Only 37% of large U.S. employers measure wellness program effectiveness, according to Buck Consultants.
Buck, New York, has based that figure on results from a recent survey of 1,200 employers in 47 countries. The employers included have a total of about 13 million employees.
One finding was that U.S. employer spending on each wellness program participant increased 35% in 2010, to an average of about $220.
About 45% of the U.S. employers with wellness program performance statistics have found evidence of the programs slowing health care cost increases. At those employers, a typical program may be knocking 2 percentage points to 5 percentage points off of the annual health cost percentage increase, Buck says.
Some of the other findings:
- The percentage of all participating U.S. and non-U.S. employers with a formal wellness strategy has increased to 66%, from 49% in 2007.
- 11% of U.S. respondents spend more than $500 per employee per year on wellness rewards, and some wellness program participants are getting rewards of up to $3,000.
- Employers expect use of smart phones and other mobile technology in wellness programs to increase 6-fold within 3 years.
- Warren S. Hersch
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