There is great public and private interest in the use of workplace wellness programs to reduce health care spending, improve health outcomes, and enhance productivity for employees. However, there is little rigorous evidence on the effects of wellness programs. This study partners with a large multi-state U.S. employer (BJ's Wholesale Club) and an experienced wellness vendor (Wellness Workdays) to evaluate a multi-prong workplace wellness program, including components such as nutrition counseling, fitness challenges, and stress management workshops. The wellness program will be delivered by a team of experts including Registered Dieticians, and will include financial rewards for participation. The program will be available to employees in initially 20 of BJ's 200 worksites, and later expanded to 25 worksites. These worksites have been randomly selected, allowing a randomized controlled trial evaluation of the effects of the wellness program. Data will be collected on a wide array of outcomes from multiple sources, including on-site biometric screenings and surveys, employment records, and health insurance claims for employees at both treatment and control worksites.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
48,664
Multi-prong workplace wellness program, with components such as nutrition counseling, fitness challenges, and stress management workshops, including supports and incentives.
Physical activity
Regular exercise, number of hours sitting per day, and actively managing weight, as indicated in responses to survey questions
Time frame: Primary data collected at 18 months and 30 months after initiation of intervention
Obesity
Body Mass Index\>=30, calculated from measured height and weight
Time frame: Primary data collected at 18 months and 30 months after initiation of intervention
Absenteeism
Number of sick or personal days as a share of total days employed, from employment records
Time frame: Administrative records from 3 years spanning intervention
Health care spending
Dollars spent on health care for employees covered by employer-sponsored insurance, from claims records
Time frame: Administrative records from 3 years spanning intervention
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