Research shows employers in the Greater Houston area and across the nation are making a greater effort to fund wellness programs in 2015. Office wellness programs can target a variety of health issues, including nutrition, exercise and stress management. Specialty programs have been developed by area health care providers to provide health screenings, manage existing conditions and help participants quit smoking.
Janay Andrade
Benefits specialist, Houston Methodist Hospital
Janay Andrade[/caption]What are the most popular aspects of your wellness program?
Our most popular [initiative] has been the integration of fitness devices. We entered into a partnership with Fitbit that allowed us to subsidize the cost of the devices to our employees and spouses. About 60 percent of our employees have purchased a device so far.
Why is the program a good investment?
We are encouraging our employees to exercise—to get healthy and have fun doing it. It allowed employees and spouses to participate in our Healthy Directions program [and] compete in challenges each month with their co-workers. We hold a CEO challenge each summer where our employees are incentivized to outstep their CEO. Our CEOs averaged about 12,000 steps each.
