Benefits January 18, 2006

Sixty-two Percent of Employers Feature Wellness Offerings

January 18, 2006 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans has released 'Wellness Programs', the tenth publication in its Survey & Sample Series.
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According to a news release, 80% of employers offering a wellness program provide wellness education, which may include books, newsletters, seminars or speakers on wellness topics.

More than 80% of employers have average employee participation of 50% or below. Forty-four percent of those surveyed cite improved employee health as the result of the wellness program, followed by improved employee morale, lower health care claims or costs and reduced absenteeism.

Other popular offerings include health screenings, subsidized flu shots and health risk assessments. Merchandise and gift cards are the most popular incentives to promote wellness programs, the survey found.

This survey collected information from 464 US and Canadian sources representing corporations, multiemployer trust funds, public employers and professional service firms.

To purchase a copy of Wellness Programs or any of the other nine publications in the Survey & Sample Series, contact the Publications Department at (888) 334-3327, option 4; fax (262) 786-8780; e-mail books@ifebp.org ; or mail International Foundation, P.O.Box 69 Milwaukee, WI, 53005-0069.

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