Herzing University unifies employee benefits to boost health and well-being

Herzing University is a private, non-profit institution that offers career-focused education—from certificates to doctorates—via 12 campuses across eight states and a robust catalog of hybrid and online offerings. The organization views the expertise an well-being of its staff and faculty as central to advancing its mission of student success. Herzing University is committed to supporting its team members, knowing that when people feel well—physically, mentally, emotionally—they are better able to bring their best selves and do their best work. While the organization offered a wide range of health and wellness benefits, Herzing University wanted to ensure staff and faculty understood the full scope available to them.

Herzing University sought to provide thoughtful, year-round education about benefits while helping team members assess their wellness goal, current health risks, and the implications of chronic conditions. They wanted to offer resources and guidance to improve overall health and promote preventive care, fostering sustainable healthy habits and reinforcing a culture of well-being.

Herzing University partnered with Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA) to launch a comprehensive wellness program aimed at fostering a culture of well-being and cultivating a healthier workforce. This initiative was designed to reduce high-risk populations, minimize chronic conditions, and lower healthcare claims over time. To achieve this, MMA and Herzing University created a robust three-year plan that empowers team members to assess their health risks, promotes preventative care, and offers essential education and resources to support healthy habits. The program began by ensuring broad representation from all locations through a wellness committee made up of dedicated wellness champions who meet monthly to generate new ideas and share valuable peer feedback.

To advance their three-year plan, MMA and Herzing University integrated biometric screenings into their wellness program, paired with an incentive initiative to boost participation. After one year, they transitioned from a participation-based model to an outcome-based program, also encouraging spouses to take part in the screenings. The goal was to equip both team members and their spouses with the knowledge to understand their health risks, and to provide actionable steps to improve their health and well-being. By emphasizing the importance of preventive care and encouraging completion of annual exams and screenings, they achieved an incredible 12% increase in participation, resulting in a 9.34% preventive care utilization rate among wellness participants.

Building on these initiatives, Herzing University developed a custom wellness hub featuring informative articles covering various dimensions of health, including mental, physical, financial, and nutritional. This wellness hub serves as a centralized hub where employees can access information about their wellness program, employee benefits, and stay informed about upcoming activities. The site is continuously updated in real time to ensure accurate information is available, allowing staff to access it from any location. Additionally, Herzing University hosted various wellness seminars, virtual wellness fairs, and offered one-on-one nutrition coaching.

The successful implementation of enhancements to Herzing University’s wellness and benefits offerings reinforced its culture of care and led to several key outcomes. Wellness participants experienced a remarkable 20.5% reduction in paid claims, while non-wellness participants saw a 5.2% decrease. Significant savings were also realized through claims by team members engaging in wellness activities. Specifically, Herzing University achieved a $482,433 reduction in total payments for mental health support, $260,424 in savings for musculoskeletal conditions, and a $9,982 decrease in total paid for cardiovascular conditions—all through their investment in wellness resources.