Communications ‘disconnect’ hinders workplace wellness programs, Brodeur survey suggests

Companies must spotlight what they’re offering and why it’s valuable

Although 7 in 10 American workplaces offer wellness programs, a new Brodeur Partner survey suggests many employees don’t know that programs in their own workplace exist.

Only one in three Americans surveyed by Brodeur in June said they have a health and wellness program at work in stark contrast to a recent study by the Society for Human Resource Management, which puts the prevalence of such programs at 70 percent.

“Clearly, there’s a disconnect,” said Brodeur Partners CEO Andrea Coville, author of Relevance: The Power to Change Minds and Behavior and Stay Ahead of the Competition. “Either employees aren’t getting the memo about the programs that exist in their workplaces, or they don’t consider what their employers are offering to be true wellness programs. Companies need to be communicate clearly, aggressively and creatively about what they’re offering and how the programs can enhance their employees’ well-being.”

The Brodeur findings buttress other research documenting a workplace wellness communications disconnect. While more than 85 percent of U.S. employers with more than 1,000 employees offer a wellness program, only 60 percent of these are aware that their company offers one, according to Gallup,

The Brodeur Health and Wellness survey was based on interviews with 542 adult Americans and covered not only workplace wellness, but diet, exercise and wearable fitness devices – topics that Brodeur will explore publicly in coming weeks.

You can read the complete report here:  Relevance Research: Wellness in the Workplace