Stay Well Together

When it comes to designing and implementing wellness programs, employers are realizing that working with employees is not enough. These employers are expanding their programs to include employees' family members, resulting in demonstrated reductions in health plan costs for some companies. A 2012 report from the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) on employer health management practices found that three-fourths of employers that offer both health assessments and lifestyle management programs include spouses in the programs. Including spouses in wellness programs delivers a dual benefit. In addition to reducing spousal health care costs, spouses are powerful drivers of positive -- and negative -- employee wellness behaviors. HERO researchers found that a wellness program is more likely to yield benefits when spouses are included. Still, some benefits professionals are only feeling their way toward family wellness programs. Extending incentives to spouses drives participation, many HR professionals and consultants say.