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Cost-effectiveness of workplace wellbeing programs: evidence and necessity for developing a detailed methodology

https://doi.org/10.15829/1728-8800-2025-4622

EDN: PNQJYE

Abstract

Workplace wellbeing programs are a crucial reserve for increasing life expectancy and ensuring national economic security. Therefore, this area is in focus of state policy, which has been reflected, among other things, within the National Project "Long and Active Life". However, there is a noted lack of methodological approaches to determining the economic efficiency of workplace wellbeing programs. This hampers an increase in coverage of working population with preventive measures, since economic arguments are necessary to enhance employers' motivation to invest in employees’ health. This review presents methods for assessing the economic effectiveness of workplace wellbeing programs used by organizations in foreign countries, whose results may be ambiguous. Given the development of methodical base for strengthening health at workplaces, including those within the National Projects, the authors present herein rationale for developing methodology on economic efficiency of workplace wellbeing programs, as well as outline future methodology framework.

About the Authors

A. V. Kontsevaya
National Medical Research Center for Therapy and Preventive Medicine
Russian Federation

Petroverigsky Lane, 10, bld. 3, Moscow, 101990



A. A. Antsiferova
National Medical Research Center for Therapy and Preventive Medicine
Russian Federation

Petroverigsky Lane, 10, bld. 3, Moscow, 101990



M. I. Kashutina
National Medical Research Center for Therapy and Preventive Medicine; Reaviz Medical University; Mammology Center, Loginov Moscow Clinical Scientific Center
Russian Federation

Petroverigsky Lane, 10, bld. 3, Moscow, 101990; st. Profsoyuznaya.d. 27, bld. 2, Moscow, 117418; st. Akademika Pavlova, d. 22, Moscow, 111123



M. M. Shakirov
OOO Industrial Medicine
Russian Federation

st. Achinskaya, 9, room. 4004, Tomsk, 634003



O. M. Drapkina
National Medical Research Center for Therapy and Preventive Medicine
Russian Federation

Petroverigsky Lane, 10, bld. 3, Moscow, 101990



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Supplementary files

What is already known about the subject?

  • Workplace wellbeing programs play a crucial role in maintaining employee health, increasing their work productivity, and improving overall economic performance of the organization and the state as a whole.
  • Researchers evaluate economic efficiency using a variety of methods and indicators, and research re­sults can be mixed and depend on many factors, such as industry specifics, organization scale, pro­gram duration, and calculation methodology used.

What might this study add?

  • Despite favorable findings from several studies, the absence of a unified approach to evaluating the eco­nomic efficiency of workplace wellbeing programs necessitates the development of a methodological framework tailored specifically for Russian orga­ni­zations, taking into account the relevance of this direction within the national project "Long and Active Life".

Review

For citations:


Kontsevaya A.V., Antsiferova A.A., Kashutina M.I., Shakirov M.M., Drapkina O.M. Cost-effectiveness of workplace wellbeing programs: evidence and necessity for developing a detailed methodology. Cardiovascular Therapy and Prevention. 2025;24(10):4622. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.15829/1728-8800-2025-4622. EDN: PNQJYE

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ISSN 1728-8800 (Print)
ISSN 2619-0125 (Online)