Insurance Center

A recent health survey of corporate employees carried out by the National Business Group On Health has discovered that over half are concerned about their health and are doing something to improve it, and have been for at least a year. The survey also found that there is an issue among workers of growing levels of stress that is clearly an issue employers will have to address. This is especially true as employees are becoming increasingly concerned with regard to the current economic crisis. For this reason, according to NBGH president Helen Darling, it is clear that employers will have to consider new programs along with ways to better utilize existing programs including programs such as stress management courses, and support groups. There is also an increasing need according to Darling, to consider referrals to mental health professionals and additional methods for helping employees to reduce their stress levels.

About three-fourths of those responding to the survey or 74 percent, say that they are trying to assume healthier lifestyles today with the hope that their health care costs will be more manageable in the future. Slightly over half of those surveyed or 54 percent, reported saving money to help cover their future health care costs.

Darling says that employees are clearly being faced with increasingly numerous hurdles to achieving their health goals. In spite of this and in spite of the fact that health care costs are increasingly on the rise, employees appear undaunted in their resolve to improve their health as a means of reducing future health costs.

The Role Played by Employer Communications

According to the survey’s findings, employees seem to be benefiting from their employers' health plan communication efforts. Half of those responding indicated that the health care benefit communications they receive from either their employer or health plan are very valuable or extremely valuable. Over four out of ten responding, or 43 percent, said that they had taken some action or other to improve their overall health based on these communications.

President Darling says that her organizations survey adequately demonstrates that employer health plan offerings and communications are a strong factor in bringing about employee health improvement efforts. She says that most employers will be able to strengthen their impact on employee health efforts working to reduce costs by simply identifying and addressing the actual or perceived barriers to utilization of wellness and health enhancement services, and by continuing to move forth the conversation regarding the importance of effectively utilizing health service.

Regarding the Survey

The survey sponsor, the National Business Group on Health hired researchers at Fidelity Consulting Group to carry out a survey of employees of large U.S. employers. The total number of employee participating in the study came to 1,502. The survey was carried out in July of 2008. To qualify for participation, workers had to be full- or part-time employees and had to be employed by an employer with a minimum of 2,000 employees, between the ages of 22 and 69. They also had to be insured through an employer-sponsored or union-sponsored health plan.