Employee Wellness Programs (2 CE)

Course By: Tamara Avery, PsyD

Content By: Ott-Holland, C. J., Shepherd, W. J., and Ryan, A. M. (2017). Examining wellness programs over time: Predicting participation and workplace outcomes. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 1-18.  

This course is for:  Psychologists, Counselors, and LMFTs

Course Description: Employee wellness programs are a standard benefit offered by employers who endeavor to promote and enhance employee well-being. These programs typically offer diverse wellness interventions (e.g. health information, employer-sponsored physical fitness facilities, and personalized wellness coaching etc.). However, medical cost reduction is directly affected by disease management programs versus lifestyle-oriented programs, while wellness program participation is linked to employee beliefs’ concerning wellness program value and perceived organizational support (POS). Overall, employees with greater wellness participation evidenced greater performance ratings, greater job satisfaction rates, greater intention to stay, and lower turnover rates.

Learning Objectives:

1. Review the literature regarding employer wellness programs, employee well-being, and participation incentives  
2. Consider whether beliefs about employee wellness programs coupled with perceived organizational support are linked to increased motivation and participation
3. Explore the levels of wellness program participation and how such levels relate to increased future job satisfaction
4. Understand the statistical findings, conclusions, and suggested areas for future research regarding employee wellness programs

Course Outline:

• Read and understand Examining Wellness Programs Over Time: Predicting Participation and Workplace Outcomes
• Review the Course Description and Learning Objectives
• Consider the findings; employees with greater wellness participation were found to have higher performance ratings, higher job satisfaction, greater intention to stay, and lower turnover
• Work through the post-test questions; answer selections should be derived from the respective article
• Return to the referenced article for any missed questions and/or to better understand the relationship between employer wellness programs and job satisfaction

Approvals: