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At HealthFitness, we see many clients cut staff or other initiatives in response to the recession, but they have not cut health and fitness programs for their remaining workers. We hear several reasons for this decision. One, these employers are dedicated to helping employees manage their stress through healthy behaviors, which in turn improves productivity. Secondly, employers recognize that employee health management delivers proven return on investment—and is an effective cost-saving strategy in a down economy. Given current conditions, I know it’s tempting to take a short-term view and cut spending on employee health, expedite layoffs and freeze hiring. But before making these moves, I encourage companies to carefully consider the consequences of taking such action. How a company responds to a down economy will affect employee morale and profitability as well as its reputation in the market. Plus, stretching a workforce too thin can cause burnout among employees, which can destroy a company’s ability to provide high-quality products and services and erode its market share. Instead, I strongly suggest that employers take a longer view and adopt strategies to ensure they are well-positioned to thrive when the economy stabilizes. One such strategy is to improve specific services, customer service and client satisfaction through a continuous process improvement program. This will allow you to be more efficient and squeeze out unnecessary costs. Another strategy involves finding ways to keep top talent in the current economy—and show this talent that the company values their contributions through recognition, ongoing feedback and benefits that support their health and well-being. By doing so, you help ensure your key talent doesn’t leave once the economy improves. An additional strategy is to continue to invest in training and employee health management programs that offset the “gloom and doom” of a slower economy. Taking this approach will help you off-set the heavy burden of stress that a recession can create on employees. Research shows that when stress increases, so does inflammation, contributing to stroke, type 2 diabetes and other issues. Studies also show the cumulative effects of unresolved psychological stress can contribute to conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure. At HealthFitness, we have implemented each of these strategies and more to ensure we continue to deliver results-driven solutions to our clients. And we will continue to invest in these strategies going forward because we know they can produce measurable results at both our company—and yours. Yours in good health,
Inside HealthFitness In addition to motivational interviewing, HealthFitness’ EMPOWERED™ Health Coaching combines aspects of Prochaska’s Transtheoretical Behavior Change model, positive psychology and social cognitive theories to support participants in starting and sustaining lifestyle change. And demand for EMPOWERED is on the rise. In 2008, enrollment in EMPOWERED grew by 280 percent, with 18,442 employees actively engaged in reducing health risks. For a financial services client, for example, EMPOWERED helped participants reduce their risk for high blood pressure, depression, physical inactivity and low consumption of fruits and vegetables. In one year, health coaching participants decreased their risk for high blood pressure by 10.2 percent and reduced their risk for depression by 9.1 percent. Additionally, coaching participants who were at risk for low consumption of fruits and vegetables decreased their risk by 9.2 percent. With this client, the average number of risks among coaching participants decreased from 2.02 to 1.63 from T1 to T2, marking a 19.3 percent change. Meanwhile, non-coaching participants decreased their average number of risks from 2.11 to 2.01, representing a 4.7 percent change. Interested in learning more about how EMPOWERED Health Coaching can engage your population in behaviors that improve productivity and reduce medical costs? Contact your program manager or visit http://www.hfit.com/healthcoaching.asp.
Why Now is the Time to Book Your Next Health Screening Event
And these advantages are essential to maintain a competitive edge—especially now in the current economy. A survey released by Aon Consulting, a human capital consulting firm, found a threefold increase in the percentage of employers using health screenings, from 12 percent in 2007 to 47 percent in 2008. HealthFitness has also seen an increase in the use of screenings. During 2008, HealthFitness screened 121,868 workers across the country—an increase of 60 percent from 2007. Driving this increase is HealthFitness’ track record of strong client and employee satisfaction with screening events, and our ability to eliminate logistical headaches and confidentiality concerns for clients. Surveys collected from more than 65,500 participants in 2008 showed 99 percent were satisfied with their HealthFitness screening experience. And as a result of participating in the health screening, 98 percent said they plan to take steps toward changing unhealthy behaviors that lead to health risks. To ensure you receive the date that works best for you, book your screening event with HealthFitness by April 15, 2009. HealthFitness’ screening schedule typically fills by mid-year. Contact your program manager for additional information on health screenings or visit http://www.hfit.com/screening.asp.
Best-in-class Practices and Awards Proving the return on investment of employee health management programs to senior management is a top concern among those responsible for managing employee health and health care costs. This is especially true in the today’s economic climate, as employers place a greater emphasis on data and more closely scrutinize outcomes reports to ensure risk reduction is being shown. Employers are also requiring employee health vendors to demonstrate hard numbers with ROI and further prove the link between their services and health care cost containment. And rightfully so. The more we can link health management outcomes to cost savings, the more likely senior management is to support such initiatives. To demonstrate the financial value of our population health management services, HealthFitness’ Research, Development and Outcomes team developed a return on investment methodology based on DMAA industry standards for metrics. We then applied this methodology to a research university client to determine the effectiveness of using our health risk assessments, health advising, health coaching and incentive programs. HRA data identified the top lifestyle choices affecting claims costs among the university’s 4,500 eligible employees were obesity, stress and lack of physical activity. To engage employees in healthy behaviors, the university uses targeted, ongoing incentives. Employees are eligible to earn a monthly $20 premium reduction on their health care benefits if they complete the HRA and are active in health coaching. Using medical claims data from July 2006 through October 2008, HealthFitness measured the health care cost reduction impact of taking a HRA, participating in health advising and health coaching, and using incentives. Our analyses revealed that ROI with our health coaching, health advising and HRA was 2.67, with a per member per year (PMPY) savings of $448, and ROI with the incentive was 2.31, with a PMPY savings of $234. Going forward, we look forward to partnering with additional clients and providing an effective method for measuring the financial impact of our collaborative solutions. In 2009, we will be conducting ROI analytics on existing clients and building a database of examples that demonstrate how a well-designed and properly implemented health management program can—and will—deliver a positive ROI. For additional information on our ROI analytics program, I encourage you to talk with your HealthFitness program manager.
Successfully Engaging Call-Center Workers—What Works Call-center workers sit uninterrupted for long hours with minimal movements, often causing them to gain weight and be more vulnerable to heart disease, diabetes and other conditions, research shows. And weight gain—combined with stressful working conditions of constantly dealing with customers, who can sometimes be irate—can affect the workers’ physical and mental well-being and subsequently the workers' job performance. For a nutrition and weight management product client, its call center is considered to be “the hub” of the business. To support its hub to thrive, engaging its call-center employees in healthy activities became a top priority. HealthFitness began providing services such as incentives, biometric screenings, health risk assessments and health coaching to this client in 2008, in addition to managing the company’s existing 4,300-square-foot on-site fitness center. To date, the company has 191 total call-center employees—and 162 of them are fitness center members. During the past 12 months, HealthFitness has successfully engaged this population in ongoing health improvement programs, including a weight management program, which had 77 call-center participants; a team-oriented bike challenge, 101 call-center participants; and others. According to the client’s HealthFitness fitness program manager, the key to successfully motivating this group includes strong senior leader support. The vice president of the call center is a strong advocate for healthy lifestyle choices and rallies employees to become involved in physical activity programs. Additionally, the HealthFitness fitness program manager regularly speaks to small groups of 10 to 15 call-center employees, educating them about the benefits of the company’s integrated health and fitness management program, which is free to employees. The fitness program manager and on-site wellness coordinator/health coach work together to coordinate all programs to engage this employee population. All employees are also motivated to participate through the use of incentives. Employees who completed a biometric screening and health risk assessment received a $100 gift card for health-related merchandise. This client is also incenting employees to engage in ongoing healthy behaviors by offering a $150 health care benefits premium reduction from July-December 2009 to employees who complete activities such as participate in physical activity challenges. So far, the incentives have proven to be a strong motivator for call-center employees—and many others. The client has 884 employees who are eligible to use the fitness center. Fitness enrollment is 85 percent of this eligible population. Of the 752 current members, 329 are active members. In January 2009, the HealthFitness-managed fitness center logged 2,500 employee visits.
CNA's C-Suite Support for Employee Health Drives Engagement At CNA, a commercial property and casualty insurance provider, this has definitely proved to be the case. At the company’s Chicago headquarters, senior executives have been active members of the company’s on-site fitness center and visible supporters of the employee health initiative. CNA has a 13,000-square-foot fitness center with one group exercise classroom. HealthFitness partnered with CNA to open its Chicago fitness center in July 2006. “Since opening, we have had tremendous support from the officers at CNA,” said Joan Grady, HealthFitness program manager of the fitness center. “Several of them started personal training with the staff shortly after the fitness center opened. Even though they were very busy, they still found time to personal train about twice a week.” CNA’s senior managers also are regular participants in the weekly spinning classes. Last year, during the National Employee Health and Fitness Day, they agreed to lead the classes, which were filled to capacity. “The senior team at CNA has set a great example of health and fitness for their employees,” Grady added. CNA’s fitness center is open to the company’s 3,900 Chicago employees. In conjunction with the fitness center, CNA’s employee health initiative also includes programming provided to employees located nationwide at approximately 40 company offices. In 2008, these programs included Walk This Way®, a 12-week walking program, and Your Weigh…Together, a group weight management program. Survey results from 62 Walk This Way participants revealed employees significantly reduced their health risks for physical inactivity and obesity. With Your Weigh…Together, survey results from 66 participants showed 95 percent lost weight with an average weight loss of 9.5 pounds.
Gain Well-Deserved Recognition for Your Health and Fitness Management Program HealthFitness will be happy to partner with you to craft your award application—free of charge! Contact your program manager to learn more. Deadline for submissions is April 24, 2009. Visit http://www.workforce.com/global/optimas.php for additional information about the award. Industry Insights In the study, researchers used 2005-2006 data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. This survey involved 7,267 people, age 12 years and older. A subsample of the study participants were given a fasting blood glucose (FBG) test as well as the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). The OGTT measures blood glucose two hours after a person drinks a premeasured sugary beverage. The FBG test is easier and less costly than the OGTT, but the two-hour glucose test is more sensitive in identifying diabetes and pre-diabetes, especially in older people. The findings were then compared to those of the last NHANES survey that included the OGTT, which was conducted from 1988 to 1994. This large study comparison allows researchers to better understand the true burden of diabetes and pre-diabetes in the United States today. These recent findings can have serious implications for the current health care system—one that is already challenged with providing care for millions of diabetics. These findings further underscore the importance of reducing the obesity epidemic in the U.S., which is the primary factor causing the rise in type 2 diabetes.
Integration, Absence Management and Employee Engagement Headline Industry Conferences At the World Congress’ Employer Health and Human Capital Conference and the Integrated Benefits Institute and National Business Coalition on Health 2009 Health and Productivity Forum, three topics permeated both conferences: • Integrated population health management and the need to interact with 100 percent of an employer’s population to prevent or reduce health risks. • The importance of managing absences caused by health risks and chronic conditions. Typically, employees on disability work with a nurse or trained professional, who helps get them back to work as quickly as possible. With absence management, an employer focuses on getting employees back to work as quickly as possible and on helping employees manage whatever is causing them to take absences, so it is not a reoccurring problem. • Employee engagement. Employers are recognizing the positive ROI associated with wellness programs, and are seeing a direct correlation between the number of engaged employees and the amount of money saved. To effectively engage employees, employers are looking to use more targeted messaging on an individual level, meaning communication targeted to a 25-year-old male will be different than the messaging used to engage a 45-year-old female in health-related programming. Where We’ll Be Next
Business Health Agenda
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