Worksite wellness programs, while varying in design and implementation, have one thing in common: they recognize the importance of healthy employees.

Sixty-percent of the U.S. population is overweight and equal numbers are at risk of premature mortality due to sedentary lifestyles. These population trends repeat themselves within the American workforce where companies experience their impact firsthand in the form of unhealthy employees, increased health care demand, and higher health care costs.

Companies, small and large alike, however, are working to transform their workforces by implementing worksite wellness education and promotion programs. According to the Wellness Councils of America, more than 81 percent of businesses — with 50 or more employees — sponsor wellness programs.

Though that percentage is considerably less within Kitsap County, Kitsap Transit is one of many local employers keeping in step with the times. In the early nineties, with programming guidance from their employee benefit trust provider – Association of Washington Cities – Kitsap Transit allocated funding and began implementing an employee wellness program which focuses on physical activity, nutrition and health indicator education.

“Over the years we’ve sponsored numerous wellness promotion activities, including health fairs, walking campaigns, cycling outings, and fitness incentive cash awards,” explains Human Resources Director, Per Johnsen. “It’s a challenging process, but we’re committed to the program, seeing and believing that it does make a difference among our employees.”

The numbers substantiate Johnsen’s belief. Since the early eighties there have been over fifty comprehensive worksite wellness program studies and each indicates positive health outcomes.

Reflected in these outcomes, wellness programs are proving to reduce health care claims and employee absenteeism. They additionally increase employee’s perceived value to their company, raising employee morale and loyalty while decreasing turnover and associated retraining expenses.

Under the continued strain of rising health insurance cost — which account for a considerable percentage of total payroll — companies are utilizing the demand management strategies of wellness programming to realize similar favorable outcomes within their organizations.

Considering that 90 percent of preventable illnesses make up all healthcare costs, employers have a vested interested in promoting healthier lifestyles among their employees. Doing so lowers preventable illness occurrence rates while positively affecting profitability, productivity, and the capacity to operate cost effectively.

Wellness screenings are an excellent first step in wellness program design. They identify health risks most prevalent among employees and enable employers to accurately target these risks through their wellness promotion efforts.

Once needs have been identified, wellness programs ranging from specially themed-events, lunch and learn presentations, workshops, guest speakers, newsletters, brochures, employee incentives, and various other educational formats can be utilized to address various wellness topics, including tobacco cessation, stress management, weight loss, heart health, fitness, seasonal wellness, diabetes, and healthy back care, to name a few.

EHL Insurance of Poulsbo recently conducted a seasonal wellness presentation for their employees. “With cold and flu season approaching, we wanted to do something to lower the spread of illnesses among our employees. A lunch & learn presentation was a fun and easy way to increase employee awareness and lessen absenteeism over the season,” explained Jenny Hoskins, EHL Group Medical Account Manager.

In-house worksite wellness programming gives employers the advantage of flexibly addressing whatever wellness needs arise. Regardless of the wellness program emphasis, controlling health care costs is on the mind of every employer.

Employers across the country and throughout Kitsap County are realizing that in order to compete and maintain profitability within their industry, these costs must be controlled and wellness programs which foster a healthy workforce and manage health care demand are proving to be the best return on investment and the most effective means of accomplishing just that.

(Editor’s Note: Eugenie Jones, owns and operates LifeWork Wellness a worksite wellness firm. Contact her with questions or comments via email at eugeniek@comcast.com or at (360) 613-4045.).