The current buzzword in employer circles is wellness. Companies now more than ever are offering employees various options for preventive health care and maintenance in order to keep them healthy and to motivate workers.

Some employers offer incentives such as rewards or discounted insurance rates for coverage. Some businesses are offering multiple options within their suite of health care benefits. Employers may be given services as part of an employer-paid benefits package, and many are opening up voluntary offerings to employees in an effort to maintain a healthy work force.

Regardless of your current offerings to your employees, wellness should be a key element of any health benefits plan design you offer. To not do so is to ignore the detrimental overall effects that unhealthy employees have on your bottom line. Current studies show that wellness programs work and provide a good return on investment, especially when properly implemented and when engaged by workers.