Group Benefits are offered by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, a member of the Sun Life Financial group of companies.

Erin DickDirector, Client Relationships, Health

and Wellness

Sun Life Financial

Human Resources Professionals Association – London, ON

March 31 2016

Preliminary learnings from the Sun Life – Ivey

Canadian Wellness ROI Study:

Demonstrating the value of wellness programs

in the workplace

Michael RouseAssociate Professor, Strategy and Organization,

and Principal Researcher of the Study

Ivey Business School at Western University

Agenda

1. The opportunity

2. Overview and challenges

3. Study phases and results to date

4. Looking forward

5. Beyond ROI

Establish Canadian benchmarks

on the return on investment (ROI) for

workplace wellness

Opportunity

Contribute to best practice research to help organizations maximize the

value of their wellness strategy

What makes this study unique?

• Ivey managed study

methodology and analysis

• High level of academic rigour

• Multiple health and

organizational measures

• Individual level data analysis

What were the challenges?

• Company participation

• Sample size

• Study duration

• Standard program and communications

• Shifting organizational health and wellness landscape

• Organizational changes

The Research

Project Manager: Elisa M. Yaquian, MSc

Data Analyst: Rodney T. Tembo, MSc

MSc student: Shivani Parihar

Student volunteer: Jaymie O. Varenbut

Professors:

Dr. Greg Zaric , Dr. Sisir Sarma, Dr. Michael J. Rouse,

Dr. Shauna Burke Dr. Charlice Hurst

Postdoctoral fellows:

Dr. Adebayo Aderounmu & Dr. Josephine Jacobs

PhD students:

Vivek Astvansh, Ellen Choi, Ken Xiao

Ivey research team

Study milestones

Phase 1 overview

Meta-analysis of global workplace wellness research meeting

strict criteria

Phase 1 results

Wellness programs save

1.5 – 1.7 days of absenteeism(ROI Study Phase 1, 2012)

Absenteeism ranges from

4.7 to 11.2 days(Statistics Canada, 2011)

Phase 2 overview

A two year in-field study of a comprehensive wellness program

• Implemented in 6 organizations

• Treatment & control groups

• Multiple Sites (28)

• Distinct locations

Participant representation

51% Treatment; 57% Control indicated plan to stay

+8 years or the rest of their careers

12%

14%

18%24%

14%

18%

Industry

Software Development

IT Solutions & Integration

Logistics

IT Communication Technology

Specialized Trades

Government

14%

9%

4%1%

23%10%

38%

1%

Job CategoryAdministrative support

Customer service/Sales

Executive

Fabrication/Machine operation,assembly, or inspection

Manager/Supervisor

Other

Professional/Technical

Transportation or materialmoving

Phase 2 overview

Organizational Wellness Index

6.5% 6.1%

25.6%

5.4%

-0.2%

6.8%

-5.0%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

Workplace Culture &Engagement

Nutrition Physical Activity Stress Alcohol & Tobacco OrganizationalWellness

Ind

ex %

ch

an

ge

be

gin

nin

g to

en

d

of stu

dy

Overall Wellness Index score % change

(beginning – end of study [treatment only])

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)

• CVDs significant public health concern

– 31% of all global deaths 2012 (WHO, 2014)

– Yet highly preventable (Buttar et al., 2005)

• 80% of CVD related mortality preventable

– Exercise, healthy dietary habits & body weight, not smoking

• Study: used cross-sectional data comparing CVD risk

factors with biometrics (n=320)

– Logistic regression analysis

(Forthcoming: JOEM)

CVD Analysis Results

• 39.5% of employees did not know at least one of their CVD

risk factors. These individuals were:

– less likely to meet recommended physical activity levels

– less likely to consume three daily servings of fruits and vegetables

– but more likely to report weekly fast food consumption.

• Conclusion:

– highlights a lack of awareness of cholesterol levels

– demonstrates negative association between CVD awareness &

preventive health behaviours

Source: Jacobs J., Burke S., Rouse MJ., Sarma S., Zaric G., (forthcoming) Cardiovascular disease risk awareness and its

association with preventive health behaviors: Evidence from a sample of Canadian workplaces. Journal of Occupational and

Environmental Medicine

6.5% 6.1%

25.6%

5.4%

-0.2%

3.2%5.4%

3.4% 3.0%

-1.4%

6.8%

2.7%

-5.0%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

Workplace Culture &Engagement

Nutrition Physical Activity Stress Alcohol & Tobacco OrganizationalWellness

Treatment %Change

Control %Change

Treatment %Change

Control %Change

Wellness Index Score % change

(beginning – end of study)

Overall Wellness Score % change:

A comparison of two companies

16.2%

-1.5%

2.3%

0.2%

-4.0%

-2.0%

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

14.0%

16.0%

18.0%

Company X Company Y

Treatment % Change

Control % Change

Accomplished health outcomes

23%

22%

53%

51%

59%

23%

16%

14%

15%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Increased energy

Became physically active

Increased my physical activity level

Improved my nutrition

Drank more water

Lost weight (please specify how much weight you lost below)

Managed stress better

Increased amount of restful sleep

Improved communication with others

“What health outcomes did you accomplish during this program? (select all that apply)”

Barriers to maintaining a healthy lifestyle

Looking forward

• ROI on a 2 year wellness program• Effectiveness

• Impact on self reported casual absences

• Predicting the ROI for a 5 year wellness program using

a mathematical forecasting model

• “The impact of mindfulness on error reduction in high

reliability organizations”- a randomized control study

• What can employers do to reduce workplace stress

• 70% of return health screening clinic participants reduced their

risk in one or more areas1

• 80% indicated that they have plans to change their lifestyle

habits in order to improve their scores2

• Since 2012 an average of 78% of HRA respondents indicated they

were/are satisfied with the amount of involvement they have in

decisions that affect their work3

• Employees that participate in health challenges indicate higher

levels of perceived productivity levels post challenge4

Beyond the ROI…the value of wellness

1 SLF BOB Clinic analysis 2015:Aug31) – Based on 1857 return clinic participants as of Aug 31, 20152 SLF BOB Clinic analysis 2014) – Based on 9758 respondents3 SLF BOB HRA analysis 2012 – 20154 SLF BOB Health Challenge outcomes analysis 2014 – Based on 7147 challenge pre/post survey respondents

Value to the employee

“The know your numbers program saved my life last year. After visiting my doctor I

found out my liver and kidneys were close to shutting down. I changed my diet and

healed my body over a 5 month period.”

“Really thankful to my employer for having such service available at such a convenient

location such as the workplace, many of us never get the chance to make these

appointments outside by ourselves because of hectic lives. This really helped.”

In house review of 3+ years wellness

program outcomes data*

* Post clinic survey feedback from participants of Sun Life’s 2015 Health Screening Clinics

Best Practices

Leadership Policies &

Practices

Communication Targeted

Programs

Evaluation

Commitment to

organizational and

employee health

Reflect culture of

health

Frequent, focused,

integrated

Areas of greatest

need

Motivate and

engage

Specific and

ongoing

Continuous loop

Research applications for employers

ROI and VOI for wellness support a strategic approach to

workplace health

• Research supports the value of wellness – let’s do more!

• Success requires leadership, communication and a

strategic approach

• Consider culture

• It’s about the business value of health, and employee

impact through reduced health risk

In summary

NEXT STEPS

www.sunlife.ca/wellnessROIstudy

• Final results anticipated by Fall 2016

• Opportunities to learn more:

– Le Rassemblement Conference, Quebec (Apr 6-7, 2016)

– Ivey Idea Forum, Toronto (Jun 7, 2016)

– Sun Life Disability and Mental Health Research Forum, Toronto (October 18, 2016)

– Better Workplace Conference, Vancouver BC (Oct 24-26, 2016)

– HR Reporter Webinar, National (Nov 2016 )

Questions?

Thank you

Group Health and Wellness Services are offered by Sun Life Assurance Company

of Canada, a member of the Sun Life Financial group of companies.

Michael RouseAssociate Professor, Strategy and Organization,

and Principal Researcher of the Study

Ivey Business School at Western University

www.ivey.ca

sunlife.ca/wellnessROIstudy

mrouse@ivey.ca

Erin DickDirector, Client Relationships, Health and Wellness

Sun Life Financial

erin.dick@sunlife.com

healthandwellness@sunlife.com

ca.linkedin.com/in/michaeljrouse