What are some of the top companies in the U.S. doing to promote healthy workplaces?

Ron Z. Goetzel, PhD, senior scientist and director of the Institute for Health and Productivity Studies (IHPS) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is available to discuss what kinds of workplace wellness programs work and which do not. Effective programs can lead to both happier employees and more profitable and productive companies.

Goetzel, a nationally recognized expert in workplace health and productivity management, and a team of researchers recently completed a two-year study entitled, “Promoting Healthy Workplaces,” that included on-site interviews with leaders at nine companies known for creating cultures of health: Turck Inc., Graco, Lincoln Industries, USAA, Dell, Citibank, Next Jump, LL Bean and Johnson & Johnson.

Among the team’s findings:- One size does not fit all. Workplace health promotion programs must be tailored to fit each company’s needs, interests and culture.- Incentive programs seem to work best when they promote long-term intrinsic rewards, rather than penalizing employees for not achieving health outcomes or rewarding them when they do. - ROI (Return on Investment) isn’t just about lower medical costs; it can include higher job satisfaction and lower turnover.

IHPS has dedicated a section of its website to the Promoting Healthy Workplaces project, where the nine case studies are available along with other wellness resources, including a blog featuring inspiring stories, lessons learned and more.

Goetzel can speak to his team’s specific findings and about broader workplace health programs and issues.

To schedule an interview with Goetzel, contact Andrea Maruniak at [email protected] or 410-502-3373.

Ron Z. Goetzel, PhD, has led numerous projects focused on documenting the health and productivity cost burden of various disease conditions and the ROI achieved by health management programs. He has served as Principal Investigator (PI) on several large-scale NIH, CDC and CMS funded studies focused on risk reduction and cost savings. In addition to his role at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Dr. Goetzel is Vice President of Consulting and Applied Research at Truven Health Analytics.