Workplace wellness: measuring the success

Abstract

The World Health Organisation (WHO) [(2018). The top ten causes of death. http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top10-causes-of-death] highlights that 12.2 million people die globally from non-communicable diseases while still in work. The effect of poor work and lifestyle habits on health is directing some of the responsibility for changing behaviours to employers, through the development of workplace wellness programmes [Baker (2017). Obesity statistics. House of Commons Library]. However, literature reveals an important challenge with workplace wellness programmes, namely, the measurement of their success to identify return on investment (ROI). Furthermore, the vast number of employers are reluctant to implement anything that costs money without knowing that it will be successful [Mattke et al. 2013. Workplace wellness programs study (1st ed.). Rand Corporation]. A challenge is therefore presented, in identifying appropriate measures of success for workplace wellness programmes, which can be presented in order to validate investment in them. This paper emphasises the need to develop a measurement tool which employs both quantitative and qualitative measures, to demonstrate the success in both financial and human terms, furthermore it asserts that a measurement tool could provide data which is required to secure investment from employers in workplace wellness programmes (Mattke et al. 2013) and facilitate benchmarking of similar organisation in terms of workplace wellness outcomes [Emkjer (2013). Focus On… Employee Health, Moving the Needle on Employee Wellness: The Human Factor. Employee Benefits Plan Review Dec 2013].