Evaluating the return on your investment for a wellness program can be a complex, long-term process. At the outset, there are a few criteria that you can use to make sure that your program is off to a good start: participation and results.

 Without financial incentives, your program should engage an additional 5 to 10 percent of your eligible population, specifically those who would typically not participate. Results should be significant enough to be both safe over the program term and enough to make the participants notice. For example, an 8-10 week wellness weight loss program should result in at least a 5-8 pound reduction in body weight.  Most importantly, as the participation and results increase, so should the employee morale. Better health will follow.