Is employee wellness just a lot of hot air?

I was asked recently if employee wellness was just a lot of hot air. As much as I'd like to convince somebody by my word alone, I'll let you decide by taking a look at the numbers:

• 66% of employees report increased productivity because of their wellness plan
• 67% of employees are more satisfied in their jobs, thanks to wellness
• 50%+ of employers saw absenteeism decrease after implementing a wellness program

Dollars to donuts, you come out ahead with wellness. The CDC estimates employers spend $1,685 per employee on worker illness and injuries -- far more than the average cost of a wellness plan for workers (in 2015, it was $693/employee).

But not all wellness initiatives have to cost big bucks. Some of them are simple, easy, effective and affordable. Those are what we've focused on with our list of 7 ideas for boosting employee wellness. Try them, let us know what works! And if you have any you’d like to add to our list, send them to PR@stratus.hr.