September 2021

10 reasons why your clients should support workforce wellness

10 reasons why your clients should support workforce wellness

According to a new Cigna study, employers are a key driver of a healthy workforce. We encourage you to read the full report.

Here are 10 ten top-line findings:

  1. More than 180 million people (55% of the population) receive health benefits through employers.1
  2. For every $1 invested in health, the U.S. economy stands to gain almost $4.2
  3. When people believe their employer cares about their well-being, they’re 38% more engaged.3
  4. 89% of workers in companies that support well-being initiatives are more likely to recommend their company as a good place to work.4
  5. Participants in employer health plans are up to 71% more likely to remain with their employers.5
  6. Roughly 72% of U.S. employers have started, will continue or plan to expand investments in behavioral health services as part of their employee benefits.6
  7. More than 60% of employers report that wellness programs reduced health care costs by as much as $11.12 per member per month.7
  8. A focus on well-being can help companies lower their overall health-related costs by up to 62%.8
  9. 48% of small firms and 67% of large firms said their wellness programs were effective in reducing utilization and related expenses.9
  10. The annual social value of employer-sponsored health plans is about $1.5 trillion beyond what policyholders, their employers and taxpayers pay for it.10   

Now more than ever – in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and with employees burdened by stress, burnout and financial worries, supporting employee health is an imperative for your clients. By supporting workforce wellness, your clients will have healthier, more productive employees.  

See further insights about how the health of your clients’ workforce impacts productivity and the national economy. We hope you’ll pass it along to your clients as well.

  1. United States Census Bureau, “Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2019,” Katherine Keisler-Starkey and Lisa N. Bunch, September 15, 2020 https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2020/demo/p60-271.html
  2. McKinsey & Company, “How prioritizing health is a prescription for US Prosperity,” October 5, 2020, https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare-systems-and-services/our-insights/how-prioritizing-health-is-a-prescription-for-us-prosperity
  3. Limeade/Quantum Workplace, “Workplace Well-Being,” https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/benefits/documents/resources-whitepapers-health-and-well-being.pdf
  4. American Psychological Association, “Workplace Well-Being Linked to Senior Leadership Support, New Survey Finds,” June 1, 2016. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2016/06/workplace-well-being (accessed on 9/9/2021)
  5. National Library of Medicine, “The Association Between Health Program Participation and Employee Retention,” Rebecca J. Mitchell, Ronald J. Ozminkowski, Stephen K. Hartley, September 2016, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27414014/ (accessed on 9/9/2021)
  6. McKinsey & Company, “National surveys reveal disconnect between employees and employers around mental health need,” April 21, 2021, https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare-systems-and-services/our-insights/national-surveys-reveal-disconnect-between-employees-and-employers-around-mental-health-need
  7. RAND, “Incentives for Workplace Wellness Programs,” Soren Mattke et al., https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9842.html
  8. Gallup, “The Economics of Well-Being,” September 22, 2014, https://www.gallup.com/services/177050/economics-wellbeing.aspx (accessed on 9/9/2021)
  9. KFF, “2020 Employer Health Benefits Survey,” October 8, 2020, https://www.kff.org/report-section/ehbs-2020-summary-of-findings/
  10. Mulligan CB, The Value of Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance. Preliminary report. November 2020. www.nber.org/papers/w28590