Corporate executives have more reasons than ever to keep a close watch on the bottom line. Many have cut employees and departments but the new fiscal  austerity doesn’t seem to extend to wellness programs. These efforts can range from on-site fitness centers to smoking cessation sessions. A study carried out by Fidelity Investments and National Business Group on Health (NBGH) shows that over 90% of mid and large-sized employees plan to continue spending money on wellness programs in 2010.

Here are few statistics about corporate wellness programs:

• Number of programs offered by average company: 21
• Number of employers who plan to increase 2010 offerings: 51%
• Companies who use incentives that have cash values:  57%

The most frequently offered programs include:

• On-site flu shots (90%)
• Preventive-care reminders related to screenings or annual exams (68%)
• Employee assistance programs (92%)
• Stress management (68%)
• Smoking cessation (66%)

Sunit Patel, senior vice president of Fidelity’s Consulting Services business, notes the study results reveal that most employers do not have solid ROI data on their wellness program spending. “Measuring health improvement programs as a suite of offerings, as opposed to individual initiatives, is essential to understanding the true impact of an employer’s investment,” said Patel. As employers continue to spend in this area, look for marketers to increase their ad campaigns to boost market share and address concerns about ROI.

[Source: Fidelity Investments release, 1.25.10]