©2016 Health Designs. All rightsreserved.
How to Increase Value on Investment for Your Wellness Program
A Real World Case Study
Introduction
Onsite Intrinsic Coaching Improves Health, Well-Being and Job Performance
With over 150 million Americans going to work every day,1 workplace wellness programs have become one of the most important vehicles we have to cultivate true personal health—the physical, mental and emotional. The best workplace wellness programs also have the ability to drive company culture, create a more engaged workforce and attract top talent.
Findings from 56 studies of workplace health promotion programs2 showed these additional benefits, on average:
However, not all programs achieve a high value for your investment dollars over the long term. Many wellness programs are limited to a yearly biometric screening, a health assessment and a handful of events. A better approach is a dedicated onsite health coaching program to achieve sustainable health improvements and systemic cultural change. Wellness programs that use onsite coaching typically achieve a 30% higher value on investment than alternative programs. A recent Mayo Clinic study on health coaching
demonstrated significant improvements over a course of 12 weeks in all areas of focus—including overall quality of life (QOL), the five domains of QOL (physical, social, emotional, cognitive and spiritual functioning), depressive symptoms and perceived stress levels.3 On the weight loss side of health coaching, a Miriam Hospital study showed obese individuals who participated in a low-intensity behavioral weight loss program and who were supported by either a professional health coach or a peer coach lost clinically significant amounts of weight (at least 5% of their initial body weight).4 This study gave encouraging information supporting health coaches, citing successfully less intensive, lower cost behavioral interventions and weight losses that were comparable to those produced by professional coaches.
1 What Great Corporate Wellness Programs Do, Harvard Business Review, Rowan and Harishanker, 2014.
2 Meta-evaluation of Worksite Health Promotion Economic Return Studies: 2005 Update, Chapman, 2005.
2 Meta-evaluation of Worksite Health Promotion Economic Return Studies: 2005 Update, Chapman, 2005.
3 Study Finds Wellness Coaching Benefits Last Over Time, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2014.
4 Health Coaches Could Be Key to Successful Weight Loss, Study Suggests. The Miriam Hospital, 2012.
Between 2014 and 2015, Acosta, Inc., achieved a monetary and cultural return on its wellness with onsite health coaches from Health Designs. These coaches developed a customized program to help employees achieve personal health goals. Within six months, the program resulted in a significant reduction in risk factors for the highest-risk population, reduced health care expenses for the company, improved employee and team camaraderie and a greater sense of employee loyalty to the company.
Health Designs’ onsite health coaching coupled with key best practices can truly transform an organization’s wellness program into a mechanism that promotes true health, not just healthcare. Learn how you can fully leverage your wellness program investment by implementing this model.
Much More Than Healthcare
Extremely Qualified Coaches Guaranteed to Increase Participation
Health coaches are professionals from diverse health-related backgrounds who are certified in health coaching. They work with individuals and groups in a client-centered approach to facilitate and empower employees to achieve self-determined goals related to health and well-being.5 Health Designs wellness coaches carry degrees in health education, nutrition, nursing and exercise science.
According to the Harvard Business Review, companies that connect the dots between all their health and wellness resources under the mission of wellness see program participation rates of 80% on average.6 The onsite health coach is essential to this process. The coach carries out the company’s wellness vision and ensures that the right wellness offerings are communicated to employees. Coaches also hear, share and act on program feedback from face-to-face interactions with participants. In this regard, the coach truly becomes the differentiator that allows the program to live up to its full potential.
In addition, coaching can be perceived as a competitive differentiator to the Millennial workforce as they are seeking—and expect—employers to be focused on total well-being. In today’s workplace, keeping them happy is crucial.
5 National Training and Education Standards for Health and Wellness Coaching: The Path to National Certification, Global Advances in Health and Medicine, 2015.
6 What Great Corporate Wellness Programs Do, Harvard Business Review, Rowan and Harishanker, 2014.
“Companies that connect the dots between all their health and wellness
resources under the mission of wellness see program participation rates of 80% on average.
6The onsite health
coach is essential to this process.”
—Harvard Business Review
Over a third of American workers today are Millennials (adults ages 18 to 34), and in 2015 they surpassed Generation X to become the largest share of the American workforce, according to a Pew Research Center study.7 They want to be coached in the workplace. According to the Harvard Business Review, overall, Millennials admitted to wanting feedback 50% more often than other employees, or non-Millennials. The Millennial respondents agreed monthly coaching or feedback would best serve them in the workplace.8
A Real World Example
Acosta Sales and Marketing
Acosta is the leading sales and marketing agency serving the consumer packaged goods and retail industries across the United States and Canada. The company, founded in 1927, has over 40,000 employees in 75 locations in the United States.
Acosta has had a results-based wellness incentive program since 2009. This program rewards employees with discounted insurance premiums for achieving low-risk scores at the company’s annual wellness screening. In 2014, Acosta turned to Health Designs to create a reasonable alternative required by the Affordable Care Act for employees in the high-risk population. The results were remarkable.
Enduring Health for the Business and Employees
Health Designs sourced and hired dedicated onsite health coaches for two of Acosta’s largest office locations. The original intent was to engage the highest-risk employees in a six-month health coaching program designed to lower their biometric risk factors.
Employees met with their health coaches on a regular basis. The coaches used the intrinsic health coaching approach, which assumes that all individuals are capable, creative and complete.
Rather than take the “personal trainer” approach and tell enrolled employees what they needed to do to be healthier, the Health Designs coaches did a lot of listening. They asked questions that facilitated deeper thinking and provided guidance while participants
7 Millennials surpass GenXers as the largest generation in U.S. labor force, Pew Research, Fry, 2015.
8 Millennials Want to be Coached at Work, Harvard Business Review, Willyerd, 2015.
“Acosta invests in our associates well beyond just a paycheck. Health Designs’ individual wellness coaching is extremely helpful in
motivating our associates and encouraging them to achieve their personal goals. And, we have realized tangible cost savings as a result of this commitment to our people’s health and well- being. By continuing our three-year partnership with Health Designs, we can look forward to even more innovative, tailored programs to meet our evolving needs.”
—Lori McGraw-Baker,
VP Total Rewards,
Acosta Sales and Marketing
developed their own strategies to achieve personal health goals. This approach led to higher accountability and engagement from participants who actively wanted to see their plans through.
Each participant was evaluated for improvements in these areas:
• Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Glucose
• Blood Pressure
• Waist Circumference
• Lipid Panel
• Overall Risk Stratification
Within six months the coaches were performing 175 coaching sessions a month with 90 employees. The results speak for themselves.9
Six-Month Acosta Health Coaching Results
Location 1 Location 2 Total
Number of Program Participants 31 30 61
Additional Participants 14 15 29
Number of Monthly Coaching Sessions 99 76 175
Risk Level Improved 30% 38% 34%
Savings from Improved BMI $ 19,182 $ 6,672 $ 25,854
Smoking Cessation Savings
$ 16,818
Bariatric Surgery Avoidance Savings $ 73,872 $ 36,936 $ 110,808
Productivity Savings $ 10,721 $ 10,721
Total $ 120,593 $ 43,608 $ 164,201
Six-month Value on Investment (or ROI) 301% 109% 205%
9 Reduced BMI Health Savings: Health Enhancement Systems, 2011. Additional BMI Increase in Savings: In the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Wang et al, 2006, quantified the healthcare costs per unit increase in body mass index. Every point in increase in BMI between 25 and 45 increases medical and pharmaceutical costs by $202.30. Smoking Cessation: Smoking costs employers
$5,606 per year according to Benefits Magazine, 2013. Bariatric Surgery Costs: HealthCare Blue Book, 2015. Productivity Savings: The Association of Health Risk with On-the-Job Productivity, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2005.
By the end of six months, the investment that Acosta made in the Health Designs onsite dedicated health coaches had more than paid for itself. From a biometric standpoint, the program saw the biggest six-month improvements in BMI and glucose assessments, two of the risk factors most closely linked with diabetes and heart disease. The lipid results after six months demonstrated improvement across the board. This is
noteworthy because improvement in HDL and LDL typically takes a few months of consistent lifestyle change.
With each passing month of sustained healthy behavior by the program participants, the value on investment from health insurance premium reductions for Acosta will continue to grow.
Get More than ROI
—Get VALUE on Investment
The real story is found not just in the numbers but in the impact this program has had on the corporate culture of Acosta. Shortly after the program launched, Acosta and the Health Designs coaches realized the value in opening the program to everyone, not just the highest-risk employees. Many perceived “low-risk” individuals participated in coaching to manage stress. By addressing this underlying issue, these individuals were able to focus better at work, connect more fully to the company and mitigate future health risk.
In addition to one-on-one coaching, the health coaches launched group programs and sponsored events based on the culture and needs of each particular Acosta location. Health Designs customized and implemented more than 18 programs, including:
● Smoking cessation programs
● Fitness classes — aerobics, dance, stretching and movement
● Stress programs — guided meditation sessions,
“Balance Your Energy” workshop
● Nutrition programs — 8-week healthy eating program, cooking demonstrations, healthy happy hours, grocery tip workshops
Acosta is just one example of how companies today are looking for long-term value on their wellness investment (VOI) rather than immediate ROI. They are instead focusing on VOI results in a true culture of health and increased profitability over the long term. In Acosta’s case, VOI was a direct result of intrinsic onsite coaching.
“This is the best benefit I have ever received from my employer.”
—Participant
“After discussing the pros and cons of bariatric surgery with my health coach, I decided to delay surgery and try to lose weight. I am relearning how to view food and now understand that this is a total lifestyle change.”
—Participant
7 Steps to Building a Successful Onsite Coaching Program
The success of Acosta’s coaching program can be attributed to fundamental best practices.
Hire the Right Coach
The most successful wellness programs have an onsite leader to drive wellness. Find someone who not only has the right credentials but also fits in well with the culture of each office. “Every company and every office has a different culture,” says Barb Tessari, Acosta’s Charlotte, NC-based Health Coach. This way, the coach will more easily integrate and gain trust with employees to execute a customized plan.
Treat Employees as Capable, Creative and Complete
The Health Designs coach follows the intrinsic health coaching philosophy that individuals are capable, creative and complete. The employee creates his or her own wellness action plan while the coach provides guidance, advocacy and accountability. This approach empowers the employee and provides the framework for long-term, sustainable and healthy lifestyle changes.
Involve Leadership
Health coaching programs are most successful when employees see their leaders actively involved.
This can range from acknowledgement of the program to actively engaging in health-coach-led programs or one-on-one coaching sessions.
Open the Health Coaching Program to All
While many companies start with health coaching for the highest-risk individuals only, programs open to all employees tend to gain the most traction. The CDC estimates that 75% of healthcare costs are spent on treating chronic diseases that are largely preventable.10 That means supporting the health and well-being of even “low-risk” participants can have a measurable impact on your bottom line over the long term.
Hold Regular Status Meetings
Consider forming a dedicated committee to drive and support your wellness program. Regular status meetings allow coaches and company leadership to review hard results against planned results and to discuss successes, failures and changes to the program, as well as ideas for taking the program to the next level. By hiring a health coach through a wellness company like Health Designs, the coach and the organization benefit from the larger, dedicated team of wellness experts.
10 The Power of Prevention: Chronic disease…the public health challenge of the 21st century, Center for Disease Control, 2009.
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©2016 Health Designs. All rightsreserved.
Choose a Data-driven Provider
Data-driven support can inform and guide your onsite program. Choose a health coach supported by a wellness company that can provide reporting and analysis, including risk stratification, year-to- year comparisons, trend analysis, cohort and incentive reporting.
Select a Scalable Solution for Your Budget
Initially you may budget for a health coaching program alone, but after seeing results you might want to implement additional wellness initiatives. Choosing a wellness provider that allows you to customize your program and scale it as your needs evolve will ensure you get the best value on investment.
Health Designs
Enduring health—for both the business and employees…guaranteed!
Health Designs, an employer wellness solutions company, offers award-winning comprehensive wellness services that enhance the health, well-being and productivity of your employees while improving your bottom line. Offerings include workplace wellness program development and implementation, health assessments, health screenings, face-to-face coaching, executive and incentive reporting. Other services include onsite wellness consulting and implementation services, online health portals, workshops and sophisticated reporting and analysis. To learn more about Health Designs or to schedule a wellness solution consultation, visit www.healthdesigns.net.
