTA2-1024x597.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-104676\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/CTA2-1024x597.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/CTA2-300x175.png 300w, https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/CTA2-768x448.png 768w, https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/CTA2.png 1092w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-references\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"REFERENCES\"><\/span>REFERENCES<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Health, Life Expectancy, and Health Care Spending among the Elderly<br><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20170529142250\/http:\/\/www.nejm.org:80\/doi\/pdf\/10.1056\/NEJMsa020614\">http:\/\/www.nejm.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1056\/NEJMsa020614<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Inadequate Physical Activity and Health Care Expenditures in the United States<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nccdphp\/dnpao\/docs\/carlson-physical-activity-and-healthcare-expenditures-final-508tagged.pdf\">https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nccdphp\/dnpao\/docs\/carlson-physical-activity-and-healthcare-expenditures-final-508tagged.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Higher Health Care Costs with Obesity<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hsph.harvard.edu\/obesity-prevention-source\/obesity-consequences\/economic\/\">https:\/\/www.hsph.harvard.edu\/obesity-prevention-source\/obesity-consequences\/economic\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Medical Cost of Overweight and Obesity<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2891924\/\">https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2891924\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Lifetime Cost of Diabetes and Its Implications for Diabetes Prevention<br><a href=\"http:\/\/care.diabetesjournals.org\/content\/37\/9\/2557\">http:\/\/care.diabetesjournals.org\/content\/37\/9\/2557<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hypertension and Health Care Costs:<br><a href=\"https:\/\/meps.ahrq.gov\/data_files\/publications\/st404\/stat404.shtml\">https:\/\/meps.ahrq.gov\/data_files\/publications\/st404\/stat404.shtml<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Annual Healthcare Spending Attributable to Cigarette Smoking<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4603661\/\">https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4603661\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Estimating the Cost of a Smoking Employee<br><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20171229174833\/http:\/\/tobaccocontrol.bmj.com:80\/content\/early\/2013\/05\/25\/tobaccocontrol-2012-050888\">http:\/\/tobaccocontrol.bmj.com\/content\/early\/2013\/05\/25\/tobaccocontrol-2012-050888<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\"><\/span>Frequently Asked Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1773256062586\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Do corporate wellness programs work even if participation starts small?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes\u2014one of the first things companies ask is whether participation size determines effectiveness. The truth is that even early on, do corporate wellness programs work is answered with data showing measurable improvements in morale, awareness, and healthy habits long before 100% participation is reached.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1773256065734\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What proves that corporate wellness programs work for reducing risk factors?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Research consistently demonstrates that lifestyle changes such as increased activity, healthier eating, and stress reduction meaningfully shift risk profiles. So when people wonder, \u201cDo corporate wellness programs work for health improvement?\u201d, the answer is yes\u2014they reduce high-risk categories over time.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1773256067074\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Do corporate wellness programs work for improving productivity and engagement?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Absolutely. When employees sleep better, manage stress, and feel supported, they show up differently. This is one of the strongest reasons that the question do corporate wellness programs work results in a resounding yes from employers who\u2019ve seen fewer mistakes, better collaboration, and improved focus.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1773256067862\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Do corporate wellness programs work for reducing health care costs?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Over time, yes. Meaningful behavior change takes time, but companies with consistent programs often see improved biometric outcomes, fewer emergency visits, and stabilized claims. That\u2019s why the answer to do corporate wellness programs work is backed by real-world, long-term cost trends.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1773256069335\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What makes corporate wellness programs work better over the long term?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Programs succeed when they blend clear communication, leadership involvement, simple tracking, and rewards. These components make do corporate wellness programs work more than an abstract concept\u2014they make them effective year after year.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do corporate wellness programs actually work? Investing in a company wellness program above and beyond basic insurance may have you wondering do corporate wellness programs work? There are hundreds of published research studies that prove corporate wellness programs can: One of the main reasons corporate wellbeing programs exist is to help reduce healthcare costs. But&hellip;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Read More &raquo;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Do Corporate Wellness Programs Work?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1376,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[580,12,3,522,2041,63],"tags":[24,21,35,16,51,25,30,23],"class_list":["post-1363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-corporate-wellness-programs","category-employee-wellness","category-health-care-costs","category-wellness-programs","category-workplace-wellbeing-programs","category-worksite-wellness-program","tag-health-care-cost-trend","tag-health-care-costs","tag-health-contingent-wellness","tag-healthy-behaviors","tag-lower-insurance-rates","tag-medical-costs","tag-return-in-investment","tag-wellness-roi"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Do Corporate Wellness Programs Work?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Published research studies ask: do corporate wellness programs work? Here is the latest research that tries to answer this question.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Do Corporate Wellness Programs Work?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Executive Summary Do corporate wellness programs work? Yes\u2014corporate wellness programs work when they are guided by experts and tailored to the needs of\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/02\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WellSteps\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-01-02T17:03:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-11T19:09:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wellsteps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/lower-health-care-costs.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"3234\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2165\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dr. Steve Aldana\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@wellsteps\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@wellsteps\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dr. Steve Aldana\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wellsteps.com\\\/blog\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/02\\\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wellsteps.com\\\/blog\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/02\\\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Dr. Steve Aldana\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wellsteps.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5a665881fbbbd2658e8b0fab9a2f701e\"},\"headline\":\"Do Corporate Wellness Programs Work?\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-01-02T17:03:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-11T19:09:14+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wellsteps.com\\\/blog\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/02\\\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1964,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wellsteps.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wellsteps.com\\\/blog\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/02\\\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wellsteps.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/11\\\/lower-health-care-costs.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"health care cost trend\",\"health care costs\",\"health contingent wellness\",\"healthy behaviors\",\"lower insurance rates\",\"medical costs\",\"return in investment\",\"wellness ROI\"],\"articleSection\":[\"corporate wellness programs\",\"employee wellness\",\"health care costs\",\"Wellness programs\",\"workplace wellbeing programs\",\"worksite wellness program\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wellsteps.com\\\/blog\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/02\\\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wellsteps.com\\\/blog\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/02\\\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wellsteps.com\\\/blog\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/02\\\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\\\/\",\"name\":\"Do Corporate Wellness Programs Work?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wellsteps.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wellsteps.com\\\/blog\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/02\\\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wellsteps.com\\\/blog\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/02\\\/do-corporate-wellness-programs-work\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wellsteps.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/11\\\/lower-health-care-costs.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-01-02T17:03:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-11T19:09:14+00:00\",\"description\":\"Published research studies ask: do corporate wellness programs work? 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Dr. Aldana authored over 75 scientific papers and 7 books on health risk management, healthy living, and health promotion programs. 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