An effective way to measure the health of an employee population is to screen individuals for common health risks such as obesity, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. But when is the best time of the year to offer on-site biometric screenings?

With another flu season just around the corner, it's a perfect time to review the financial impact that results each year from the fierce flu virus. This latest infographic, “Flu Vaccinations at Work,” covers the reasons why companies should invest in flu shots for their employees. Detailing the financial costs to companies and the low immunization rates, especially among younger age groups, the graphic calls for more action in flu prevention at the workplace.

Have you ever thought about how important a strong foundation is for your worksite wellness program?

It's like building a house without a solid base — you can put up walls and a roof, but without that foundation, it won't stand strong for long.

Creating a strong foundation is really vital for a successful worksite wellness program. Just like a house needs a solid base, your wellness program also needs some key essentials to thrive. Let’s explore how you can create a strong foundation for a wellness program that really lasts.

You're a HR professional and you probably have a lot on your plate. The last thing you want to think about is coordinating a flu shot program for your entire company, heck maybe you even have to worry about multiple locations. But you also know the importance of protecting employees against seasonal influenza. 

Biometric screenings are often one of the first steps in any corporate wellness program. They provide objective data that can be tracked over time and used to deliver more timely and personalized health interventions. And, the higher the participation rate, the more accurate the overall assessment of the employees' health status.

Why are millions of people glued to their TVs relishing in the excitement of the London Olympics for two weeks? One word: Stories. It's hard not to be inspired as you hear the stories of the top athletes from around the world. The personal stories about their backgrounds, journeys, struggles, and victories have us cheering at the top of our lungs. From Usain and Missy, to Jessica and Rebecca, to Ryan and Cavendish – we feel like we know them and we become engaged with their story.

Can you make employee flu shots fun? The flu is serious business, but that doesn't mean you can't have a little fun with promoting your flu shot clinics. After all, isn't moving people to take action about making an emotional connection. When a connection is there, it sparks new behaviors and actions. So infusing a little fun in your flu vaccination campaign can be an effective way to motivate employees to get their flu shots. 

There's no doubt about it.

Health care reform is a hot topic these days.

It has stirred up passionate feelings about increasing access to care and providing affordable health insurance. With all the talk about health care reform, are we missing something? It seems like the debate is more about health insurance instead of health care. What about improving the health of Americans? What about the role that employers can play in improving public health? 

As an employer concerned about the health of your employees and your bottom line, wouldn't it be nice to know what type of Return on Investment (ROI) you could expect from your on site flu shot program?  

It is estimated that 10 to 20 percent of the workforce is absent at some point during the flu season, due to the impact of the influenza virus. One of the many benefits of a worksite flu shot program is a healthier workforce. Overall a vaccinated workforce experiences: