January 14, 2009

Sticking to New Year’s Health Resolutions

Dean Halverson

Every year, individuals around the world make health-related New Year’s resolutions. Lose weight, eat better, stop smoking, etc. But actually integrating these changes into a lifestyle permanently is no easy feat.

But, a recent trend is making it easier – worksite wellness programs. We at WAVE have implemented one already, and our company’s health insurance premiums actually went down 2% this year! And this comes at a time when most competitors are seeing 5 to 10% increases.

Yahoo News reported that Home Depot’s wellness program paid off; the employees that participated actually sustained their fitness over time. Home Depot said the success was a result of group and personal goal-setting. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20090107/hl_hsn/employersponsoredworkoutsboo...)

Focusing on employee health not only saves companies money, it improves productivity, attendance, quality of work, and staff morale. Even if your company or organization doesn’t have a fully-organized wellness program, there are small steps you can make to start. Check out these recommendations from The Wall Street Journal, http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB123042832564337463-lMyQjAxMDI4MzIw...

Company wellness doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive, but no matter how small, it is an investment worth making. It’s time for the healthcare industry to ride the wave of wellness – helping others stay healthier cuts costs and saves lives.

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