Employee Wellness Programs: Future Developments, Directions and Challenges

Demographic and technological transformations are changing the nature of work in our society. As these changes occur the comprehensive model of Employee Wellness Initiatives described above will evolve and continue to develop. If current trends continue, the workers of tomorrow will be older, more racially and ethically diverse, increasingly female, and will frequently be located off-site. In the later case, technological advances are making it possible for more and more consultants to conduct their work from their homes. Thus the very character of the worksite will change and so must our efforts to deliver Employee Wellness Programs. As an example, in the future it is likely that a great deal of health education programming will be delivered through personalized interactive multimedia formats, conveniently supplied to any number of workers through telecommunication systems.

As technological innovations increase in the workplace, Company Health Promotion Initiative consultants will face new health related challenges. In the past, some have assumed that technology would make workers more efficient, thereby allowing workers to work less, while being more productive. In reality, increases in technological innovation have simply allowed more of us to take our work with us where ever we go and feel guilty for not being increasingly productive.

This trend may absorb greater amounts of leisure time that is normally devoted to recreation and relaxation. Subsequent increases in fatigue and stress will ensure the continued need for effective Employee Wellness Programs.

When considering the scope of Employee Wellness Initiatives described in this article, many will think of substantial investments made by large corporations. The reality is that 60 percent of individuals working in the United States work for a business of less than 100 workers (U. S. Bureau of Census, 1988). Due to economy of scale, it has been difficult and expensive for small business owners to supply adequate health care insurance and prevention programming for workers.

Company Health Promotion Initiative consultants must understand this challenge and develop the way to overcome these obstacles. The evidence is clear that much more could be done to advance the health of our society through the workplace. As change agents, health educators must work to empower corporations and workers through education of the benefits of Employee Wellness Programs.