Company Wellness Programs

Corporate Exercise Plans Improve Employee Wellness

Instituting a health promotion program improves the health of staff members, lowers employee absenteeism and saves the corporation money, too. Learn more about starting an employee health promotion program in the office.

Benefits of Wellness Programs

• A corporation investment of $100-$150 per worker each year to take part in an worker wellness program can save businesses $300 to $450 for each worker every year, as reported by Ron Goetzel, Director, Cornell University Institute for Health and Productivity Studies.

The savings can take a few years to actualize, says Goetzel, and are seen in reduced health expenditures.

• The Health Promotion Councils of America reported a $24 return for every $1 spent on a corporation wellness program for small companies.

• As reported by a 2005 survey by the Art of Wellness, corporations who instituted worker wellness programs realized a 30 percent reduction in medical and absenteeism costs in less than four years.

A successful health promotion program starts with organization leaders. Company owners ought to lead by example, taking part in their corporation’s corporate fitness program and working closely with a wellness coach.

Company leaders should make certain employees are well aware about their wellness efforts, posting weight reduction results or tobacco use cessation results on organization intranet or bulletin boards for everyone to see.

Employee Wellness Programs that Really Work

• Be sure to encourage staff members to kick begin their own health promotion programs by visiting their doctor. A complete physical should include information about blood sugar, cholesterol levels and general health.

• Target specific health-related concerns in a corporate fitness program. Information about how to fight obesity, tobacco use, alcoholism and drug abuse must be at the forefront of an worker wellness program, along with related conditions.

• Hire a wellness coach to instruct staff on how to lead a healthful lifestyle.

• Reward staff for participating in organization wellness programs. Let staff accrue wellness points that they can redeem for prizes.

Make the prizes healthy, too- a free massage, private training session with the organization’s wellness coach or health food gift certificate encourages even healthier lifestyle choices.

• Acknowledge worker wellness leaders in company newsletters, in posted bulletins and on the company intranet.

Company Wellness Programs Yield Big Results

For corporation owners who want to increase employee participation in a corporation wellness program, consider Johnson and Johnson’s approach.

Faced with only 26% of workers participating in their worker wellness program, Johnson and Johnson offered workers a $500 discount on health insurance costs if they completed a health risk profile.

The number of staff participating in the Johnson and Johnson corporate fitness program jumped after they offered the incentive — to more than 93%.

Ron Goetzel encourages those looking to pitch a corporate fitness program to corporation leaders to use basic facts about the benefits of worker wellness programs as part of their argument.

Keep it simple, and share results from other corporation’s worker health promotion program success stories.

Five reasons to have a health promotion program   

1   The U.S. spends more dollars on health care than any other nation yet we aren’t the world’s healthiest

• Largely sedentary   

• Smoking is still popular   

• Stress is at epidemic levels (WHO)   

• Alcohol continues to take its toll on Americans   

2   Much of the illness in the USA is preventable

• Tobacco and alcohol are leading causes of death   

• as much as 70 percent of the cost of health care is driven by avoidable illness   

3   Health Care costs continue to rise

• Health Care premiums continue to rise and to be passed on to the employee   

• Health Care cost are generally the number one benefit cost to most corporations    

4   The worksite is an ideal establishing to address health and well being

• Most American Citizens work   

• Poor health habits take a toll on American business   

• Employers have a vested interest in health related issues.   

5   Research validates that health promotion programs can improve health, save money, and even produce a Return On Investment.

• Aldana,S.G. (1998). Financial impact of company wellness and methodological quality of the evidence. the Art of Wellness. Vol 2, Number 1.   

• Wilson, M.G. (1996). A comprehensive review of the effects of corporate wellness on health related outcomes –  an update. the American Journal of wellness. Vol 10, Number 6.   

• Wilson, M.G. (1996). A comprehensive review of the effects of company wellness on health related outcomes –  an update. the American Journal of wellness. Vol 11, Number 2.   

• Chapman, L.S. Proof Positive –  an analysis of the cost-effectiveness of company wellness. 3rd ed. Seattle –  Summex Company, 1996.   

• Pelletier, K.R. A review of the health and cost-effective outcomes studies of extensive wellness and disease avoidance programs at the worksite –  1993-1995 Update. the American Journal of Health and Promotion. Vol. 10, Number 5.   

Key Components of a Health Promotion Program   

Physical Wellness – Focuses on the development, maintenance, or improvement of one’s physical fitness   

Sample Physical Health Promotion Programs / Seminars

• Annual biometric testing

• Regular physical activity

• Good safety habits

Emotional Health Promotion – Focuses on all aspects of mental fitness

Sample Emotional Wellness Programs / Workshops

• Stress management workshops

• Dealing with aging

• Addictive behaviors

• Parenting

Financial Wellness – Focuses on improving the quality of life of employees by assisting families and individuals in becoming financially stable

Sample Financial Wellness Programs / Seminars

• Financial management

• Savings and Investing

• Credit and Purchasing

• Insurance and Estate Planning

Spiritual Wellness – Focuses on promoting a healthy inner self

Sample Spiritual Health Promotion Programs / Workshops

• Make sure to encourage daily devotional readings

• Provide regular service opportunities

• Provide a daily/weekly/monthly chapel (meditation) time during work hours

Nutritional Wellness – Will meet the needs of the employees through group and individual nutritional services

Sample Nutritional Wellness Programs / Workshops

• Individual nutritional Assessment

• Individual and group counseling

• Educational classes

• Weight loss programs

A lot of corporations, as part of their efforts to contain rising health care costs, are starting worksite programs variously described as wellness, lifestyle programs, health and productivity management, population health management and, simply, health promotion programs.

The purpose of this article is to consider whether such programs improve health. When so, do they in turn reduce utilization of healthcare services and reduce healthcare expenditures?

The popular media have done much to promote the concept of employee health promotion. Last year, In Business –  Madison1 magazine printed a story accompanied by a table reporting an impressive range of ROI –

Return on Investment (Per dollar ROI for lifestyle programs)

• Coors $6.15

• Kennecott $5.78

• Equitable Life $5.52

• Citibank $4.56

• General Mills $3.90

• Travelers $3.40

• Motorola $3.15

• PepsiCo $3.00

• Unum Life $1.81

Source –  2004 T.E. Brennan Corporation, as reported

Would these Return On Investments stand up to rigorous empirical analysis of the data? What factors produce such disparate returns among these programs? and does the published literature, subject to colleague review of scientific methods, support the Return On Investments stated here?

Health and Productivity Management

Illness and injury associated with an unhealthy lifestyle or modifiable risk factors is reported to account for at least 25 percent of employee healthcare expenditures.

The most significant of these risk factors are stress, tobacco use, overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol use, and poor nutritional habits.

Over the past two decades, a variety of groups at the local, state, and national levels have promoted the concept that health risk reduction and care management programs can improve worker health, and that worksite health education, health risk management, and benefit counseling should complement standard health insurance benefits.

The intensity of health promotion programs range from bulletin board,  pamphlet or newsletter information to on-site fitness facilities, health risk reduction classes, and personal lifestyle change coaching.

Health promotion programs today often include a health risk (assessment|appraisal}  to evaluate each staff member’s modifiable risk factors of illness. Program coordinators then target interventions to those that are at increased risk through personal communications and individual follow-up.

Extensive wellness programs may include classes on health risk reduction and job safety, fitness and exercise activities, fitness center memberships, and reductions in co-payments or premiums for staff members who adhere to advised biometric screening guidelines.

Along with this, some companys are restructuring health benefits and encouraging employees’ cost-sensitivity when accessing healthcare.5 These changes are intended to reduce employees’ need for and utilization of healthcare, yielding decreased group medical care costs.

Demonstrated reductions in health care expenditures should then provide companys with a powerful bargaining chip in negotiating lower health insurance premiums during future terms.

Evidence basis –  A range of Return On Investment (ROI) estimates

The empirical research has produced results as varied as the popular media on Return On Investment. However, evidence continues to grow that well-designed and well-resourced wellness and disease avoidance programs provide multi-faceted payback on investment.

Coworker-reviewed investigations and meta analyses show that Return On Investment (ROI) is achieved through improved employee health, reduced benefit expense, and enhanced productivity.

• Goetzel and colleagues, in their meta-analysis of two dozen articles summarizing economic examinations of health and productivity management programs, found an typical return of $3.14 per $1 invested in traditional wellness programs. the ROI estimates for the individual programs ranged from $1.49 to $13.7,

• Aldana reviewed 72 articles and concluded that wellness programs achieve an typical Return On Investment (ROI) of $3.48 when considering health care costs alone, $5.82 per $1 when examining absenteeism, and $4.30 when both outcomes are considered.

• Ozminkowski and collagues conducted a 38 month case study of 23,000 participants in Citibank, N.A.’s health management program and announced that within a 2 year period, Citibank realized a Return On Investment between $4.56 and $4.73.10  

Follow-up studies found improvements in the risk profiles of participants, with the high-risk group improving more than the “usual care” group1 thus of more intensive programming.

• Chapman’s 2004 meta-evaluation of 42 studies, ranking overall validity of the studies, reports cost-benefit ratios from $2.05-$4.64.

In addition to immediately quantifiable cost reductions, researchers have stated a selection of spin-off benefits –  greater productivity, intellectual capacity, and reductions in disability12 and absenteeism.9,13,14,15

Such programs may also have positive effects on staff member perceptions of the organization and staff member morale, even among nonparticipants.  These outcomes go beyond savings in direct healthcare costs to provide non-health related ROI.

Tailoring program to maximize Return On Investment (ROI) Wellness programs aim to reduce the health risks of employees at high risk while maintaining the health status of those at low risk.

A variety of disease management interventions are available to fit the specific risk profiles of various worksites. Insurers and organizations now seek to calibrate their interventions in order to achieve optimal risk reduction and costeffectiveness.

In 2001, University of Michigan researchers stated on stable trends in health care costs for over 2 million current and former staff in an 18 year data set.

The mean cost increase per risk factor gained ($350) was found to be more than double the mean cost decrease per eliminated risk factor ($150).

In other words, increases in costs when groups of staff moved from low risk to high risk were much greater than the reduces in costs when groups moved from high risk to low risk. Their conclusion –  Programs designed to keep healthy individuals  healthy will likely provide the greatest return on investment.

On the other hand, Pelletier’s meta-analysis and other program examinations18 suggest that individualized risks reduction for high-risk workforce within the context of extensive programming is the critical element in achieving positive clinical and cost outcomes in worksite interventions.

Dose-Response?

A few factors might affect the impact of various programs and the ultimate ROI, including cultural and environmental factors, workforce demographics, level of participation and longevity of the program.

Most cost-benefit studies have been conducted in large businesses with more than fifty staff members. But scientists have shown that similar results can be obtained by small businesses with as few as five staff members actively involved in a well-managed program.

Various studies also suggest that even relatively modest levels of participation can achieve substantial program impact. Contrary to reports by the well-liked media that such programs require more than 70% participation, published reports of at least one case showed positive Return On Investment (ROI) with 51% participation.

Length of intervention appears to be a more salient variable –  an impact on medical costs normally requires three-to five years of programming.

Future developments

Despite the abundance of positive program investigations, several caveats remain. Negative results are less likely to be stated or published, hence biasing the Return On Investment (ROI) upward.

Uncertainty persists regarding the specific impact of the various program components. But as these programs take hold, further research and investigation will enable fine-tuning of program investments.

Meanwhile, the preponderance of data and the strength of the published research stand for a positive ROI for health promotion programs.

In fact, the corporation case for such programs is now well enough defined that some insurance agents offer discounted rates to corporations that institute or subscribe to health promotion programs.

Future questions will focus on how to best to combine comprehensive and focused interventions, the intensity of elements, and how to calibrate the dose-response model to achieve a target Return On Investment.

Here, companys, workers, and scientists will need to collaborate to define mutual goals as for both clinical and cost outcomes.

Sources –

1. In Business –  Madison. Madison, WI –  September 2004. p. 39.

2. Anderson DR, Whitmer RW, Goetzel RZ, Ozminkowski RJ, Wasserman J, Serxner S. Health Enhancement Research Organization Committee. American Journal of Wellness 2000; 15(1) –  45-52.

3. Manning J. Wellness movement gains ground among businesses, health insurers. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. August 19, 2004.

4. Chapman LS. Expert opinions on “best practices” in company health promotion (WHP). the Art of Health Promotion Newsletter, July/August 2004 – 1-6.

5. Fronstin, P, and Werntz, R. EBRI Issue Brief No. 267, March 2004. Washington, DC –  Staff Member Benefits Research Institute (EBRI).

6. Powell C. Specialists urge businesses to promote staff member wellness strategies. Akron Beacon Journal. October 25, 2004.

7. Goetzel RZ, Juday TR, Ozminkowski RJ. AWHP’s Worksite Health, Summer, 1999.

8. Goetzel, RZ. Absolute Advantage. Washington DC –  Health Promotion Councils of America. Vol 1(8); 2002.

9. Aldana SG. American Journal of Wellness 2001; 15(5) –  296-320.

10. Ozminkowski RJ, Dunn RL, Goetzel RZ, Cantor RI, Murnane J, Harrison M. American Journal of Health Promotion 1999; 14(1) –  31-43.

11. Ozminkowski RJ, Goetzel RZ, Smith MW, Cantor RI, Shaughnessy A, Harrison M. the impact of the Citibank, N.A. J Occup Environ Med. 2000; 42(5) –  502-511.

12. Serxner S, Gold D, Anderson D, Williams D. J Occup Environ Med. 2001; 43(1) –  25-29.

13. Riedel JE, Lynch W, Baase C, Hymel P, Peterson KW. American Journal of Wellness 2001; 15(3) –  167-191.

14. Edington MD, Karjalainen T, Hirschland D, Edington DW. AAOHN J. 2002 Jan; 50(1) –  26-31.

15. Aldana SG, Pronk NP. J Occup Environ Med. 2001 Jan; 43(1) –  36-46.

16. Pelletier KR. American Journal of Wellness. 2001; 16(2) –  107-16.

17. Edington DW. American Journal of Wellness 2001; 15(5) –  341-349.

18. Leatherman S, Berwick D, Iles D, Lewin LS, Davidoff F, Nolan T, Bisognano M. Health Affairs 2003; 22(2) –  17-30.

19. Erfurt JC, Holtyn K. J Occup Med 1991; 33(1) –  66-73.

20. Serxner S, Anderson DR, Gold D. American Journal of Wellness. 18(4) –  1-6, iii, 2004 Mar-Apr.

21. Serxner SA, Gold DB, Grossmeier JJ, Anderson DR.

As organizations today continue to compete in the global economy, cost containment strategies will be increasingly important. Controlling the rising cost of employee ill health is becoming a priority for corporate leaders.

The emerging corporate culture in the U.S.  is one which has an staff member population centered in health, safety and wellness.

Developing a corporate strategy for wellness and disability management makes good business sense. the following eight-step process ensures a strategic, integrated, needs-driven and results-oriented approach.

The following process works best in organizations with strong leadership and a long-term commitment to worker health.

1. Identify Your Program Champion

This individuals should be a leader in your organization and a strong advocate of health. Usually this is a personal who actively pursues his or her own personal quest for optimal health.

The program champion must’ve the resources and authority to drive the program forward. the program champion’s key role is to ensure the strategic plan for health is aligned with the organization’s organization goals, strategic focus and organizational values.

For example when the organization promotes that “our strength is our individuals ” the health promotion program must demonstrate how programs will nurture and protect that valuable resource.

2. Form Your Wellness Strategy Team

The Wellness Strategy Team should include decision makers and stakeholders from areas of the organization that can influence health and the corporation’s bottom line.

These areas may include; finance, human resources (HR), training and development, health services, compensation and benefits, staff member assistance services (EAP), advertising and marketing, facilities, health and safety, rehabilitation, cafeteria or food services and the union. A team of six to eight representatives is advised.

The role of the Strategy Team is to create and implement the strategic plan, look for opportunities to promote health, ensure the program is integrated into key areas of the organization, streamline efforts, maximize corporation resources and program analysis.

3. Complete an Organizational Health Audit

The purpose of an Organizational Health Audit is to evaluate your existing programs and services, physical environment and policies and procedures that support health.

It’s also important to look at your organizational culture or “how things are done” around the business.

Members of the Strategy Team complete the Audit independently and then meet to discuss their investigation. During the investigation process, health issues and opportunities are discussed in preparation for the development of the strategic plan.

4. Analyze Your Corporation’s Cost Pressures

Cost pressures are identified by analyzing  a number of areas including; benefit costs, Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) claims, drug usage, kind of paramedic claims, absenteeism data and employee assistance program (EAP) utilization.

This process helps to target areas that can be positively impacted by a wellness program and to provide a baseline for evaluating  change.

5. Conduct a Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal} or Employee Needs and Interest Survey

The next step is to determine your staff member’s health risks, interests and readiness to change. A confidential health risk (assessment|appraisal} can accomplish many objectives.

It provides a baseline from which to measure personal lifestyle changes, provides workers with relevant medical information, excites workers to take charge of their health and helps in program planning.

Most health risk (assessment|appraisal}s provide individual reports and a corporate report identifying high-risk areas in the company.

Many organizations prefer to administer personalized needs and interest survey to evaluate employee needs. the benefit of this approach is that the organization can gather information on the employees’ perceived wellness needs and program interests.

This information may be incorporated into the strategic plan. Administering a recent survey also has the added benefit of fostering a sense of employee ownership to the program.

6. Develop Your Strategic Plan for Wellness

The strategic plan should incorporate information collected from the Organizational Health Audit, your corporation’s cost pressures, and health risk (assessment|appraisal} data or staff member survey results.

The strategic plan ought to include your program mission, three or four goals and several programs under each objective. the strategic plan provides a framework to encourage, support and evaluate “best health practices.”

It’s also important that the plan align itself with the vision, goals and goals of the organization.

The sample strategic plan that follows was developed for blue jeans maker Levi Strauss and Co. (Canada) Inc. Levi Strauss and Co.’s mission statement and aspirations (how staff members interact with each other in a corporation environment) guided the development of the plan.

Levi Strauss and Co.’s aspirations include the following statement –  Above all, we want satisfaction from accomplishments and friendships, balanced personal and specialist lives, and to have fun in our endeavors.

The health promotion program plan included a number of components to ensure that it embraced this statement including the following –

1. A vision statement, which tied in with the corporation’s aspirations.

2.  An incentive system to encourage and reward the accomplishment of healthy milestones.

3. A recognition system to applaud success.

4. Friendly competitions between Levi Strauss and Co. locations to ensure a fun environment.

5. Opportunities to participate in small group educational programs to foster team support.

6. Initiation of support groups for workforce completing wellness programs (i.e. smoking control support group).

7. Programs dealing with work and family balance.

Other information that was assessed and used to create the plan included –

1. Company demographics

2. Focus groups

3. Cultural audit

4. Top drug report

5. employee assistance program (EAP) utilization

6. Staff Member benefit services report

7. Health and dental claims

8. Operational performance summaries

9. Health risk (assessment|appraisal}s

7. Prepare a Company Case to Support Your Plan

Your corporation case for wellness provides the necessary details for approval at the  senior level management level. the corporation case includes –

1. the Strategic Plan for Health

2. A proposed program budget

3. Marketing strategies

4. Program leadership options

5.  An implementation plan

6. Investigation methodology.

In presenting the strategic plan it’s important to highlight how the plan aligns itself with the strategic direction of the organization.

The program budget should include educational resources, advertising costs, rewards and incentives, leadership costs and supplies.

Advertising and Marketing strategies should address how the program will be promoted and rolled out to various groups within the organization i.e. decentralized locations, high risk personnel, older personnel.

Program leadership should address how volunteers will be used, internal resources  and whether advisors have been proposed. All play an equally important role in the implementation of your wellness program.

The program implementation plan should incorporate the following kinds of programs that help develop awareness of positive health practices, assist personnel in making lifestyle changes and initiatives, which support long-term change.

Awareness programs develop an awareness of the importance of healthful lifestyle practices and motivate staff members to take the next step. Examples of awareness programs include posting educational posters, newsletter articles and lunch and learn seminars.

Lifestyle change programs are more robust and longer in duration. They are designed to assist workers in changing behavior. Examples of lifestyle change programs are nutrition education programs, stress management programs, back care classes and smoking control programs.

A supportive corporate environment encompasses everything from corporate policies and procedures, the physical environment and creating a corporate culture that supports good health practices. Follow-up sessions and support groups for staff members that have completed 6-10 week wellness programs also provide a supportive environment for long-term change.

Analyzing the effectiveness of wellness is ongoing. A formal examination ought to be conducted yearly and may include; re-administering steps three to five, program participation statistics and a year end survey to revisit “soft” issues like morale, program satisfaction and future program direction.

8. Solicit Input and Communicate Your Plan

Employee input is critical to the long-term success of your program.  An Employee Advisory Committee ought to be formed to roll out the plan. Another key responsibility of this team is to solicit feedback from all levels of the organization to ensure buy-in.

Front line Manager’s Information Sessions and focus groups are also important. This group needs to buy-in to the notion that they play a key role in supporting positive health practices.

Regular meetings are recommended with front line managers to receive ongoing input, address issues and orient new managers.

Conclusions

The World Health Corporation’s definition of health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellness and not merely the absence of illness and infirmity.”

In order for us to develop healthful workplaces, health promotion programs must have a program champion, have worker ownership, be management supported, results driven and strategically aligned with the overall company objectives of the organization.

Wellness program that embrace these qualities will have a positive impact on an company’s bottom line. Canadian research points to many case studies where on-site programs have resulted in reduced absenteeism, lower claims and increased productivity.

Organizations who’ve embraced wellness as part of “how they do business” have one thing in common. They demonstrate a commitment to their most valuable resource – their individuals .

They understand the increased pressures associated with downsized organizations, a rapidly changing workplace, an aging work force and the challenge of balancing work and family obligations.  And they share a common belief that healthful workforce are happier, absent less and more productive.

References –

Design of Health Promotion Programs by Michael P. O’Donnell. 1995. Published by the American Journal of Wellness.

Pro Fit-ability by Veronica Marsden. Group Health Care Management. May 1997.

Meeting Expectations by Laura Mensch. Employee Health and Productivity. August 1999

7 Steps to Health Promotion by Daphne Woolf and Veronica Marsden. Group Healthcare Management. February 1996.

Published in the Journal of Health Promotion for Northern Ireland, Issue 9, March 2000

Want some health promotion program ideas and wellness policy ideas to get you started? Or maybe you want to jump start or improve upon your current health promotion program?

The list below provides “best practices’ that can help meet any health promotion program budget! the Health Promotion Program ideas are divided into topic areas.

General Wellness Progam Ideas

• Policy – Conduct an Worker Needs and Interest Survey

• Policy – Develop a management/employee Wellness Committee

• Policy – Choose health plans that cover costs for weight management and tobacco use cessation

• Policy – Waive co-pay or reimburse for preventive health care visits

• Program – Display  brochures on a selection of wellness topics for workers to take

• Program – Establish a wellness resource center or library with videos, books, magazines, DVD’s on a variety of topics of interest to employees

• Program – Identify workforce who are mentors or champions for healthy activities and ask them to present or to list as a contact for other employees

• Program – Plan and promote periodic or regular educational sessions.

• Program – Plan monthly educational sessions on the national health observance topic

• Program – Post a Wellness Bulletin Board and update it monthly

• Program – Promote messages from national health observances during the month

• Program – Publish and/or post healthy tips in newsletters, paycheck stuffers, bulletin boards, etc.

• Program – Sponsor a benefits fair

• Program – Sponsor corporation fitness and healthful consuming challenges

• Program – Sponsor business wellness fairs or other on-site events

Nutrition Programs

• Policy – Offer free, healthful snacks for personnel (fruit, nuts, popcorn)

• Policy – Give healthful meal choices in cafeterias and at business events

• Policy – Provide information to employees about the nutritional content of food served in the cafeteria

• Policy – Begin a fresh fruit “snack basket” in the breakroom or cafeteria

• Policy – Stock vending machines with healthier choices

• Policy – Subsidize healthful foods in the cafeteria or vending machines (10¡ apples could  be more appealing than $1.00 candy bars)

• Program – Coordinate a weekly or monthly healthy lunch club

• Program – Have  pamphlets available on a selection of healthful consuming topics

• Program – Include nutrition articles in corporation newsletters

• Program – Schedule a healthful food tasting contest Free

• Program – Schedule educational sessions at lunch-time on a selection of nutrition topics of interest

• Program – Sponsor an staff member healthful food cookbook. Either sell the cookbook and use profits for programs, or purchase a cookbook for all employees

Weight Loss Programs / Weight Management Programs

• Policy – Consider flexible work schedules so that employees can participate in weight-loss programs

• Policy – Subsidize registration costs for weight-management programs

• Program – Form a support group to help personnel who are trying to lose weight

• Program – Locate registered dieticians near your worksite as a resource for workforce who want information on healthy consuming, meal planning or weight control

• Program – Offer individual counseling for staff members attempting to lose weight

• Program – Offer onsite fitness and weight-management programs through your local hospital, Weight Watchers, TOPS or local, registered dietician

• Program – Schedule an educational session on diet myths and healthful eating

Exercise Programs

• Policy – Allow flexible work schedules to encourage exercise

• Policy – Create a fitness space with aerobic equipment, and weights

• Policy – Create accessible walking paths, trails, and/or bicycle routes

• Policy – Make sure to encourage workers to walk more by parking farther away from the entrance

• Policy – Establish a fitness club with aerobic equipment, weights, group fitness classes, fitness specialists

• Policy – Hold walking meetings

• Policy – Make the stairwells more appealing (carpet, fresh paint, artwork, posters)

• Policy – Offer reduced fitness center membership fees to all workers

• Policy – Give facilities for staff members to secure bicycles

• Policy – Schedule 5 – 10 minute stretch breaks during the day

• Policy – Subsidize gym membership for staff members who participate a minimal number of days per week (ex., 3 days per week)

• Policy – Support lunchtime walking/running clubs or company sports team

• Program – Be certain to encourage stairwell use and incentives

• Program – Install a basketball hoop outside

• Program – Promote and support community walks or fitness events

• Program – Promote walking during breaks and other off-time periods

• Program – Give periodic fitness incentive programs to encourage exercise

• Program – Schedule educational sessions on fitness activities

Tobacco use Cessation Programs / Tobacco Cessation Programs

• Policy – Develop a smoke-free grounds

• Policy – Create a tobacco-free workplace

• Policy – Make certain to encourage the use of 1-800-QUIT-NOW, North Carolina’s free Tobacco Use Quitline. Or check www.QuitlineNC.com

• Policy – Reimburse for tobacco replacement products

• Policy – Subsidize the cost of smoking cessation workshops

• Program – Give  flyers and information on health effects from smoking and tobacco cessation

• Program – Schedule awareness sessions to motivate staff members to try to quit tobacco use

• Program – Schedule on-site use of tobacco cessation workshops

Worker Medical Screening

• Policy – Discount medical insurance premiums or reduce co-payments for staff members who take part in screenings and who take part in managing their risk factors

• Policy – Install blood pressure (BP) monitoring equipment

• Program – Offer flu shots for employees and family members

• Program – Offer Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}s to all staff members, including counseling and follow-up

• Program – Offer periodic blood pressure (BP) screenings and follow-up

• Program – Offer periodic screenings for cholesterol, blood sugar, body composition, etc.

Stress Management Programs / Be certain to work Life Balance Programs

• Program – Allow flexible schedules for family/work life balance

• Program – Offer and promote an staff member assistance program

• Program – Provide information on substance abuse prevention

• Program – Provide  brochures and information on stress management and psychological health

• Program – Provide  brochures and information on work life balance, such as financial planning, childcare, parenting, elder care, etc.

• Program – Provide supervisor and manager training on communication, relationship building, organizational stressors, etc.

• Program – Review corporation policies and work schedules to identify organizational stressors

• Program – Review the staff member assistance program to ensure it is meeting the needs of the employees and company

• Program – Schedule educational sessions on stress management and work life balance

• Program – Schedule workshops on relaxation, stress management, and work life balance topics

Biometric testings are important programs to identify chronic illness in their early stages. Once identified, wellness intervention programs can help prevent a disease from progressing.

Working with local hospitals and other organizations, you are able to obtain information on providing screening and intervention programs that could improve your employees’ health and save your organization money in absenteeism, treatment for disease complications, and decreased productivity.

Below are some ideas to help get you began.

Based on your Staff Member Needs and Interest Survey and the demographics of your workplace, consider offering periodic screenings to find specific health risks such as –

• Blood Pressure (BP) Checks to identify workers with pre-hypertension or hypertension (high blood pressure),

• Cholesterol Screenings for total, HDL (good cholesterol), LDL (bad cholesterol) and/or Triglycerides

• Blood Sugar Screenings fasting or non-fasting to screen for possible diabetes,

• Body composition, like BMI  or body fat measures

• Bone density for potential risk of osteoporosis,

• Cancer screenings such as, skin analysiss, mammograms, or PSA screenings,

• Vision checks for glaucoma, or visual acuity

• Other screenings depending on your employee population and needs

Your local hospital, company physician practice, or health department my provide assistance. Nevertheless, when you have a young workforce you might want to concentrate on programs that’ll keep them healthy rather than screening for early identification of chronic condition.

The focus of your health promotion program could  be healthful lifestyle practices to reduce risk and prevent illness.

In addition to the health testings, consider offering a Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal} to all staff. the Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal} will help to identify factors that might lead to additional risks, such as use of tobacco history, stress levels, perception of health, family history, job satisfaction, support systems, and psychological health.

Often the screening results are included on the Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}, which provides a more comprehensive snap shot of health risks. the summary results provide the important information to plan appropriate interventions.

Health Promotion Program Interventions

The key to the success of screenings and Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}s / Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}s is the interventions or follow-up programs. the information from the screenings increases awareness and often arouses employees to consider making healthier changes.

It’s the follow up interventions that provide the essential support and assistance needed for staff to actually make and maintain those changes.

The interventions can include individual follow-up and ongoing counseling, individual or group health coaching on the risk factors, behavior modification programs, and/or organizational support. Examples include –

• Strategies to lower blood pressure

• Managing diabetes

• Taking care of your heart

• Healthy eating

• Weight loss strategies

• Increasing exercise

• Use of tobacco Cessation

Of course, this is for individual information only. Any follow-up interventions planned by the company would be based on interest expressed by the staff member.

Based on the results and your Health Promotion Committee goals you can plan the best strategies for your corporation and workers. Consider the community resources available to provide services, like health associations, hospitals, healthcare providers, and/or public health agencies.

The Quick Wellness Program Ideas provides Quick program idea tips for your consideration. Also refer to Avoidance Strategies to determine the best approach for your company based on the wellness budget for reach the desired outcomes and goals established.

Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}s, are an assessment tool or questionnaire scientifically designed to identify health risks and outline information to assist individuals in making healthful changes that impact their health and prevent chronic illness.

Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}s have four standard elements in worksite settings –

• A Questionnaire

• A Computerized Program to Evaluate Health Risk

• Confidential Individual Reports

• Group Summary Report

Person complete a lifestyle questionnaire that includes for instance nutrition practices, height and weight, exercise habits, family history, stress perceptions, smoking history, and work satisfaction.

Another important feature to consider is readiness to change questions to determine participation interest. Including medical screenings like cholesterol and blood pressure (BP) results increases the advantages of an Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal} by providing a more valid health assessment and thus bettering lifestyle choice decisions and program choices.

However, it is important to determine if the Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal} may be used without including this information.

The questionnaire information is entered into a computer program and an individual confidential report is generated that summarizes health risks in addition to information on how to lower risk factors.

Individual reports are completely confidential. Depending on the reason for beginning the Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}, it’s important to consider the kind of report the organization will receive as well.

A group report summarizing major risk factors and recommendations for programs to start to reduce staff member and corporation risks provides valuable information for your health promotion program.

The Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}s / Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}s could be used to –

• Bring awareness to individual staff member’s health status

• Motivate employees to make healthier lifestyle changes

• Coach high-risk employees

• Plan health promotion programs based on the identified needs

• Evaluate program success by comparing Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}s / Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}s completed at set intervals such as yearly.

There are many benefits to considering a part-time or full-time occupational and environpsychological health nurse (OHN). Occupational health nursing is the specialty practice that provides for and delivers health and safety programs and services to staff, and employee populations.

The practice focuses on promotion and restoration of health, avoidance of disease and injury, treatment of work and non-work related injuries and diseases, and protection from work related  and environmental hazards.

OHN roles can include –  Case management, Counseling, Wellness, Legal and regulatory compliance, Clinical services, and Hazard detection and controls.

The American Association of Occupational and Environmental Health Nurses is the national association, www.AAOHN.org. the State Chapter also has a website with information including local chapter information to help you find a contact near you, www.NCAOHN.org.

Health educators can design, conduct and evaluate activities that help improve the health of all your employees. They are subject matter professionals who could  be a valuable asset regardless your program needs and objectives.

They can help form a Wellness Committee and implement many of its programs and services, for example or depending on the structure and time commitments of your Wellness Committee, they can also coordinate the entire program as well.

Integrating the activities of the Committee and/or Health Promotion Specialist services within your operations, including within your safety and occupational medical program will provide additional benefits!

We are planning business wellness programs to help you feel better and stay healthful. In order to plan programs that best meet your needs and interests we’d like your suggestions!

Please take a few minutes to answer some questions about your interests. Your answers will be combined with those of other’s and reviewed to help plan programs for you. Do not sign your name.

Please complete the survey today and return it to__________. Thank you for your valuable input! Your help is important for planning successful programs. Return the completed form by _____________.

Rate your interest on a scale of 1 – 3 with one (1) being of little or no interest; two (2) being of some interest and three (3) indicating that you are very interested. Indicate your response by circling or “Xing” the number.

I am interested in –

Participating in health promotion programs before work 1 2 3

Participating in wellness programs after work 1 2 3

Participating in wellness programs during my lunch break 1 2 3

Learning healthful consuming choices to lose weight 1 2 3

Sports nutrition 1 2 3

Healthier cooking 1 2 3

Assisting my children eat healthier 1 2 3

Quick, healthful meals for busy life choices 1 2 3

Healthful snack choices 1 2 3

Learning how to quit smoking 1 2 3

Attending courses to help me quit tobacco use cigarettes 1 2 3

Stress Mangement skills 1 2 3

Balancing work, family, and personal life 1 2 3

Time management skills 1 2 3

Participating in a beginning fitness program 1 2 3

Planning time to exercise for busy people  1 2 3

Getting health information that I can peruse or watch at home 1 2 3

Learning about cancer avoidance 1 2 3

Heart health options 1 2 3

CPR and First Aid 1 2 3

Team sports activities at work 1 2 3

Learning how to stretch 1 2 3

Learning how to increase intake of fruits and vegetables 1 2 3

Parenting Topics (age of kids –  ) 1 2 3

Onsite exercise classes –  walking Yoga aerobic other –  1 2 3

Medical testing such as blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar 1 2 3

Program investigation could  be the last step, but it must be planned at the beginning of your efforts!  Investigation assists you identify what parts of the program are working well and what parts need improvement.  

Then, based on the investigation data, adjustments may be made to fine-tune your health promotion program.   Adjusting the program based on investigation data is crucial to its continued success.  

Analyzing your program does not have to be complicated.  HOWEVER, it is important to plan how you’ll monitor your wellness efforts and determine success during the planning phase.  

In addition remember to evaluate the program based on the goals and goals you already identified during your planning process.  

In order to evaluate your program you need to have a system to document specifics as you go along.  This can be as simple as maintaining file folders on programs that are offered, or a computer document with a table or spreadsheet summarizing information accumulating.  Consider –

• Program topic and numbers of personnel who participated

• The numbers of  flyers taken by workers or distributed and on what topics

• The number of participants in a behavior change program and how many met their goals as well as how many attended all the sessions

• Numbers of employees who continued the healthy behavior modification following the program?

• Overall employee satisfaction with the program or each topic.  Here is a sample analysis form.  

Depending on your goals and goals, gather desired data and compare it to previous data accumulated during the initial assessment to determine if the goals were met.  Such data might include

• Absentee rates

• Injury rates

• Health risk factors Insurance costs  

Summarize and Report Health Promotion Program Results

Once you’ve collected all the analysis information it needs to be reviewed with the Wellness Committee and summarized.  You’ll probably have positive results and some areas where a change is needed or additional focus required for continuous improvement.  

This not-so positive information may be used to make any needed changes in addition to to plan for next year and is important to include in your report.  

It’s important to communicate the wellness program results to both management and employees.  Consider how management typically receives reports on operations and productivity issues and include the annual wellness program report in the same format.  

At some organizations the reports are made during management meetings using presentation styles like power point slides.  At other organizations, graphs and bar charts are the norm or a list of the goals and the summary outcomes reported.  

No matter the format, it’s important to convey the outcomes and successes achieved, including any anecdotal stories, in addition to areas for improvement.  Be certain to link the outcomes to the business mission and bottom line whenever possible.

Workers want to receive the same information!  Consider using the same communication channels used when informing workforce of the wellness program –

• Corporation newsletters,

• Bulletin boards,

• E-mails  

Additionally consider celebrating successes and recognizing achievements by –

• Posting pictures from events

• Highlighting success stories

• Posting pictures of successes

• Scheduling a celebration

• Recognizing champions