In the face of rising healthcare costs, employers are hoping that investing in wellness programs will represent a bottom-line savings. But most companies aren’t spending enough up front to realize the 3-to-1 returns that some companies are reporting, according to an article in theDayton Business Journal. Only about five percent of companies see cost savings from their programs, says the report.

Establishing a wellness program requires more than throwing a treadmill or two in the basement, the report suggests. The small percentage of companies who are seeing returns are those that hire professionals who can design a program that will save money, staffing the programs with professionals, and getting financial support and backing from high-level administrators in the company.

A wellness program is a massive undertaking, reports Circadian Technologies. Considering, though, that extended-hours employees incur some $1,181 in additional healthcare costs per year — a figure that rises as the cost of healthcare continues to rise — a well-executed wellness program may be a cost-saving, morale-boosting, productivity-enhancing solution for extended-hours operations, says Circadian’s Brian E. O’Neill.