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"Now, companies support healthy lifestyle choices by providing tools and support for employees to make simple changes that can have a big impact." on the web United States Department of Labor ACA and Wellness Fact Sheet www.dol.gov/ebsa/newsroom/ fswellnessprogram.html –Deb Anderson, direc tor of health promotion for Net work Health in Menasha and Health Research and Educational Trust annual survey of employer health benefits found that 77 percent of companies offering health benefits offered at least one of the following wellness programs in 2013: weight loss programs, discounts on gym memberships or access to onsite exercise facilities, biometric screening, smoking cessation programs, personal health coaching, classes in nutrition or healthy living, web-based resources for healthy living, flu shots or vaccinations, employee assistance programs (EAP), or a wellness newsletter. Employers are also giving employees access to external wellness programs. "Many healthcare providers are also providing services like disease management resources," says Karin Cretney, senior HR analyst with First Business Financial Services based in Madison. Employees can speak with nurse practitioners for help managing specific health conditions such as diabetes. Similar initiatives give employees access to additional services such as acupuncture, massage, nutritionists and support groups. "It's a means of providing more targeted wellness services to employees," Cretney says, "because you have a more personal private relationship with the provider." While employers around the country debate the return on Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Healthy Worksite Program www.cdc.gov/nationalhealthyworksite/ index.html investment for wellness programs, studies published in the American Journal of Health Promotion show an average return on investment of $3.48 per $1 for corporate wellness programs when considering health care costs alone; $5.82 when examining absenteeism; and $4.30 when both outcomes are considered. Wellness program benefits are not limited to economics. "The culture that a wellness program creates," Anderson says, "will boost morale, increase employee retention, reduce absenteeism and even correlate to reduced worksite injuries and medical leave." Catching Fire In 2009 and 2010, DealerFire won back-to-back awards for developing an innovative dealer web platform for the automotive industry. From there, company growth was exponential. To keep pace, owner Eric Hoopman worked with the Oshkosh Chamber to secure State tax credits allowing his company to add staff, focus on customers and stay ahead of demand. With the Chamber's help, DealerFire continues to be the leader in automotive web marketing—winning the AWA Pinnacle Award again in 2011 and 2012. Today, the company has 65 full-time employees within Oshkosh's burgeoning IT community. The Opportunity Oshkosh marketing campaign is a collaborative public/private partnership designed to enhance economic development and promote job growth within the greater Oshkosh area. Eric Hoopman Owner/Founder, DealerFire LLC For retail, commercial or industrial opportunities, Oshkosh makes business happen! - OpportunityOshkosh.com w w w. i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m J a n u a r y 2 014 • Insight | 35