With corporate wellness programs continuing to gain traction throughout the country, an increasing number of employers are exploring their options—including what’s available, what it will cost them, what outcomes they can expect and how soon they’ll see results.

Luckily for employees, it’s no longer enough to offer gym reimbursements or an annual weight loss challenge; with positive data pouring in and innovative new offerings every year, forward-thinking companies everywhere are stepping up their wellness game…and it seems as if employees and employers are winning.

Beyond ROI: How do we measure employee wellness?

When the idea of corporate wellness programs first surfaced in the late 1970s with Johnson & Johnson’s Live for Life program—which would become the blueprint for similar programs around the world—the systems were designed primarily to identify and control a set of physical risk factors, such as weight control, nutrition and stress management.

In the 1980s, a nationwide occupational safety and health (OSH) movement inspired studies measuring the positive impact of corporate wellness programs on employee absenteeism—and touting such programs’ abilities to help companies attract top talent. Unsurprisingly, many companies were motivated by factors they believed would ultimately have a positive impact on the bottom line.

A modern makeover for a movement decades in the making.

Current studies, however, indicate a profound philosophical shift. Today’s employers have not only accepted workplace wellness offerings as part of the cost of doing business in an increasingly fast-paced, stressful world—they’re also less concerned about ROI than they are about doing what’s right. In fact, according to the Workplace Wellness 2017 Survey, recently conducted by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, only 25% of surveyed employers was motivated by reducing health-related costs; 75% were more interested in fostering overall worker health and wellbeing.

While this is obviously wonderful news for workers, the data continues to prove that employers are reaping the rewards of workplace wellness programs, too. The same study revealed that among companies offering and measuring corporate wellness efforts, more than half have found a decrease in absenteeism, 66% reported increased productivity, 67% experienced an increase in employee satisfaction—and 63% are enjoying financial sustainability and growth within the organization.

enables employers to offer more…for less.

So, what’s next for employers hoping to stay ahead in the workplace wellness game? According a 2017 trends forecast in Forbes, technology will play a huge part in the corporate wellness space, with fitness wearables and online wellness portals leading the charge. And, in workplaces increasingly saturated with Generation Z and Millennial workers, app-centric programs and offerings that gamify rewards are poised for domination. Enter Carepoynt: the most exciting new player on the workplace wellness scene.

Carepoynt enables companies to actively reward their employees for making smart health-related choices. There’s no cost for workers to ‘joyn,’ and they can immediately start earning and redeeming ‘Poynts’ with hundreds of local and national partners—as well as use program to set and track health-related goals. For employers, Carepoynt offers a unique opportunity to incentivize and reward healthy behaviors.

“The annual cost to an employer for health care is rising substantially,” says Allen Fazio, CIO at Word & Brown Companies and a Carepoynt Advisor. “Companies are spending money on solutions that don’t work. It’s time for a change. I recommend Carepoynt to carries, employers and employees.” Interested in taking your workplace wellness offering to the next level? Learn more about Carepoynt here.