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Involuntary wellness programs: the case of a large US company

Involuntary wellness programs: the case of a large US company
Involuntary wellness programs: the case of a large US company
Purpose - This study investigates recent healthcare reform in the USA, which allows insurance companies to proactively intervene in improving the long-term health of employees, by providing wellness programs as part of their benefits package.

Design/methodolody/approach - We present and analyze data on how employees of a large US Midwest ‘media and education’ company (N=154) perceive economic incentives towards wellbeing. Data are collected using survey methods and analyzed with a logistic regression.

Findings - This study suggests that fairness, accessibility, intention to switch to a healthier lifestyle and desire to see more health-related initiatives affect the way employees seek to participate in the new involuntary wellness programs. By contrast, satisfaction, participation and income to not affect how these new programs are perceived.

Research limitations/implications - These findings suggest that HR managers should pay attention to employees who are not active in existing wellness programs, and provide support during the transition towards the new involuntary programs, to avoid potential frustration, de-motivation, disengagement and, ultimately, decreasing performance among employees.

Originality/value - The study is amongst the first to analyze involuntary wellness programs in the US, and it provides a basis on which to expand further studies. This research contributes to support the idea that employee wellness is unlikely to be enforced by rule or policy.
2049-3983
Secchi, Davide
e5ffbb34-fda0-4931-9f8f-b806c5aaae0a
Bui, Hong T.M.
5cec562e-5ca4-4b86-bd95-b122b2755629
Gamroth, Katie
53be11c8-3694-49b7-96af-74e997666101
Secchi, Davide
e5ffbb34-fda0-4931-9f8f-b806c5aaae0a
Bui, Hong T.M.
5cec562e-5ca4-4b86-bd95-b122b2755629
Gamroth, Katie
53be11c8-3694-49b7-96af-74e997666101

Secchi, Davide, Bui, Hong T.M. and Gamroth, Katie (2015) Involuntary wellness programs: the case of a large US company. Evidence-Based Human Resource Management, 3 (1). (doi:10.1108/EBHRM-09-2013-0031).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Purpose - This study investigates recent healthcare reform in the USA, which allows insurance companies to proactively intervene in improving the long-term health of employees, by providing wellness programs as part of their benefits package.

Design/methodolody/approach - We present and analyze data on how employees of a large US Midwest ‘media and education’ company (N=154) perceive economic incentives towards wellbeing. Data are collected using survey methods and analyzed with a logistic regression.

Findings - This study suggests that fairness, accessibility, intention to switch to a healthier lifestyle and desire to see more health-related initiatives affect the way employees seek to participate in the new involuntary wellness programs. By contrast, satisfaction, participation and income to not affect how these new programs are perceived.

Research limitations/implications - These findings suggest that HR managers should pay attention to employees who are not active in existing wellness programs, and provide support during the transition towards the new involuntary programs, to avoid potential frustration, de-motivation, disengagement and, ultimately, decreasing performance among employees.

Originality/value - The study is amongst the first to analyze involuntary wellness programs in the US, and it provides a basis on which to expand further studies. This research contributes to support the idea that employee wellness is unlikely to be enforced by rule or policy.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 2015
e-pub ahead of print date: 7 April 2015
Published date: 7 April 2015
Organisations: Southampton Business School

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 362634
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/362634
ISSN: 2049-3983
PURE UUID: 8770087b-8a99-42a5-be28-0a1eb892eab1

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 03 Mar 2014 13:27
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 16:10

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Contributors

Author: Davide Secchi
Author: Hong T.M. Bui
Author: Katie Gamroth

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