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In today’s fast-paced work environment, the health and well-being of employees is paramount. A healthy and engaged workforce can lead to increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, cost savings and better company culture. Employers can make the biggest impact by helping employees manage chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
It’s no secret chronic diseases are the No. 1 driver of healthcare costs. Nearly half the population has at least one high-risk condition and that number is only expected to grow, according to the American Hospital Association. Ninety percent of prescription drug use is also associated with people who have a chronic condition, another cost-driver.
Businesses are faced with a significant challenge, but it’s crucial they lead the way in helping to address these issues. Many chronic health conditions are preventable through lifestyle changes, like diet and exercise, along with primary and preventive healthcare. Creating successful employee wellness programs can be the cornerstone in improving our community’s health, too.
Start by assessing the specific needs of your workforce through surveys and claims data to tailor programs. Here are some of the most popular programs I see helping employees manage chronic conditions:
Weight Management Program
Offering a group weight management program led by health coaches can help employees adopt healthier lifestyles. Employees learn about the psychology behind their decisions and the impact their lifestyle has on their health. Topics might include goal setting, nutrition and metabolism, physical activity, mindful eating, stress, sleep, and maintaining habits for success. One study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found employees lose weight and keep it off when they’re offered ongoing access to weight-loss programs. Health coaching can help employees realize why they’ve struggled in the past to lose weight and often see better results.
Healthy Hearts Program
Half of adults have high blood pressure and 38% have high cholesterol, according to the CDC. These leading risk factors of heart disease can be prevented. When employers offer wellness services to address heart health, they see a return on investment as high as $3.27 for every $1 invested on employee wellness.
A Healthy Hearts Program helps employees lower their risk of heart disease. Employees learn how the heart works, and topics can include controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, goal setting, eating healthy, maintaining a healthy weight and managing stress.
The goal is to engage employees so they can apply what they learn to their everyday lives.
Diabetes Care Management Programs
Some of the patients we see are disappointed in the way previous doctors have helped them address diabetes and some just lack the education to manage it.
Programs like a Diabetes Prevention Program or a Diabetes Education and Support Program empower employees to manage their condition through proper diet, exercise and medical care, monitoring, problem-solving and reducing risks. Employer-sponsored healthcare providers and certified diabetes educators can offer employees support. Employees enrolled in the program receive pre-and post-biometric screenings, including an A1C screening, group educational sessions, one-on-one time with their provider and educational materials to keep them engaged in the program.
While it takes perseverance, employees who prioritize managing their diabetes can see dramatic results. One employee we coached who has had diabetes for 15 years started the program with an A1C of 10% and dropped it to 6.5% after completion of the program. Another employee shared how they lost 34 pounds, decreased their A1C and are no longer insulin dependent.
As a health coach, I am inspired by stories like these, which reaffirm my belief that employee wellness programs make a dramatic difference in improving population health.
The keys to success are promoting a culture of wellness throughout your organization, offering programs employees perceive as beneficial to their health, and encouraging healthcare visits. Using incentives, like insurance premium reductions and gift cards, can encourage employees to take the first step. Offering meaningful and enjoyable programs drives sustained behavior change and lasting results.
Keena has served as a health coach with Marathon Health for nearly 12 years. In addition to coaching, she has collaborated on many of the organization’s wellness programs and pilot initiatives and has served as a subject matter expert on Athena and health coach workflows. Keena spent the first 10 years of her career overseeing programs and services for a nonprofit organization, followed by a few years consulting on a wide range of projects, including program development, technical writing, and data collection and evaluation. Keena has a Bachelor’s in Sociology and Spanish and a Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in Business Administration. She is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach and has additional coaching certifications in diabetes prevention, lifestyle medicine and smoking cessation.