In the past, people typically waited until something went wrong and then looked to their insurance carrier to see if it was covered.

These days, people are taking greater ownership in the initial decision-making process and, as a result, becoming more aware of everything their health care plans have to offer, often including wellness programming, nutritional-support plans, and other proactive health-improvement resources.

When given the option to create their own paths, people are more likely to follow the steps to improved health.

Providing the appropriate array of resources is a must for wellness programs to rise above the rest--gently guiding employees down these optimized personal paths.

Health care consumerism has allowed wellness to become an attractive option to employees who want to see noticeable improvement in their health (and health spending). Expanding the amount (and quality) of resources available promotes customization, financial freedom, and emotional empowerment.

People are more likely to be emotionally invested in plans they created for themselves. Exchanges are designed to offer diverse programs that meet specific needs of consumers, and worksite wellness resources encourage and enable them to make small changes to their regular routines--with consistent engagement as the key to health-habit improvement.

Health care consumerism and employee wellness appear to go hand-in-hand on many levels…

Wellness offers complete customizability

Like the exchanges, corporate wellness plans have become increasingly customizable.

In many instances, clients can now skip the cookie-cutter standard and choose exactly what they want--creating their own custom challenges, incentive programs, and personal health goals for employees, among countless other resources and activities.

Employers are now like customers in a retail store, shopping for what fits their company the best. And, as a consumer, what would you rather buy--off the rack, or custom-tailored? Health care consumerism breeds engaging activities that are more relevant and, therefore, more sustainable.

A higher level of participation coincides with a higher level of production from happier, healthier employees.

Companies are beginning to realize that providing a customizable wellness plan will open up the floodgates of engagement and health-habit improvement--leading to more connected colleagues and elevated efficiency in the workplace.

Financial freedom

Having custom wellness plans in place also gives employees a sense of financial freedom.

Wellness participants often save boatloads of money when they’re engaged in wellness programs they enjoy and that actually improve their health--with improved health habits resulting in fewer sick days and fewer health-related insurance expenses, and often the possibility of earning wellness discounts by playing along.

Reducing the regularity of sick days also helps companies save money, allowing more financial flexibility to increase budgets in areas of need.

And, as attendance increases, so does focus and production in the workplace--employee efficiency is an obvious byproduct of healthcare consumerism and successful workplace wellness efforts.

Saving money is much easier when consumers have access to plans that address their particular needs, allowing them to take a proactive, preventive approach to their health.

Emotional empowerment

When it comes to choosing the ideal wellness program for your company, feeling like you have a voice is essential.

If employees are presented with a list of wellness options and given the power to choose exactly what they want (rather than being a “forced recipient” of a plan), engagement is far more likely to soar--nobody responds well to being pushed around or told what to do.

Making our own decisions gives us self-satisfaction, boosting our morale and allowing us to be more productive in all aspects of life.

For instance, employees participating in wellness programs are more likely to perform better at work and encourage their colleagues. They might also feel inspired to improve relationships at home and eat healthier meals with their families.

Self-efficacy in health leads to self-efficacy in life--success begets success. Everyone loves to be empowered, so having the ability to proactively shop through wellness options is the best way to keep your employees happy (and healthy).

Perfecting wellness programs

The corporate wellness marketplace is constantly evolving-- highly customizable plans are suddenly in high demand.

Encouraging employees to be the best versions of themselves can be as simple as providing access to wellness resources that fit their specific needs. Health care consumerism has done exactly that, giving worksite wellness a facelift and making it easier to appeal to a more diverse range of clients and demographics.

Wellness plans come in all shapes and sizes--the more successful ones seem to offer unique challenges, provide multiple alternatives to appeal to multiple groups of people, and focus on the emotional empowerment of their employees.

Providing the power of choice to participants is key, and jumping on that bandwagon is a no-brainer if you want your wellness program to survive and thrive in 2016 (and beyond!).