EFFECTIVENESS AND BENEFITS OF WORKSITE HEALTH PROMOTION

Although an increasing number of German organizations have introduced worksite health promotion programmes, the majority of public and private businesses are still skeptical whether such a commitment will pay off. Furthermore, the economic rationale of worksite health promotion should be clarified for many reasons and the different groups involved. Despite this manifold need, attempts to prove that workplace actions for health yield benefits are still rare. However, research from the USA and at least some publications from Germany and Europe do not only provide impressionistic evidence but also a framework for sound evaluation. Nevertheless, the most important tools for programme evaluation and cost-benefit- and cost-effectiveness-analysis require a qualified apolication and time. Examples from practice as well as strategies to facilitate through evaluation of worksite health promotion are outlined.