Employee health management: Challenges and opportunities

Executive Overview Over the past half century, American corporations have implemented various initiatives to protect and/or improve employee health. Early efforts, resulting primarily from labor union pressure and federal legislation, focused on reducing accident and disease hazards at the worksite. More recently, in response to rapidly escalating health care costs and increased awareness of how personal lifestyles influence health and well-being, corporations have taken the initiative by implementing programs designed to promote employee health. In this article we examine the status and efficacy of employee health management programs (EHMPs) and address the major issues companies face when considering EHMP options.