Consider the following: disengaged workers are costing U.S. businesses a whopping $350 billion every year. With this type of extreme loss, it is critical to find ways to generate and sustain employee engagement.

The high cost has not improved since then and a recent report found that "employee absenteeism costs $153 billon a year" which also impacts engagement and productivity. "However, employees and employers have the opportunity to potentially increase productivity if they address the health issues that are currently plaguing the workplace."

According to the report, one unhealthy day per month is equivalent to about 0.31 actual missed workdays. Unhealthy days, and thus work lost with sick leave paid, increases significantly as the number of chronic conditions increases. These chronic conditions include heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, diabetes, depression and other physical pain ailments.

Chronic diseases cause 7 in 10 deaths each year in the United States and account for more than 75% of all health care costs according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The good news is that most of these chronic conditions are preventable and a well designed wellness program with an activity component can help employees make better lifestyle changes that will dramatically impact their overall health.

We have found that an effective and measurable walking program can see participation rates of more than 50% of eligible employee, and companies can maintain high year-over-year retention rates, all resulting in improved employee health and wellbeing.

Participant surveys of these programs report back with 94% of respondents saying they "love this program and would recommend it to someone else." Such engagement and satisfaction are the results of an improved wellness culture, measurable outcomes, and built-in fun that engages and motivates.

SKF USA, Inc. is a manufacturer who is having success with their walking program. This global supplier of bearings, seals, mechatronics, and lubrication systems and services began a walking-wellness program as a 3-month pilot to see what would happen. The results were so positive that they have expanded beyond the initial four locations to 40 across the U.S. and Canada.

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