Employers have doubled their spending on wellness incentives in the last four years, new research finds.
According to a new employer survey conducted by Fidelity Investments and the National Business Group on Health out Wednesday, employers plan to spend an average of $521 this year per employee on wellness-based incentives within corporate health care programs, double the per employee average of $260 reported in 2009. That's also a 13 percent jump from the average of $460 reported for 2011.
Growth is particularly evident in the mid-sized market, as 77 percent of employers plan to offer wellness-based incentives in 2013, more than double the 38 percent of mid-market employers that offered wellness-based incentives in 2010.
"As the cost of providing health care continues to increase, employers recognize one of the key ways to manage their company's costs is to incent their workforce to lead a healthier lifestyle," Adam Stavisky, senior vice president of Fidelity's benefits consulting business, said. "Employers of all sizes have embraced wellness-based incentives to help control costs, and companies are now looking at ways to design and optimize their programs to maximize their positive impact on health for both the organization and employees."
The survey also found that the overall use of wellness-based incentives among corporate employers continues to increase. Nearly nine out of ten employers surveyed indicated that they currently offer wellness-based incentives (86 percent), an increase from 73 percent from 2011 and 57 percent from 2009.
