Many companies have been turning to employee wellness programs to help reduce employee healthcare costs. In fact, statistics from the American Institute for Preventive Medicine show that 91 percent of organizations now offer some type of wellness program, a percentage that has risen substantially in the last decade.

Corporate wellness programs have soared in popularity due to their ability to fight high insurance premiums and skyrocketing medical costs, but statistics also show that these programs go beyond healthcare savings. Wellness programs also boost employee satisfaction, reduce absenteeism and improve overall productivity.

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, healthcare spending in the U.S. was projected to be $2.915 trillion in 2013. By 2022, that number is expected to grow to $5.009 trillion.

With the rise in healthcare costs, employers are paying more than $9,000 for health insurance per employee on average. However, a 2008 Towers Perrin survey shows that implementing a wellness program can save large companies millions of dollars in healthcare costs.

When Johnson & Johnson implemented a four-year wellness program, the company was able to save more than $8 million per year in healthcare costs. Another large company, Citibank, found that they recuperated more than $4 for each dollar they spent on employee wellness programs.

Other large companies such as Coors Brewing Co., Coca-Cola and Heinz have also found that employee wellness programs save healthcare dollars, but it's important for employers to understand that these programs provide other benefits as well. Statistics have shown a strong correlation between the health of employees and employee productivity. Since employee wellness programs improve job satisfaction, improve concentration and reduce stress, these benefits lead to an increase in productivity.

One recent study, which was published in ACOEM’s Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in October, found that wellness programs cut lost work time, reduce absenteeism and increase productivity. A specific program was studied that involved access to telephone wellness coaches to address employee risk factors and health problems. The study showed that this program reduced lost work time by more than 10 hours per year, saving approximately $350 for each employee participating in the program.

According to Rebecca J. Mitchell, MPH, one of the researchers who helped produce this study at OptumHealth, "Participating in health promotion programs can improve productivity levels among employees and save money for their employers." She also noted that the results of this study "add to the growing body of evidence that investing in a healthy workforce can help to increase productivity levels of employees."

Research shows that employee wellness programs increase employee loyalty, since employees perceive them as a benefit. These programs also reduce absenteeism by keeping employees healthy so they do not miss work, and reduce presenteeism, which occurs when employees continue working while sick, potentially causing other employees to become sick in the process.

Although employee wellness programs require time and commitment to reap positive results, companies that make this investment will enjoy many benefits, from healthcare savings to increased employee productivity.