The Hidden ROI of Corporate Wellness Programs
You can read the original article posted on LinkedIn here: The Wellness Pulse
Identifying the right provider and choosing what services to offer are important things to consider when starting or supplementing a corporate wellness program. Another big factor to consider is cost.
The good news is that many studies show that successful corporate wellness programs can offer a return of over $3.00 for every dollar spent. Which is great for anyone trying to sell you a wellness program. But there’s a key word in there…
“Successful”
There are a variety of metrics you can use to measure success, but it ultimately depends on the company and their goals for the wellness program.
Sidenote: You should have this conversation with your wellness provider before launch!
As an example of the “Hidden ROI” of a wellness program, I’d like to tell you about a small part of the programs we offer - blood pressure screenings.
I say “small part” but these onsite events pack a big punch on the overall success of the program. And that’s for a few different reasons:
High blood pressure isn’t something people can “feel”.
Unless you check your blood pressure regularly, you don’t know if you have high blood pressure.
Heart disease is the number one killer of women. Prevention is key.
Blood pressure screenings bring out more people than any other onsite events, which is great if you’re looking to boost employee participation. Employees seem to be less intimidated by these screenings versus something like an outdoor bootcamp or yoga class. It only takes a few minutes. They get a real result from an actual human…and they can ask questions too!
In a 2 hour session, we can screen up to 50 people on your team (sometimes more).
Knowing someone’s blood pressure is one thing, but having quality information and actionable next steps after is where the real value to you, and mostly your employees, comes in.
Two case studies illustrate what I mean.
Case One:
In 2019, an employee sat down in the chair onsite to have their blood pressure checked.
The first blood pressure reading was extremely high, so we retook it just to make sure there wasn’t an error.
The second reading was the same, so we had the employee sit to the side and relax for about 10 minutes.
Then we took the blood pressure again. It had come down slightly but was still at an unacceptable level.
We discussed how they were feeling, if there had been any changes to their food, medications, sleep, stress, etc. The employee felt fine but we strongly recommended they call their healthcare provider immediately for medical advice, which they agreed to do.
Because of HIPPA regulations, we couldn't communicate the employee’s confidential information to HR, but we did provide documentation of the incident.
The next time we were onsite, we spoke to this same employee who was extremely grateful for the blood pressure screening.
They called their provider right away and were able to make an appointment to be seen quickly. The provider did necessary testing and realized the employee's medications were not at correct levels and needed to be changed immediately.
Had this person not
a. had their blood pressure checked (an included part of the wellness program) and
b. saw their provider for further evaluation and care, they could have experienced serious complications.
This is a prime example of why regular screenings for things like high blood pressure are so paramount. The most important outcome of this screening is that this employee may have avoided a major medical emergency.
This also may have saved the company from potential insurance claims, or from having to provide extended sick leave for a valuable employee.
Both are hard to measure with concrete data but make a world of difference in your business and in your employee’s lives.
Case Two:
Let’s jump to 2022, in a post-pandemic world where the medical system is challenged and it’s hard for people to see a provider outside of regularly scheduled appointments.
At the same company where this first incident occurred, we held another blood pressure screening.
This time, an employee came to us and said that they had been checking their blood pressure regularly at their local pharmacy and saw a pattern of it being high.
We took this person’s blood pressure and recorded a higher than normal reading. We followed the same protocols as before. We re-checked it, had them sit and relax, and checked it a third time.
Even though the reading wasn’t as high as the previously mentioned employee, this person mentioned that they were feeling very fatigued lately. We made the same recommendation to call their healthcare professional and speak to them as soon as possible.
The employee mentioned that they had been trying to see their provider since they started checking their blood pressure and feeling so tired. Unfortunately though, their provider couldn’t see them for at least 4 months, despite the facts they shared with the practice.
Due to the staffing constraints and covid protocols, the employee also wasn’t able to make an appointment with a specialist because the specialist needed to have a referral from the primary care provider.
No matter which approach they tried, this employee was unable to obtain the care they needed in a timely way. The system failed them.
We need to do better. At New England 360 Fitness we want to be part of the solution and help people find the care they need to live the life they deserve.
We seek out relationships with healthcare professionals, physical therapists, mental health counselors, registered dietitians, and even professional athletes and writers…because we believe that your health shouldn’t be in the hands of just one person.
It often takes a team of people with varying expertise to help prevent, diagnose, treat, and manage the diseases and disabilities of every unique individual.
Thinking about the need for access to quality care, I’m thrilled to introduce Altrix Primary Care of Nashua, NH - a nurse practitioner led practice that provides comprehensive primary care for individuals and families. In collaboration with New England 360 Fitness, Altrix Primary Care is interested in serving your employees.
With a strained medical system, we can now offer a solution to employees who need more immediate care at no extra cost to the employer. Altrix Primary Care is a trusted resource that can provide all primary care needs, including referrals to specialists when necessary!
We are proud of our unique offering of corporate wellness programs and truly want to make a difference in the lives of your employees and in the profit of your business. We won’t argue that the dollars are important, but please don’t neglect the hidden ROI on the things that really make a difference!
At New England 360 Fitness, we're on a mission to make your people and your business stronger, healthier, and more successful than ever! To learn more about our blood pressure screenings and discuss all that's included in our corporate wellness programs, book a call with us today!