Most employers offer some form of wellness benefits. From on-site health screenings to personal health coaching, employers are acknowledging the need for wellness. But many corporate wellness programs never reach their full potential.

A biometric screening program is an important first step toward improving the health of your employees and reducing health care costs. Many health indicators, such as high blood pressure, can go undetected. Screenings are an ideal way to not only help employees become aware of their current health status, but also to educate and get them on the road to health. 

Incentives for Nondiscriminatory Wellness Programs in Group Health Plans. Not exactly what you had in mind for some light summer reading, eh? You probably won’t be toting the 123 page Affordable Care Act (ACA) final wellness regulations document with you to the beach, but it’s still critical that workplace wellness programs understand the changes. You can read the full ruling here but we’ve summarized a few key things so you can still enjoy your summer.

How many times have you found your employees reacting in an irrational, fearful or overly emotional way to wellness or benefit announcements? This type of response happens to all of us from time to time, and much of it can be explained by looking at a small but important part of the brain: the Amygdala.

So you want to host an on-site flu shot clinic to protect your employees from the flu, eh? Well, I don't blame you! Flu shots are the best way to prevent the flu. But unfortunately things are getting a little more complicated this year with a new wave of flu vaccines hitting the market.  

Everybody knows that Chuck Norris is invincible, right? There is nothing that Chuck Norris can't do. And there's a good chance that you've heard a few jokes like: His strength makes Superman look like a wimp. He carved Mt. Rushmore with his teeth. He’s counted to infinity - three times. He doesn't wear a watch because he simply decides what time it is. He can even slam a revolving door.

There are many ways to evaluate the health of your employees, but one of the most important measures is cardiovascular fitness. Luckily for corporate wellness managers, you can measure the cardiovascular fitness of your employees with a simple, low-cost fitness test.

What's the price? This, of course, is always one of the first questions many wellness and HR professionals have when starting the research process for an on-site biometric screening program.

The cost of a biometric screening varies according to level of service provided by national vendors and the total number of employees to be screened, but is typically $40 to $70 per participant. 

Before choosing any on-site biometric screening vendor, be sure to look into the whole cost of the program. Unfortunately, some biometric screening vendors tempt companies with low initial pricing but when you read the fine print you uncover hidden costs and additional fees you weren't expecting.

Summer and sunshine go hand-in-hand. But all that carefree summer fun means more exposure to the sun's UV rays. Sun exposure has been linked with melanoma and skin cancer. May is National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month and it's a perfect time to raise awareness among your employees. 

You're busy. We get it! Wellness practitioners and HR professionals must juggle daily operations, budget, industry trends -- not to mention changing the health and in turn, lives, of your employees. You're making a real difference in the world but sometimes you need a little pick me up.