Employee access to wellness programs in 2017

As a new year begins, many people think about how they can lead a healthier lifestyle. Some employers offer their employees wellness plans to help them jumpstart new health goals. These plans may include programs to quit smoking, exercise or physical fitness programs, weight-control programs, nutrition education, blood-pressure tests, physical examinations, stress management programs, back-care courses, and lifestyle assessment tests. Thirty-nine percent of private industry workers and 63 percent of state and local government workers had access to such benefits in 2017.

Access to wellness programs varied more widely by occupation for workers in private industry than for workers in state and local government. In private industry, access to wellness programs ranged from 22 percent of workers in service occupations to 55 percent of workers in professional and related occupations. In state and local government, 59 percent of workers in service occupations had access to wellness programs, as did 66 percent of workers in production, transportation, and material moving occupations.

Access to wellness programs also varied more widely by average wage group for workers in private industry. Among private industry workers whose wages were in the highest 10 percent, 63 percent had access. Access was lower for workers in lower wage categories; among workers whose wages were in the lowest 10 percent, 15 percent had access to wellness programs. Among workers in state and local government, access to wellness program varied little by average wage group.

These data are from the National Compensation Survey — Benefits program. For more information, see our most recent annual bulletin on benefits.