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Digital, wellness, and company culture — is there a connection?

Entrepreneur Magazine writes: “If improvement in your employees' wellness is your goal, digital technology can play a significant role in improving their health and consequently, their productivity. Research has explicitly linked the use of wearables, apps and other technology to increased employee productivity, as well as reduced absenteeism, lower stress levels and decreased employer healthcare costs.”

Of course, we've reported previously that tech and digital alone don't make for a well-run wellness program.

Our two-part roundtable discussion on the role of tech in workplace wellness (Part I was here; part II was here): “It’s no mystery that technology advances continue to affect and change nearly all aspects of our lives – and the vital area of our personal health is no exception. But as workplace wellness programs grow and as businesses consider new ways to engage employees, drive healthier individual outcomes and address rising healthcare costs, a new discussion has evolved: What is the proper role of technology in workplace wellness?”

As Jane Ruppert, Vice President of Health Services at Interactive Health, said: “People are engaging more and more with technology, and we wanted to be able to drive health outcomes by leveraging technology, like our member website, as a tool. With wellness programs, the number one priority is to get people to participate. How could we leverage technology to accomplish this and make it easy? We also thought about how can we get people engaged in the program components that we know are going to drive health outcomes. We found that you need to make it personal.”

The Entrepreneur piece continues: “By investing in digital technology, employers can boost participation in corporate wellness programs. These devices are a constant reminder to employees of their health status, allowing them to monitor their physical fitness activities, heart rates, body temperatures and even sleep patterns.”

It further states: “Clearly, there are multiple benefits — for businesses and their employees — in implementing an effective company wellness program:”

• Increased productivity
• Decreased absenteeism
• Reduced healthcare costs
• Less work-related stress
• More motivated employees
• Better employee engagement
• Renewed sense of team camaraderie
• Improved health, well-being and happiness
• Expanded alignment with company goals and company culture