22 Telling Employee Wellness Statistics [2023]: How Many Companies Have Wellness Programs

Research Summary. Employee wellness programs are becoming more commonplace, bringing benefits to both employees and their employers. Overall, when it comes to employee well being statistics, here are the key facts our research uncovered:

• 52% of U.S. companies offer wellness programs.

• 72% of employers saw a reduction in healthcare costs after implementing a wellness program.

• The average return on investment (ROI) for employee wellness programs is six-to-one.

• Wellness programs can reduce absenteeism by 14-19%.

• 87% of employees consider health and wellness offerings when choosing an employer.

For further analysis, we broke down the data in the following ways:
Frequency of Wellness Programs | Employer Benefits | Company Size | Worker Opinions

Employee Wellness Statistics By Employee Benefits

• 56% of employees who participate in company wellness programs say they have fewer sick days due to these programs.

  These employees aren’t just at work more often; 60% say they’re more productive when they work as well.

  In addition, 30% say they’ve had a disease detected by these programs, allowing them to begin treatment before it progresses.

• Over 80% of employees whose employers are engaged in their wellness say they enjoy work.

  Not only that, but about 85% say they intend to stay at their jobs.

  In contrast, of those whose employers aren’t engaged in their wellness, only about 40% say they enjoy work, and 58% say they intend to stay at their current company.

• Employees who don’t exercise regularly are 50% more likely to have high presenteeism than regular exercisers.

  Presenteeism is when workers show up to work but aren’t necessarily being fully productive. An example of presenteeism is an employee who is sick and comes into work but doesn’t get much done beyond checking their email and surfing the web. They may not be absent, but they aren’t being productive, either.

  Employees who exercise regularly are less likely to have high presenteeism, which increases companies’ productivity and bottom lines. This is a benefit of having a company wellness program, as many of these programs encourage employees to exercise regularly.

• In one study, 57% of workers with high health risks became low-risk after completing a work-provided exercise program.

  In this study, the employees previously considered high-risk (due to body fat, blood pressure, high levels of anxiety, etc.) became low-risk after just six months of working with experts who put them through cardiac rehabilitation and exercise programs.

  These programs were paid for by their employer and took place at their workplace, minimizing barriers keeping them from participating.

Employee Wellness Statistics By Frequency of Wellness Programs

• 52% of U.S. companies offer a wellness program.

  In addition, 30% of companies offer rewards or bonuses for completing health and wellness programs, and 20% offer health insurance premium discounts for participation.

  

• 51% of employers offer their employees health screenings as of 2018.

  This is down from 59% in 2017.

  In addition, 44% offer health education, 39% provide their employees with links to health- and wellness-related employee services, and 46% of employers say they provide a supportive physical and social environment for health improvement.

• As of 2018, 37% of employers say they’ve integrated health promotion into their company culture.

  Oddly enough, this is a significant drop from 2017 and 2016, when 46% of employers said the same.

Employee Wellness Statistics By Employer Benefits

• Companies that provide wellness programs see a six-to-one return on investment (ROI) on average.

  This was mainly seen in reduced medical/health care costs and lower absenteeism rates, saving companies money and offsetting the cost of wellness programs.

• 84% of employers reported higher productivity and performance from their employees due to wellness plans in 2019.

  This is up from 77% in 2018 and 75% in 2017 who said the same. In 2015 and 2016, 80% said they saw an increase in productivity and performance. Employee wellness programs are also something that top talent expects to see in job postings, so you’ll have an easier time recruiting the best and brightest with this perk.

• In 2019, 83% of employers reported increasing their workers’ health thanks to their companies’ wellness programs.

  Just 78% in 2017 and 79% in 2018 reported increases, down from 82% in both 2015 and 2016 that said the same.

  

• In 2019, 72% of employers said they saw a reduction in healthcare costs due to implementing wellness programs.

  In 2017, this rate was only 69%, showing steady growth over two years.

• Wellness programs have been shown to reduce absenteeism by 14-19%.

  Some companies see even more significant drops after introducing wellness programs: General Electric, for example, saw absenteeism drop by 45% due to wellness programs.

Employee Wellness Statistics By Company Size

• 83% of large companies offer wellness programs.

  For the purposes of this statistic, the term “large companies” refers to companies with 200 or more employees.

• 58% of small companies have wellness programs.

  In this instance, a “small company” is an organization with 3-199 employees.

• Companies with 5000 or more employees are the most likely to offer wellness programs.

  94% of these organizations offer employee wellness programs, followed closely by 92% of companies with 1000-4999 employees.

• Companies with 3-49 workers are the least likely to offer wellness programs.

  Just 57% of these organizations offer health and wellness programs to their employees, which is still a significant number, considering how few employees they have.

  Companies with 50-199 employees are the second-least likely to offer wellness programs, with only 70% doing so.

Employee Wellness Statistics By Worker Opinions

• 38% of HR leaders believe their companies support employees’ physical wellbeing.

• 17% of employees say they feel supported by their employer in managing their physical well-being.

• 60% of CEOs believe their companies are empathetic towards their employees.

• 24% of employees feel their employers are empathetic towards them.

• 74% of employees say they would work longer hours if their employer were empathetic.

Employee Wellness Statistics FAQ

1. How many companies have wellness programs?

   52% of companies have wellness programs. While there are no definitive numbers on the number of companies that offer these programs, an estimated 63 million workers benefit from wellness programs, and 59 million of these workers work at large companies.

2. What are workplace wellness programs?

   Workplace wellness programs are programs set up by employers to promote the health of their employees. These may be intended to incentivize employees to prioritize their health, to help make medical care more accessible to employees, or to support employees in their efforts to get and stay healthy.

   Many organizations that offer well-being programs incorporate all of these elements to some extent. Some may provide cash prizes to employees who log a certain number of exercise hours, while others may host flu vaccination or disease testing events and offer onsite workout classes and healthy food options.

   These wellness programs have clear benefits for the employees, but they also have benefits for the company as well, since healthy, happy employees are usually more productive and engaged, which is good for the company’s bottom line.

3. Why is wellness important in the workplace?

   Wellness is important in the workplace because employees need to be healthy to be happy and productive. Even the most dedicated employee will burn out or get sick if they don’t take care of themselves, so giving them a push to prioritize their wellness can help prevent this from happening.

   In addition, lower-performing employees will often increase their productivity and engagement levels when they’re healthy, and showing workers that they’re cared for will also improve performance and work satisfaction.

   As far as benefits for the employees go, many workers have attributed early diagnoses, weight loss, and increased fitness to their employers’ wellness programs. In addition, 80% of those who work for companies with strong wellness programs say they enjoy work.

   So, it’s in both employers’ and employees’ best interests for workplaces to promote wellness.

4. How can companies improve wellness in the workplace?

   Companies can improve wellness in the workplace by taking steps to make it a priority. This means offering resources and services that are meaningful and helpful for employees, which requires listening to them.

   After all, it doesn’t matter how many resources you offer your workers if none of them are meeting their wellness needs and goals.

   Improving wellness in the workplace also requires companies to make it a part of their corporate culture, as even the best program does no good if employees don’t understand why wellness is important or don’t feel supported in taking advantage of the programs available to them.

5. What are some examples of workplace health programs?

   Examples of workplace health programs include cash prizes for completing a workout regime, gym discounts or access to an onsite gym, and onsite flu vaccines and health screenings.

   In addition, steps such as filling vending machines with healthy snack options, providing flex-time to complete a workout, or connecting employees with health and fitness experts that will help them manage chronic illnesses are also examples of workplace health programs.

   Many companies’ health programs are multifaceted, allowing them to meet the needs of a wide variety of employees, whether they’re already fitness gurus or are taking the first steps in making their health a priority.

Conclusion

Employee wellness programs are becoming more commonplace, as 52% of U.S. companies offer wellness programs of some kind. These programs benefit employees, as seen in the 56% of those who participate in these programs experiencing fewer sick days and 80% saying they enjoy work.

The benefits that employers experience by offering wellness programs are nothing to laugh at either: 72% of companies said they saw a reduction in healthcare costs after implementing a wellness program, and 84% saw higher productivity and performance.

The average ROI for employee wellness programs is six-to-one, with companies earning $6 for every $1 they spend, thanks mostly to reduced medical care costs and absenteeism rates that result from the wellness programs.

References

1. EBN. “Wellness Programs Cut Sick Days, Improve Productivity.” Accessed on March 21, 2022.

2. WellSteps. “The 7 Best Reasons to Have a Wellness Program: Benefits of Wellness.” Accessed on March 21, 2022.

3. Harvard Business Review. “What’s the Hard Return on Employee Wellness Programs?” Accessed on March 21, 2022.

4. Statista. “Percentage of Employers in the U.S. That Offered Select Wellness Programs and Events as of 2020.” Accessed on March 21, 2022.

5. Statista. “Percentage of Employers Who Stated That Select Elements Were Offered in Their Company’s Wellness Programs in the U.S. From 2015 to 2018.” Accessed on March 21, 2022.

6. Bravo. “Do Wellness Programs Save Companies Money?” Accessed on March 21, 2022.

7. Statista. “Percentage of Employers in the U.S. Who Stated Their Company’s Wellness Program Had Positive Impacts From 2015 to 2019.” Accessed on March 21, 2022.

8. Corporate Wellness Magazine. “Employee Wellness Programs for a More Productive Workforce.” Accessed on March 21, 2022.

9. Statista. “Percentage of U.S. Firms Offering Select Health-Related Programs as of 2021, by Firm Size.” Accessed on March 21, 2022.

10. SHRM. “Report: Employees Say Support for Their Well-Being Falls Short.” Accessed on March 21, 2022.

11. Andrea M. Delligatti, Ph.D. “The Gordian Knot for Employers in 2022: How To Untangle It Through Empathetic Leadership.” Accessed on March 21, 2022.

Author

Abby McCain

Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.