Kathleen Koster

Looking for real engagement — and improved outcomes — for workplace weight-loss programs? A new range of electronic tools (and old-fashioned psychological incentives) can help get workers to shed the pounds, for life.

The best way to encourage healthy decisions is to make cultural changes that affect the entire workforce, as well as the broad environment. Here are nine suggestions for small changes that can have big results.

Dr. Rafael Bengoa, the Basque region's former minister of health, is currently serving as an adviser to President Obama on ACA implementation.

After speaking with the leader of Towers Watson's Exchange Solutions segment and Liazon’s CEO to understand how small and larger employers should strategically approach the private exchanges, here are the key thoughts employers of any size should consider when deciding whether to shift to a defined contribution approach to health care benefits.

Towers Watson acquired Liazon Corporation, a leader in developing and delivering private benefit exchanges for active employees, last week. Representatives of the consultancy believe that this acquisition, which follows the purchase of Extend Health in June 2012, has solidified their position as the leading player in the private exchange market through its OneExchange solution.

Social networks kept the 41,000 participants in the Sprint Get Fit Challenge engaged and motivated throughout the 12-week challenge. Collectively, participants (who made up 35% of the telecom company’s population) lost more than 41,000 pounds, took almost 4.8 billion steps, and logged nearly 22 million exercise minutes. By building excitement and supportive competition through social media, Sprint’s wellness leaders engaged participants over the long-term.

Tailoring health goals, as well as the resources and programs employees use to achieve them, is the key to creating long-lasting behavior change, says one expert.

If people with chronic conditions only spend about an hour a year with their physician, how can they stay adherent with medication and their disease education for the 8,759 hours they’re outside the doctor’s office? The most promising answer is through mobile devices.

Reward results, not attendance in new workplace model.

Employers may be shifting too quickly to outcomes-based wellness programs.

By better managing millennials, employers can transform the future of the American workforce.

“All that we are doing with health care impacts so much more than health care costs, health risk status and use of health care services – it impacts the business,” explained Bruce Sherman, MD, medical director of Employers Health Coalition.

Skillful use of employee surveys can lead to better retention of new employees.

Therapy goes digital with online mental health tools but experts caution due diligence.

The lights are out at the federal government, but what implications does the shutdown have for employers who have daily business to pursue with the federal government and agencies?

The lights are out at the federal government, but what implications does the shutdown have for employers who have daily business to pursue with the federal government and agencies? EBN looked closely at employment and benefits-related issues hampered by the shutdown. Consider yourself lucky not to be the single employee left handling labor management issues – as is the case at one mostly darkened federal agency.

“Our job [as HR professionals] is to improve the lives of human beings. We’re responsible for that,” explained Gary Earl, founder and team captain of Journey for Health Tour, for which Earl and his team are riding a bicycle 3,000 miles across America to promote health improvement.

In recent years, many employers have introduced flexible work practices to help employees manage their work/life balance, although Culturerx founder Jody Thompson said she believes that “standard flexible work programs are holding us hostage.”

In recent years, many employers have introduced flexible work practices to help employees manage their work/life balance, although Culturerx founder Jody Thompson said she believes that “standard flexible work programs are holding us hostage.”

Health plan trains employee-volunteers to take lead role in wellness education.