What metrics best indicate the effectiveness of workplace wellness programs?

• A. Absenteeism, medical costs, biometric outcomes, program participation
• B. Employee job satisfaction only
• C. Market share growth
• D. Number of training sessions

Answer: (A)

Assessing how well workplace wellness programs work relies on outcomes across health, costs, and participation. Tracking absenteeism shows how health-related absences change with the program—fewer missed days suggest practical benefits for productivity and well-being. Monitoring medical costs reflects potential savings from reduced healthcare utilization as employees adopt healthier behaviors. Biometric outcomes—things like blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, and BMI—provide objective evidence of physiological changes resulting from the program. And measuring program participation confirms how many employees are engaging, which helps explain and contextualize any observed health or cost changes; without enough participation, even strong health signals may not translate into real impact.

Other options miss key aspects. Employee job satisfaction alone doesn’t capture health effects or cost implications. Market share growth is a business metric unrelated to the direct impact of wellness activities on employee health or costs. The number of training sessions measures effort, not actual outcomes or savings.

So, the best answer combines health indicators, cost data, and engagement metrics to show the program’s true effectiveness.