Low-Cost Corporate Wellness Options

It’s becoming a bit of a recurring theme in this economy, but I’ve noticed a lot of chatter in the corporate wellness blogosphere lately about cutting costs and implementing less expensive employee wellness programs.

Most recently, The Corporate Wellness Blog pointed out that while corporate health and wellness programs can certainly be expensive, they absolutely don’t have to be. The site then provided a great list of low-cost health and wellness activities.

Here’s a round-up of some of my favorite examples that can help control healthcare spending costs yet cost practically nothing to implement:

Physical/Weight Management Activities

• Offer flexible work hours to allow for physical activity during the day.
• Support physical activity breaks during the workday, such as stretching or walking. 

• Host walk-and-talk meetings. 

• Have employees map out their own biking or walking route to and from work.
• Post motivational signs at elevators and escalators to encourage stair usage. 

• Sponsor a bike to work day and reward employees who participate

General Health Education Activities

• Orient employees to the Corporate Wellness Program and give them copies of the physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco use policies. 

• Ask voluntary health associations, health care providers, and/or public health agencies to offer workplace education classes.
• Designate specific areas to support employees such as diabetics and nursing mothers. 


Tobacco Cessation

• Establish a company policy prohibiting tobacco use anywhere on the property.
• Offer prompts/posters to support no tobacco use policy.
• Policy supporting participation in tobacco cessation activities during duty time (flex-time). 

• Offer counseling through an individual, group, or telephone counseling program onsite. 

• Offer counseling through a health plan sponsored individual, group, or telephone counseling program.
• Offer cessation medications through medical insurance.