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The mysterious origins of corporate wellness programs: How do they affect workers' rights?
As companies increasingly focus on the overall well-being of their employees, the concept of workplace wellness has emerged. These programs include a variety of activities and policies designed to promote healthy behaviors in the workplace, such as health education, medical screenings, weight management, and on-site fitness facilities. But how effective are these plans? Let’s delve deeper into the history and influence behind it.
"Corporate wellness programs have their roots in the early 20th century, as labor unions fought for workers' rights and employers recognized the importance of having a healthy, alert, and well-rested workforce."
In the 1950s, Dr. Herbert L. Dunn, director of the U.S. Census Bureau, introduced the concept of "high health" to encourage individuals to strive to achieve a better quality of life. With the promotion of this concept, corporate health plans have gradually taken shape and become a strategy to address employee health issues.
"While most corporate wellness programs are designed to improve employee health, many U.S. employers see them as a way to mitigate the impact of skyrocketing health insurance costs."
Existing research, however, shows that these programs are not effective in preventing major health risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke. Despite the implementation of various wellness programs, participating employees did not necessarily experience significant improvements in health outcomes, highlighting the possibility of self-selection bias. Faced with soaring health insurance costs, many companies often turn to participating in health plans to reduce costs, but there are doubts as to whether this can really achieve the desired goals.
According to a 2021 survey, data shows that about 70% of health spending is used to treat employees with one or more chronic diseases, and two-thirds of the causes are related to lifestyle.
"New research shows that the negative impact of corporate wellness programs on employee health has long outweighed the benefits, without any significant cost savings."
Employers have long viewed workplace wellness as a driver of productivity. Studies by major companies such as Johnson & Johnson show that employees who participate in health promotion programs have significant improvements in work performance and can reduce health costs by 30%. The information has sparked renewed interest in health programs among companies, but has also raised questions about their effectiveness.
While many studies highlight the potential economic returns from investing in these programs, the reality is often contrary to expectations. According to a 2018 National Bureau of Economic Research report, most of the estimated benefits of these programs have failed to materialize due to design errors.
“The biggest barrier to workplace wellness programs is the growing awareness that these programs are not producing tangible benefits and may be causing harm to employees.”
The framework of a corporate health program is usually divided into three levels: primary prevention, secondary prevention, and tertiary prevention. Primary prevention aims to promote healthy behaviors; secondary prevention targets risk factors that will lead to health problems; and tertiary prevention focuses on improving existing health problems.
Notably, management involvement in these programs often directly impacts employee health outcomes. Some studies have shown that managers who are enthusiastic about wellness programs can increase employee engagement, even if health goals are not achieved. While participation in wellness programs is often limited, leadership support is the only way to increase the success of these programs.
However, there are still many controversies and doubts about the future of these plans. Some experts worry that businesses could use the programs to shift health costs, calling into question the effectiveness of the programs themselves. According to The New York Times, some assessments suggest that health programs may be a source of health burdens rather than a solution. So we can't help but ask, can corporate wellness programs really improve the health of employees, or are they just continuing the cost-shifting game?
