Employers Embrace Wellness Management

Employers of all sizes agree that keeping their employees healthy is the single best way to save money on healthcare. Almost two thirds of companies already use wellness programs to cut costs, and most others plan to do so in the near future. The greatest overall growth will come in two areas: targeted education and support programs, like nutrition education and health coaching, and convenient diagnosis and monitoring options, like onsite health screenings. But company size will determine the style and scale of program penetration. For now, large employers remain the market's clear frontrunners, and small firms expect to keep up but not catch up. With the most room for growth, small firms represent a big opportunity for well-positioned vendors. Product managers should pique their interest by creating easy-to-administer, scalable programs, while looking for opportunities to pool demand from local firms.