Wellness programs can take many forms — ranging from employer-sponsored flu shots, online newsletters, and healthy food options in cafeterias/vending machines, to biometric screenings and risk assessments for chronic disease, to subsidies for health and fitness clubs and disease management programs. They are investments by employers to support the health of their employees and improve productivity, while reducing absenteeism and costs.

Research by the Partnership for Prevention found that for every $1 invested in health promotion, a company can save up to $3 to $5 in health and safety costs, such as medical expenses, absenteeism, and workplace accidents.

Eight out of ten DFWBGH employers offer their employees some type of wellness or disease management program, according to a 2007 DFWBGH member survey. Recent discussions with the DFWBGH Board of Directors indicate that most large employers in DFW are not cutting back on these programs despite the economic downturn that is hurting all businesses.

Wellness Resources

	Doing Well through Wellness
	2006-07 Business Roundtable survey of wellness programs at member companies.
	Small Business Wellness Initiative, Department of Health and Human Services
	Describes a wellness initiative targeted to small businesses in North Texas.
	Investing in Health: Proven Health Promotion Practices for Workplaces, a 2008 publication of the Partnership for Prevention
	This guide offers steps any employer can take to improve employee health by:
	Reducing tobacco use and exposure Promoting breast, cervical, and colon cancer screening and early detection Encouraging physical activity and healthy eating
	Additional tools and resources for workplace health programs are available from Partnership for Prevention. The Partnership for Prevention is a non-profit membership organization whose mission is to improve health by preventing illness and injury and by promoting health. Their programs increase the priority on prevention in health-related policy and in the U.S. health care system.
	A Purchaser's Guide to Clinical Preventive Services: Moving Science into Coverage, Produced by the National Business Group on Health
	This guide provides guidance for the selection of clinical preventive services, disease prevention, early detection, and the economic benefits of these strategies. DFWBGH has a supply of CD's with this guide available to members for free, thanks to Pfizer's generosity. Contact DFWBGH to request this CD.
	Winning Ways: How to Gain C-Suite Support for Health & Productivity Improvement, a DVD produced by the Integrated Benefits Institute in 2008
	This resource features insights from Fortune 500 executives to help employers bolster the business case for investments in employee health. You will also find guidance on language relevant to decision makers, simple effective measurement and results reporting with simple scientific and financial metrics, and lessons learned about accountability, communication, commitment and preparation. Email your request for this free DVD to jmoore@ibiweb.org.
	Wellness, Disease and Care Management: Background for Developing a Business Strategy
	An employer toolkit developed by the DMAA and the National Association of Manufacturers to assist employers in adopting wellness, prevention, and disease and care management programs.
	Diabetes Calculator (Excel file)
	Use this tool to estimate how much diabetes could be costing your company. Just simply plug in the number of employees covered by your plan and the built-in calculator will do the rest." – a product of the American Diabetes Association