Carrot Vs Stick: The Penn State Wellness Controversy

Employers are rapidly moving away from incentives and toward penalties as they grapple with creating and supporting healthier behaviors. Employees incur these when an action isn't taken, and at an increasing number of companies, the penalties are assessed when employees don't meet certain health standards (BMI, cholesterol, etc.). According to the 2013 National Business Group on Health/Towers Watson survey on employer practices, 16% of employers already tie incentives to health standards and another 31% expect to do so.

On today's show we'll talk about this shift with one of the foremost researchers in the area of workplace wellness, Dr. Dee Edington. We'll also be joined by a professor who penned a call to arms against Penn State's $100 a month surcharge, Matthew Woessner.