Staff Members Will Pay for Weight Loss Help.

Looking for incentives to get overweight workers to buy into a wellness program? A recent research study  suggests many workers are even willing to pay much – or all – of the cost themselves.

Roughly 35% of firms with wellness programs focus on providing employees with convenient access to weight loss resources.

A poll of 1,352 staff members by the Strategies to Overcome and Prevent Obesity Alliance found that many individuals  would gladly chip in for the cost of the program if they believed it would help them lose weight. What staff members want –

• confidential support and counseling

• access to a expert nutritionist or personal trainer, and

• onsite exercise plans.

Until recently, only large businesses were able offer such programs as part of their wellness benefits.   But the fastest growth of these programs in the last two years has been in smaller firms (sometimes with as few as 50 full-time employees).

The majority of firms split the cost with workers. Typically, workers pay up to about 25% of the cost. But some plans are fully employee paid.