DO EMPLOYEE HEALTH &

WELLNESS PROGRAMS
NEED A SHOT
IN THE ARM?
SURVEYS REVEAL HIGH EXPECTATIONS
AND LOW USE OF PROGRAMS
Accenture research shows
that 82 percent of employed
HEALTH & WELLNESS
consumers believe their
PROGRAMS
employers or health plans should
provide health and wellness are portfolios of services
programs—but the programs that help people improve
offered today are falling short of their ability to manage their
their needs and expectations. health and wellness. These
services are offered via
multiple channels, and span
There is a distinct gap between
programs offered versus awareness in focus from driving use of
and use of these programs (see Figure preventive care to managing
1). The research found awareness specific health events (e.g.,
and utilization of health and wellness maternity), to providing
programs offered by health plans coaching in support of
was extremely low—62 percent of lifestyle changes (e.g.,
employees were unaware of basic smoking and weight loss).
services, such as a provider finder. In
addition, less than 10 percent were
utilizing any other programs offered.

FIGURE 1. Employee awareness and use of wellness programs is low

100% 100% 100%

96% 97%
95% 95%

38%
35%
34%
26% 22% 21%
21%
14%
9% 8%
7% 5%
5% 5%

Chronic Care Wellness Behavioral Lifestyle Provider Medical Cost Quality

Management Health Management Finder Estimators Comparison
Coaching Tools

Offered Aware Use

Source: Accenture 2016 Employer Health and Wellness Survey and Accenture 2016 Employee Health and Wellness Survey

1
The Willis Health and Productivity Survey Report 2014,
https://www.insurancejournal.com/research/research/the-willis-health-and-productivity-survey-report-2014
2
Ibid.
1
More than half (54 percent) of EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
employees surveyed felt their employer-
sponsored health insurance plan should HINGES ON
provide these programs. Twenty-eight
percent believe health and wellness
DIGITAL
services should be offered through a Health plans are missing the boat
specific employer program outside of on engagement. Many of today’s
their health plan and only 13 percent employees want to interact digitally, as
felt their family physician should offer they do in their everyday lives.
such a program.
Accenture research shows employees
Employers are increasingly looking engage more with health and wellness
outside of health plans to access health programs when there is a digital
and wellness services. Industry surveys engagement channel.
found 44 percent of employers said
they used a third-party vendor to For instance, people who engage
support their wellness program, up 18 digitally respond they access the
percent from the previous year of the program weekly—70 percent from a
survey.1 Among those using a third- mobile device and 40 percent from a
party vendor, 35 percent reported computer.
being “very satisfied” and 13 percent Unfortunately, most plan-sponsored
were “extremely satisfied.”2 health and wellness programs lack
Clearly, health plans are failing to reach relevant digital access. Less than 50
and have impact on people through their percent of employees report having
current health and wellness products, access to these programs via their
so they must rethink how they design, computers and less than 25 percent
market, and operate these products or report access via their mobile device.
risk being carved out of this business.

These types of programs are so important to employees some respond

that they will pay for them. Top programs where employees responded
they would be willing to pay include:

34% 31% 26% 25% 24%

BIOMETRIC FITNESS BEHAVIORAL MATERNITY MENTAL
DEVICES TRACKING HEALTH

2
Other business-to-consumer and third-party models in the marketplace are
meeting these digital demands. For example:

Digital behavior change program Omada

helps users lose weight and reduce their risk
of chronic disease through programs that
seamlessly integrate with users’ everyday lives
across interaction channels.

On-demand healthcare concierge Accolade,

which offers mobile, web and telephonic
solutions, touts 70 percent engagement and
98 percent consumer satisfaction.

Ovia Health, which offers mobile fertility,

pregnancy and maternity programs, states
95 percent of enrolled employees engage in
benefits content via the company’s app.

EMPLOYEES STRONGLY INFLUENCE

EMPLOYER BUYING DECISIONS
Digital access for a broad range of consumer-facing services, combined with the
increased availability and popularity of fitness and other health-tracking devices,
has elevated employees’ expectations for health services. Employers have sought
and are acting on employee-generated requirements for health and wellness
programs. In fact, employee surveys on care management decisions influence 59
percent of employers, versus 43 percent being influenced by brokers/consultants
and 47 percent influenced by industry peers.

3
When asked why they are not using
health and wellness programs, 40
percent of employees report it is
because “one or more components of
my wellness program offered by my FIGURE 2.
Factors influencing lack of
employer are not relevant to me” or “has
program utilization
no apparent value” and 26 percent of
employees report the program is “too
difficult” or “takes too much time” (see 9% 40% Program
Figure 2). no appa
Such insights are causing employers Program
to look toward third parties that can takes to
25%
deliver on rising expectations. Among Do not w
employers surveyed, 79 percent selected with em
third-party solutions over health plans. 26% Others
Nearly 44 percent of employers chose
a program from a third party instead of
9% 40% Program not relevant or
a health plan because they felt one or
no apparent value
more components was considered more
Program is difficult or
valuable than the carrier offering. takes too long to use
25% Do not want to share information
Some of the lack of utilization factors, with employer or health plan
including engagement taking too much
26% Others
time or program not relevant, may be
contributing to 68 percent of employees
Source: Accenture 2016 Employee Health
educating themselves on healthcare and Wellness Survey
versus only 7 percent being educated
through their health plans.

If health plans fail to develop

digitally accessible products and
services that engage consumers
and deliver value, they are at risk
of losing market share.

4
SUCCESS INDICATORS one overall, higher than return on

HAVE CHANGED
investment (ROI, 79 percent). ROI
continues to be elusive to prove,
with only 39 percent of employers
Employees’ expectations are
responding that they have confidence
influencing purchasing decisions
these programs deliver ROI. Employers
among employers, while at the same
understand they need to offer
time, employers lack confidence in the
health and wellness programs to
value health plans are delivering.
demonstrate their commitment to
Accenture research on employer their employees and be competitive
against their market peers. The data
buying behaviors reveals
suggest employers are looking at their
employers view employee active employees’ use of these programs as
engagement as a key measure of the true measure of their value, both
success, above same-year claim in terms of the number of employees
cost reduction. who access the programs, and the
persistency of that access (how often
When asked what they are looking
and for how long).
for in a health and wellness program,
employers (84 percent) rated Perhaps most alarming for health
employee engagement number plans, 60 percent of employers report
they are looking to reduce scope of
services purchased from health plans.
The top reason employers are looking
FIGURE 3. Employer reasons for looking to to third-party providers of health and
third-party provider of health and wellness
program components wellness program components is
because employers see third parties
50% 46% as offering more valuable components
than health plans (see Figure 3).
40%

30% 27%
23%

20%

10%
3%

0%
More Wanted Superior Others
valuable continuity “look and feel”
components

% of employers
Source: Accenture stating
2016 Employer each
Health reason for
and Wellness sourcing program
Survey

5
THE GAME PLAN
FOR HEALTH PLANS
To compete, health plans must modify their health and wellness products to be
designed to better appeal to employees’ desires for relevant, multi-channel services
that are digitally enabled.

1
HERE’S HOW:

Know your customer’s customer. Employers are listening to what employees

want, and health plans should listen, too. Understand what key features are
most important, what programs are most desired and how employees would
want to access programs. For employers measuring success based on employee
engagement, these programs must be digitally enabled and user-friendly to

2
promote use.

Be future ready. Emerging digital trends are influencing the way services are
delivered—and the landscape changes every day. Look to the developing trend
of artificial intelligence as the new user interface through which voice interfaces
and chatbots help solve engagement issues. Also, there is a rising need to
manage for individuals, not populations. Artificial intelligence for the enterprise
can provide insights into how to modify or expand services, and it can yield
opportunities for better personalization through a continuous learning loop. The

3
key is to continually iterate to keep pace with changing demands.

Tap into the ecosystem. Creating leading-edge digital solutions isn’t a core
capability for all health plans, so determine the best path forward. Does it make
sense to develop a solution, partner with others and white label, or have an open
system where the health plan can collaborate with a number of other providers
for services ranging from analytics to security to digital marketing?

6
Employees want access to
health and wellness programs,
and employers want to deliver
programs their employees will
use and find valuable. Active
employee engagement may
lead to a healthier and happier
workforce. Health plans must
heed this wakeup call and
rethink how they shape and sell
health and wellness products,
before it’s too late.

7
FOR MORE ABOUT THE ACCENTURE ABOUT ACCENTURE
INFORMATION 2016 EMPLOYER HEALTH INSIGHT DRIVEN HEALTH
AND WELLNESS SURVEY Insight-driven health is the
Accenture conducted an online foundation of more effective,
survey of 253 employers across efficient and affordable healthcare.
different industries in the United That’s why the world’s leading
States. We sought input from healthcare payers, providers and
Rick Stewart employers for the health and public health entities choose
wellness program components Accenture for a wide range of
[email protected]
they offer in their organization. insight-driven health services that
The employers surveyed were of help them use knowledge in new
different age, gender, ethnicity and ways–from the back office to the
have used or plan to use one or doctor’s office. Our committed
more wellness programs. The survey professionals combine real-world
was conducted in October 2016. experience, business and clinical
Brian Kalis insights and innovative technologies
[email protected] to deliver the power of insight-driven
ABOUT THE ACCENTURE health. For more information, visit:
www.accenture.com/
2016 EMPLOYEE HEALTH
insightdrivenhealth
AND WELLNESS SURVEY
Accenture conducted an online
survey of 3001 employees across ABOUT ACCENTURE
Scott Miller different employers in the United
Accenture is a leading global
[email protected] States. We sought input from
professional services company,
employees for the health and
providing a broad range of services
wellness program components
and solutions in strategy, consulting,
being offered to them by their
digital, technology, and operations.
CONNECT WITH US organization. The employees
Combining unmatched experience
surveyed were of different age,
and specialized skills across more
@AccentureHealth gender, ethnicity and have used
than 40 industries and all business
or plan to use one or more
functions—underpinned by the
wellness programs. The survey
world’s largest delivery network—
Accenture Health was conducted in October 2016.
Accenture works at the intersection
of business and technology to help
clients improve their performance
and create sustainable value for their
stakeholder. With approximately
425,000 people serving clients in
more than 120 countries, Accenture
drives innovation to improve the way
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