Company Wellness Programs

physical fitness and nutrition initiatives have demonstrated effectiveness in delaying the onset of staff member morbidity while enhancing self esteem, stress management and general feelings of well being. Although many physical fitness and nutrition initiatives are instructional in nature, they should go beyond educational initiatives by providing enabling supports for the adoption of healthy behaviors.

Quality Corporate Health Promotion Initiatives encourage and facilitate participation in daily physical activity for all workers, and when possible family members and retired workers. This is accomplished through access to fitness facilities, (preferably on site) and properly supervised exercise classes. In addition a broad-based program will provide opportunities for Personalized exercise and nutrition prescriptions from certified experts. Commitment to the model is demonstrated through occupational food services and sales consistent with healthy nutrition. Specific initiatives to include:

• Strength training
• Flexibility conditioning initiatives
• Healthy cooking classes
• Aerobic conditioning initiatives
• Diet planning and analysis assistance
• Physical rehabilitative initiatives
• Weight/body fat control initiatives
• Team and individual recreational sports initiatives
• Physical fitness assessments and initiatives

Advantages of Physical Fitness Initiatives

Exercise reduces weight, lowers risks of heart attack and stroke, helps to control blood pressure and diabetes, and improves mood. Studies increasingly show that exercise may also help reduce the occurrence of certain types of cancer. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently documented another major advantage: exercise improves the health of the nation’s medical care expenditures.3 According to the CDC, physically active individuals incur $865 less per year in medical costs than inactive employees.

Dr. Michael Moore, vice president and chief medical director at Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, maintains that exercise is the most effective tool in health maintenance. “If you could prescribe exercise in a pill, it would be the number-one prescribed treatment in the world,” he said. In step with Dr. Moore’s prescription, nearly one-third of U.S. companies help workers pay for gym memberships, according to an Associated Press report. Subsidizing gym memberships is just one way companies encourage active lifestyles.

Popular Physical Fitness Initiatives:

1. Allow access to on- and off- worksite gyms and recreational activities before, during, and after work hours.
2. Offer and encourage participation in after work recreation or leagues.
3. Offer cash incentives or decreased insurance costs for participation in physical activity and/or weight management or maintenance activities.
4. Offer shower and/or changing facilities onsite.
5. Offer outdoor exercise areas such as fields and trails for staff member use.
6. Offer bicycle racks in safe, convenient, and accessible locations.
7. Offer onsite fitness opportunities, such as group classes or personal training.
8. Offer an onsite exercise facility.
9. Establish initiatives that have strong social support systems and incentives, such as:
 • Buddy or team physical activity goals
 • Initiatives that involve workers and family
 • Initiatives to encourage physical activity, such as pedometer walking challenges
 • Explore discounted or subsidized memberships at local health clubs, recreation centers, or YMCAs
10.  Offer flexible work hours to allow for physical activity during the day.
11. Support physical activity breaks during the workday, such as stretching or walking.
12. Host walk-and-talk meetings.
13. Map out onsite trails or nearby walking routes and destinations.
14. Have workers map out their own biking or walking route to and from work.
15. Post motivational signs at elevators and escalators to encourage stair usage.
16. Offer exercise/physical fitness messages and information to workers.
17. Offer or support recreation leagues and other physical activity events onsite or in the community.
18. Start staff member activity clubs such as walking or bicycling clubs.
19. Offer onsite child care facilities to facilitate physical activity.
20. Sponsor a bike to work day and reward workers who participate.
21. Establish a box and solicit fitness and health tips.