Author

Rosa Zamudio

Date of Award

4-2014

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Abstract

An employee wellness program is a method to promote health and wellness within an organization. Organizations offer wellness program activities with the main purpose to reduce healthcare cost. The majority of healthcare spending is caused by preventable health risks (Smith, 2013). Unhealthy lifestyles, such as inactivity, poor nutrition, tobacco use, and frequent alcohol consumption, are driving up the prevalence of chronic disease, such as diabetes, heart disease, and chronic pulmonary conditions (Mattke, Liu, Caloyeras, Huang, Busum, Khodyakov & Shier, 2013). Employees with illness related problems reduce production due to absenteeism or low performance during work. This research focuses on evaluating the current wellness program of Monterey County, with the purpose of providing recommendations to increase employee’s participation and improve the wellness services. The research will be based on data collected through surveys, interviews, review of program materials, and literature reviews. The results of this study might be beneficial to other organizations looking for creative and affordable ways to establish a wellness program, or to gain information about the wellness program functions.

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