Leung

Solutions Consulting Group
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In this time of economic uncertainty, employers are looking for new ways to cut costs. Many have placed their focus on reducing presenteeism andabsenteeism, two indirect but nonetheless real costs. The research conducted investigates the impact of Health and Wellness programs on the bottom line of businesses. The purposes of this report are (1) tobriefly outline the major health trends occurring in British Columbia, (2) to assess their costs to employers and (3) to make financially beneficial recommendations based on the findings.
Thisreport includes an overview of the following health risk factors: age, diabetes, high blood pressure, stress, smoking and obesity. In each instance, the summary contains an indication of the prevalence ofthe risk factor in the British Columbia, and the impact it has on presenteeism and absenteeism by affected employees. The continuing growth of these health risks are costly for employers directly andindirectly and can be addressed by risk specific programs.
The FitCity initiative was implemented in 1987 as a response to growing medical conditions affecting workplace productivity. With risingemployer costs, it is necessary to find the return on investment of such programs to determine future investments. The results of this assessment demonstrate that there are greater results and costsavings through targeted initiatives identified by health risk assessments. It may take a few years for employers to realize the financial benefit of wellness programs but they can expect an approximatesavings of $3 for each dollar invested. This ROI can be experienced as long as programs are well designed and implemented while utilizing science and evidence-based initiatives.
The following arerecommendations, based on the review of current academic literature surrounding presenteeism and absenteeism and the assessment of successful Health and Wellness initiatives:
1. Immediately...