GiftCard Partners Blog

Workplace stress is an increasingly common issue, affecting both employee well-being and company performance. According to the American Institute of Stress, job-related stress is the primary source of stress for American adults, with 83% of U.S. workers reporting stress-related symptoms. This stress not only impacts individual health but also costs American businesses a staggering $300 billion annually due to absenteeism, turnover, and reduced productivity.

Big companies, small businesses and even colleges are making necessary changes as they prepare to comply with the Affordable Care Act. Employees at the University of Minnesota are looking for ways to reduce their health care premiums and the university has provided them a way, in the form of their University Wellness Program. When employees participate in the Wellness Program they are awarded  points for completing healthy activities and can save up to $400 on their premiums in a single year. But it’s not all about the money. While employees enjoy the lower premiums, the University sees the potential in investing in their employees’ health and wellness as a way to increase morale and retention. Keep reading more about the University Wellness Program in,
As health care costs increase, University employees try to save, from Minnesota Daily. Want to kick start your Wellness Program? Health-focused incentives are a great way to reward healthy behavior in a positive way, gift cards to Whole Foods Market or CVS/pharmacy help keep employees on the right track outside of work.

The realm of Corporate Health & Wellness is vast and changing constantly. GiftCard Partners is dedicated to keeping you up-to-date on the latest in corporate wellness, health and wellness program strategies, creating a healthy workplace, and more…enter the CVS/pharmacy eNewsletter. This
quarterly enews is a great way to stay current with all the news, trends and technologies in the Corporate Wellness industry. This issue highlights:

By now you are probably familiar with the new laws that took effect as part of the Affordable Care Act earlier this summer. Employers can now offer incentives totaling 30% of total plan cost (they used to only be able to offer 20%) to employees who are healthy, taking preventative measures to stay healthy, or meeting goals to get healthier. The idea is that employers should encourage wellness (not just for the greater good of society) because it cuts down on absenteeism and the cost of health care benefits for the employer…and the benefits keep coming. A review of 72 studies in the American Journal of Health Promotion revealed these staggering figures:

Workplace wellness is increasing in popularity, especially after the latest rules set by ObamaCare now further incentivize companies to implement workplace wellness programs for employees. However, if proven effectiveness and governmental pressure aren't enough for your organization to implement a workplace wellness program, did you ever think what it does for your employees? Think about the human factor: