Wellness Programs in the Workplaces

Nearly half of U.S. workplaces now offer wellness programs, a new study finds.

The larger the workplace, the more likely it was to have a wellness program, the survey revealed.

Health promotion programs were offered by 39 percent of workplaces with 10 to 24 employees, 60% of workplaces with 50 to 99 employees, and 92 percent of workplaces with 500 or more employees, the report said.

But the survey also found that many workplace programs focused only on certain areas of health and wellness, rather than taking a comprehensive approach.

Nearly one-third of workplaces offered some type of program to address physical activity, fitness or inactivity.

About one-fifth offered programs to help employees quit tobacco use, and about 17 percent had weight management/obesity programs, according to the study published April 22 in the American Journal of Health Promotion.

Three factors were independent predictors of having a comprehensive health promotion program: having at least one person assigned to be responsible for the program; a budget; and several years of experience with health promotion programming.

The survey is the most recent national poll of workplace health promotion programs, and the first of its kind in 13 years, the researchers said.