ZocDoc launches new service to help get employees into wellness programs

Human resources people have long loved the idea of employee wellness programs and have lamented the fact that nobody uses them.

ZocDoc hopes to provide the magic that gets employees to sign up.

This morning the company launched ZocDoc for Business, a premium version of ZocDoc’s service designed for employers. ZocDoc has lots of experience engaging patients on the consumer side — for the past six years it’s been offering a free service that helps patients find doctors that accept their insurance.

The new product marks ZocDoc’s entry into the $600 billion health and wellness benefits space. With the new emphasis on consumer-driven healthcare, businesses are more interested in the wellness of their employees than ever.

ZocDoc cites a Harvard study that found that medical and absenteeism costs drop about $6 for every $1 spent on wellness programs. Other studies say absenteeism costs employers $227 billion in lost productivity every year.

Gilt, IAC, Jefferies, NASDAQ OMX, and some other New York-based businesses have already signed on as early clients, ZocDoc says.