Employers betting on wellness programs seem to be making the right call.They're seeing $1 to $3 decreases in their overall health carecosts for every dollar spent, finds a report from the International Foundation of Employee BenefitPlans.

“Without question, employers are beginning to understand thedirect connection that wellness initiatives can have on bothemployee health and health care plan cost savings,” says MichaelWilson, Foundation CEO. “While the primary goal is reducing healthcosts, we're also seeing other advantages from wellnessinitiatives, such as higher employee morale, increased productivityand reduced disability.”

The report also finds that wellness program incentives — such asinsurance premium reductions and communications tools like weblinks and social networks — are used more by organizations that areachieving positive returns on their wellness investment.