Erratic employee participation and gauging the health of workers who may end up changing jobs are among the challenges in measuring return on investment (ROI). A recent RAND Corporation study found that more than 50% of employers with 50 or more workers offered a wellness program in 2012 and that wellness programs make up a $6 billion industry.

But the RAND study also found that earlier assumptions about ROI for wellness programs being $3 for every $1 spent could be misleading. That study found that the biggest payoff of wellness programs is keeping employees already beset with health issues away from costly hospital visits. “ROI is definitely a challenge to hone in on,” said Nan Davis, vice president of human resources at AWC in Baton Rouge.

Read the full article from Greater Baton Rouge Business Report.