Dive Brief:
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Approximately one-half of employees have participated in a well-being activity or wellness program in the last year, according to survey data from Jiff.
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Around two-thirds of employees said employers should actively encourage employees to live a healthy lifestyle.
- Nearly 1 in 3 employers surveyed offered a wellness program that incorporated wearables and another 23% were considering a wearable program in the future.
Dive Insight:
The findings reflect results of other research suggesting employees have significant interest in workplace wellness programs that utilize wearable technology. Approximately two-thirds of employees said health management was a top priority in their life and one-third said workplace wellbeing initiatives encourage a healthier lifestyle.
Yet there is still some uncertainty around the actual value in using wearable devices. While consumers report interest in using wearables, it isn’t clear that they lead to health lifestyle changes. One recent study found that wearable devices didn’t help patients achieve better results in a weight loss intervention program.
Meanwhile, Jiff's results suggest that patients can sustain progress using wearables in a workplace wellness program. While around one-third of wearable device users generally abandoned the technology, more sustained participation was achieved, the report noted. Additionally, younger employees were not the only ones reporting interest in wearable devices. According to Jiff, older employees did so as well.