There is a movement happening in the wellness industry and it is one rife with controversy. Those in the industry are beginning to using the term “wellbeing” in lieu of wellness. Wellness and wellbeing really represent the same dynamics of a person’s health, but the term “wellness” has been diluted. Google the term and you will get everything from supplements to dog food. As a result, there has been a conscious effort to refer to wellbeing efforts instead of wellness.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Dr. Eric Bricker, Chief Medical Officer of Compass Professional Health Services. We hope you enjoy Dr. Eric’s wisdom and perspective.

In our blogs, we’ve discussed the rising costs of health care, the need for greater price and quality transparency in the industry, and an overall shift towards high-deductible, consumer-driven health plans to encourage health care consumerism and control costs. What we haven’t discussed is the impact Consumer Driven Health Plans (CDHPs) can have on your workforce.

It’s no secret the rising costs of employer-sponsored health plans have led to an explosion in workplace wellness programs. For decades, employers have turned to employee health promotion and wellness programs in an attempt to help employees get and stay healthy.

In some cases, the efforts have an impact on individual employees, though I’ll contend the few who make changes are already motivated. In many instances, the results have been mediocre at best. In the world of big wellness incentives and penalties, why do we see little, if any, sustainable behavior change? The answer lies in motivation.

Strategies for managing health care costs are a critical topic for employers…and it won’t be going away anytime soon. There are discussions on the value of transparency in health care pricing, the role of consumer driven health plans, and how to help employees make educated health care decisions. Beyond these techniques, what else can be done to get and keep your employees healthy?

In March 2013, CVS announced a new corporate wellness program which posed a choice to employees participating in their health plan: complete a free health screening and wellness review OR pay $600 in additional health insurance premiums each year.

This type of incentive strategy is not uncommon. Many employers offer premium discounts or other incentives to employees who participate in wellness programs. However, CVS’s plan was publicly criticized with concerns over patient privacy. Allegations of corporate coercion dominated the media limelight. Though the plan was offered as a voluntary incentive, public perception viewed the $600 as a penalty rather than a reward.

Controversy aside, one key takeaway remains: employers are serious about cracking down on health costs and they are engaging employees for answers.

Employee Engagement. Company Culture. Establishing a positive company culture matters. A company’s culture can be an incredible asset…but if not given the proper attention, it can become your greatest risk.

Culture is the values, beliefs, and the norms of a company. It’s not your policies and procedures; it’s the way you do things. It has many facets. Safety, employee wellness, employee wellbeing, and even the overall organizational health. And in order to establish a positive culture, you must engage your company leaders AND your employees.

Health care costs are higher than ever before and they aren’t going to get any cheaper. According to a study by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, health care spending in the United States is expected to total $4.8 trillion by 2021. Wow. How are we, the “consumers”, going to slow down this ship? There is no one answer to this question, but there are several ways employers can help play a role.

In all of the years I’ve spent working in the wellness industry the one topic that comes up more frequently than any other is stress. In particular, how employers can help their employees better manage their stress. And I have to admit, while it comes up a lot this is a tough one to address for a couple of reasons—1. most issues affecting stress levels are complex, and 2. how we deal with stress is intensely personal.

What was the price of a gallon of gas this morning on the way to work? You could probably easily rattle off the answer. Big neon signs outside convenience stores on numerous street corners make this request pretty simple. But do you know what your monthly prescription costs are? Or the total price of a simple visit to your family doctor?

Unfortunately a majority of Americans would probably struggle to answer these questions. Most people would say it’s the amount of their health insurance. But this is only part of the overall cost. In a third party payer system, shadowed by copays and very opaque pricing, most people honestly don’t realize the true cost of their health care.