Health plans, such as wellness programs, in the workplace are great opportunities for employers to encourage their employees to stay healthy and sharp. And a wellness program, if properly implemented, can make a positive impact on a company’s workers’ compensation insurance premiums.
Currently, the United States has a positive employment sector outlook heading into 2019. Numbers are projected to decline a bit from 2018, but still remain positive overall. As employers bring on more employees, the possibility for workers’ compensation claims to rise is included.
Employers that have holistic wellness programs that are focused on prevention can project improvement in safety results, if integrated with risk management, as well as the overall workplace environment. Also, health programs can reduce workplace accidents, medical claims and the total cost of risk to a company. Here’s how a workplace health program, such as a wellness program, can reduce workers’ compensation claims and costs.
Minimize Job-Related Accidents and Illnesses
Some local Florida compensation insurance plans, like workers’ compensation insurance in Orlando, now reward insureds with successful wellness programs by offering certain credits to premiums. To try and achieve this, the focus needs to be on prevention.
Preventable and manageable health conditions, such as overweight issues, are factors that filter into claims and medical costs to workers’ compensation insurance. Employers who focus on prevention from the start within their wellness program can aid in reducing some of the injuries, illnesses, and costs that are related to preventable diseases.
What’s more, offering incentives for good health behavior that put a focus on prevention and encourage healthy customs lets employees take ownership of their own health. Companies can create milestone reward related to weight loss, workout check-ins, smoking cessation or healthy eating, for example.
Engage and Evaluate
When companies implement a new or modified wellness program, it’s up to managers and team leaders to effectively own them and engage employees. Doing this opens the floor up for discussion to give feedback, share ideas and milestones, and course-correct the program based on suggestions.
An integrated health program should be evaluated on a regular basis to ensure it is impacting employee health in a positive way. If it is, it will help by reducing workers’ compensation claims by helping to encourage better overall health by employees. Companies should take action by establishing measurable goals and evaluate both processes and overall outcomes of a wellness program. An effective program must be flexible and ready to change and shift to challenging circumstances that may arise.
Integrating Wellness with Risk Management
More companies are integrating wellness initiative into their risk management programs and workplace health plans. This is due to the fact that few workplace safety issues can be split from an employee’s overall health. Many different factors, such as manageable conditions can contribute to slips and falls or sprains and strains.
Employees and employers both reap the benefits of having healthy staff on hand as well as safe work environments. Employees who work at companies with safety and wellness programs may be more likely to participate in these programs, highlighting the idea that management really cares about their well-being and wants to encourage safety and health.
About Newman Crane & Associates Insurance
Deciding what coverage you need and what limits and deductibles make the most sense can be tricky. Since 1965, Newman Crane & Associates Insurance has been helping Central Floridians make sense of their options and make the smartest choices for their circumstances. Whether you need Warehouse Insurance or any other type of business or personal coverage, we encourage you to contact our friendly, experienced, and capable team today. Call us at (407) 859-3691 for a consultation.