Employer Perspective's of Employee Wellness Programs

Abstract

Previous research has shown that fewer than 10% of employers across the United States offer comprehensive wellness programs to employees. Yet little research has been devoted to understanding how employers perceive employee wellness programs. This exploratory qualitative study examined employer perspectives on employee wellness and employee wellness programs. The objective of this study was to develop a better understanding of employers' perspectives of employee wellness programs and to create a conceptual model to explain these perspectives. The lead researcher conducted eleven one-on-one semi-structured interviews with employer key informants. Inductive content analysis was used to discover five major categories. Within each category prominent themes emerged after multiple reviews of the data. Categories included internal organizational factors, external factors, access to wellness resources, wellness program design and the employer's desired outcomes of employee wellness program. In conclusion, knowledge of the factors that shape employers' perspectives on employee wellness programs can aid research on employee wellness programs and lead to improved program design.