Is It Necessary to Incent Corporations to Initiate Corporate Health Promotion Programs?
Wellness incentive rewards may seem like an effective way to get staff members excited about Corporate Health Promotion Program – but is it smart?
This helps and encourages companies to understand the importance of maintaining a healthy workforce, not only for the welfare of its staff members, but as well as the welfare of the corporate bottom line … then, yes, it could be necessary.
Tax Breaks as Wellness incentive rewards
In 2007, two senators decided to band together to create the “Healthy Workforce Act.” This act is designed to encourage companies to keep staff members healthy and prevent disease. The senators believed that having a country focused on “well care” versus “sick care” would decrease the overall costs of healthcare for everyone. They decided to start with America’s workforce.
The legislation, introduced by Iowa Senator Tom Harkin and Oregon Senator Gordon Smith, states that companies would receive a Wellness incentive reward – a fifty percent tax credit – if they provide to their staff members a Corporate Health Promotion Program that meets the following criteria:
1) A health education and awareness component, which could include Health Risk Appraisals and Health Testings.
2) A behavioral change component – such as counseling, seminars, or self-help materials to empower staff members to lead healthier lifestyles.
3) A supportive environment component – including offering meaningful incentive rewards to participating staff members, such as a reduction in health premiums or allowing staff members to engage in walking Corporate Health Promotion Programs during the workday.
4) The creation of an worker engagement committee – which would tailor the Corporate Health Promotion Program to the needs of the workforce at a particular organization.
If this legislation gets passed, many companies will be scrambling to provide Corporate Health Promotion Programs in hopes of receiving the Wellness incentive rewards.
