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Of the many challenges to wellness in the workplace, few are tougher than obesity. Granted, obesity is a problem that plagues much of America and many aspects of daily life.

What can the workplace do to help?

A report from the Northeast Business Group on Health “highlights problems employers face in finding solutions and identifies program elements necessary for future success.” According to the group, overweight employees cost employers $73.1 billion annually.

The group “conducted a structured roundtable with employers and health plans to explore their perspectives on obesity’s impact on employee health and costs, determine its priority among a range of other health issues, investigate current strategies and those being considered, and identify potential opportunities.”

The group found that “58% of employees say incentives are very important for participation,” as well as a “30% higher rate of participation in programs when incentives are offered.”

Next steps for employers include:

1. “While the areas that need consideration for developing successful programs are clear— including employer leadership, employee engagement, program branding, business case development, and clear definitions of success—weight control programs that work will not be generic. Critical steps need to be taken to find weight control programs that are adaptable and best fit the needs and resources of each employee and each organization.”
2. “Given that employee engagement is key to achieving the best outcomes, including employees in designing, rolling out, and optimizing weight control programs is critical to success. Employee involvement in this effort will help reach the people who most need these programs.”
3. “Scalability is critical for large employers with employees working throughout the country and globally. Addressing how employee obesity and weight control programs can be scaled according to employer size and needs is important for adoption and sustainability.”