Measuring Results

• Benchmark Research & Performance Measurements
• Process Measurements
• Impact Measurements
• Outcome Measurements

Benchmark Research & Performance Measurements

To prove that an active living and wellness program is indeed beneficial to the organization, it is important to establish a benchmark for employee health and wellness before the program begins.

Benchmark research should examine:

• Employee activity levels before the program is started;
• Employee health;
• Current costs of illness to benefit programs;
• Stress levels;
• Absenteeism patterns;
• Employee satisfaction;
• Retention rates; and
• Productivity and performance.

After the program has been running for at least a year, follow-up research should be undertaken to measure the short-term results of the active living intervention.

Typically, performance measurement enables an organization to:

• Determine if a program has been implemented as planned (process measurement);
• Determine if a program has met its quality assurance criteria (process measurement);
• Assess if a program is attracting the volume of participants that it intended (process measurement);
• Document the individual employee health impacts of a program (impact measurement);
• Identify the health outcomes of a program as it relates to disability management and absenteeism rates (outcome measurement);
• Determine the cost benefit of a program (outcome measurement); and
• Establish whether an ongoing commitment to the program is justified.

Process Measurements

Process measurements review short-term program/intervention oriented results - these are quality control measures aimed at determining if the program/intervention itself has achieved its objectives.

Typical process measurements include:

• Participation rates;
• Adherence levels (if a long-term program);
• Participant satisfaction;
• Perceived value; and
• Management commitment.

Impact Measurements

Impact measurements review medium-term individual employee results. They identify whether or not intended individual health outcomes are occurring on a personal level.

Typical impact measurements may include:

• Decreased employee health risk - usually through health-risk assessments;
• Improved health beliefs and attitudes - through health surveys;
• Improved perceived health status - through health surveys;
• Readiness for change - through health surveys;
• Improved employee satisfaction, as measured by a questionnaire;
• Employee perception of greater personal power and control over their work environment, as measured by certain stress indicators;
• Reduced incidence of new cardiovascular cases on Short-Term Disability and Long-Term Disability; and
• Reduced incidence of new musculoskeletal injuries.

Outcome Measurements

Outcome measurements are longer-term, organization-oriented results that indicate whether or not a program is generating the intended economic outcomes for the organization.

Typical outcome measures include:

• Decreased incidence of illness or injury associated with stress, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal disorders;
• Reduction in the length of a disability associated with stress, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal disorders;
• Cost savings in health benefits such as long-term disability, short-term disability (and/or weekly indemnity), Workers' Compensation, and drug utilization associated with stress, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal disorders; and
• Financial measurements, including cost/benefit analysis and return on investment calculations.