Company Wellness Programs

In addition to looking at the health behaviors of employees, take a good look at your organization. The following questions can help you identify opportunities for your organization to support and encourage healthy behaviors among employees.

A strong foundation for employee health improvement

1. To what extent does the senior management in your organization actively and visibly support the Corporate Health Promotion Program?

__ No support for the Company Health and Wellness Program
__ Support, but not at senior level
__ Support at senior level, but not visible to employees
__ Strong and visible Company Health and Wellness Program support
Comments:

2. Is the Company Health and Wellness Program tied to your organization’s mission statement?

__ No
__ Yes, the Company Health and Wellness Program is tied to business plan OR mission statement
__ Yes, the Company Health and Wellness Program is tied to both business plan and mission statement
Comments:

3. Is there an employee within your organization whose job responsibilities include Company Health and Wellness Program coordination?

__ No
__ Yes, but has little time available to dedicate to Company Health and Wellness Program
__ Yes, and has at least component of the job dedicated to Company Health and Wellness Program
__ Yes, and has at least one full-time position dedicated to Company Health and Wellness Program
__ Yes, and has at least component of the job dedicated to wellness AND has a background that includes Company Health and Wellness Program qualifications
__ Yes, our organization has at least one full-time position dedicated to health improvement AND the employee’s background includes Company Health and Wellness Program qualifications
Comments:

4. Does your organization have an active wellness committee with diverse representation?

__ No (does not have a Health Promotion Committee, or has a committee that doesn’t meet)
__ Yes, we have a Health Promotion Committee, but with limited representation
__ Yes, we have a Health Promotion Committee with widespread representation
__ Yes, we have a Health Promotion Committee with widespread representation AND committee involvement is a component of each representative’s job responsibilities
Comments:

5. Does your organization have an annual budget for Company Health and Wellness Program expenses? (Corporate Health and Wellness Program expenses may be associated with providing a health assessment, paying for behavior change programs/coaching programs, covering rewards that encourage healthy behaviors, subsidizing healthy food options, communications and programs around specific health topics, fitness centers/walking paths, etc).

__ No
__ Yes, but funds are earmarked for Corporate Health Promotion Initiatives (e.g. only for Weight Watchers or fitness discounts) and do not meet all existing Company Health and Wellness Program needs
__ Yes, funds are available to meet current Company Health and Wellness Program needs
Comments:

6. Does your organization have a plan for engaging employees in the Corporate Health Promotion Program?

__ No
__ Yes, we have a communications plan for our Company Health and Wellness Program
__ Yes, we have a communication plan AND we offer meaningful incentives or rewards (such as premium discounts or debit cards) for the Company Health and Wellness Program to engage in healthy behaviors.
Comments:

A data-based approach to the Company Health and Wellness Program

7. Does your organization have clearly stated Company Health and Wellness Program objectives and priorities for employee health improvement?

__ No
__ Yes
__ Yes, data (e.g. HRA, claims, productivity) are the basis for defining Company Health and Wellness Program objectives or priorities
__ Yes, data AND evidence-based best practices are a basis for defining Company Health and Wellness Program objectives or priorities
__ Yes, data and best practices are basis for defining Company Health and Wellness Program objectives or priorities as well as measuring Company Health and Wellness Program progress (assessment)
Comments:

8. Has your organization completed a Health Risk Assessment?

__ No
__ Yes, but more than 2 years ago
__ Yes, within the last two years, and achieved a participation rate of less than 50%
__ Yes, within the last two years, and achieved a 50% – 79% participation rate
__ Yes, within the last two years, and achieved an 80% or greater participation rate
Comments:

A worksite environment that supports healthy behaviors

9. Does your organization’s tobacco reduction strategy reflect best practices?

(Check all that apply)
__ A no-smoking policy that includes both buildings AND grounds
__ 100% coverage for the cost of over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapy
__ Employee access to – and strong promotion of — a tailored stop-smoking program
Comments:

10. Does your organization provide opportunities (time and places) for physical activity during the work day?

__ No
__ Yes, indoor places for physical activity (on-site fitness center) OR outdoor places for physical activity (walking paths)
__ Yes, both indoor AND outdoor places for physical activity
__ Yes, indoor and outdoor opportunities AND staff members can use work time for physical activity
Comments:

11. Does your organization promote healthy eating by providing access to fruits and vegetables?

__ No
__ Yes, fruits and vegetables are available at the worksite (in vending machines, break areas, or cafeterias)
__ Yes, fruits and vegetables are available and discounted at the worksite
Comments:

Benefits that support employee health improvement

12. Does your organization provide employees with self-care resources?

(Check all that apply)
__ Distribution of self-care books
__ online access to health information
__ Nurse advice line
Comments:

13. Which of the following preventive services are covered at 100% by your organization’s health benefits?

(Check all that apply)
__ Vision screening
__ Hearing
__ Immunizations (per CDC/ACIP recommendations)
__ Radiology
__ Laboratory services
__ STD screening
__ Preventive health examination for adults
__ Cancer screen (includes: colon, cervical, breast, prostate and ovarian cancers)
__ Contraceptive management
Comments:

14. Which of the following are included in your organization’s pharmacy benefit?

(Check all that apply)
__ Mail order or other 90-day supply option for medications
__ Specialty pharmacy network
__ Incentive-based tiered formulary design
Comments:

15. Do your organization’s health benefits provide coverage for behavioral health (such as depression, mental illness, counseling, stress management, and chemical dependency)?

__ Yes, at the same level as health benefits
__ Yes, but at a lower level (less coverage) than health benefits
__ No coverage for mental or behavioral health
Comments:

Good for waistlines & your bottom line

By Sandra Simpson, APRN, BC, COHN-S, manager in Occupational Health Services at a Fortune 500 business in Memphis, Tenn., and a member of the board of directors of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN). For a copy of the AAOHN wellness survey, visit www.aaohn.org, or call (800) 241-8014, x0.

In today’s hectic world, the majority of of us are spending more time at work, and have increasingly less time to look after our health. For a long time, companies have understood the benefits associated with keeping workers well – raised productivity from decreased rates of absence and lowered disability claims. For these reasons, coupled with the fact that many companies realized double-digit health care costs last year, companies should consider Corporate Health Promotion Initiatives as a way to keep workers healthy.

But just how important are these initiatives to workers? How often are they willing to take part in initiatives designed to positively impact their health and wellness? Who do workers trust to provide them with important information about their health?

Answers to these questions and more were recently garnered from a research study commissioned by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Inc. (AAOHN).

The AAOHN survey questioned 500 workers nationwide about their perceptions of Corporate Health Promotion Programs. More than three-quarters of all participants indicated these initiatives are a good way to improve their overall health, and nearly 60% consider these offerings an incentive to remain with their current employer. staff member retention and turnover impact the bottom line, so building Corporate Health Promotion Initiatives into the work site culture is a valuable way to help retain talented workers in addition to enhancing personal health and worksite productivity.

The Health wish list

Employees appear to have their own agenda when it comes to their health. With new economic pressures, national security threats and work/balance issues, it’s not surprising that 85% of survey respondents cited Stress Management Programs as a priority topic for work site wellness.

In addition to stress, other preferred topic areas include screening initiatives (84%), exercise/physical fitness initiatives (84%), health insurance education (81%) and disease management seminars (80%).

In addition to lifestyle and personal health issues, those asked expressed concern about work-related health issues, including strains and injuries resulting from lifting or task-oriented muscle repetition, exposure to harmful substances, personal injury, vision changes due to computer work and worksite violence.

What you should do

With such a broad range of health concerns, a key goal for companies is finding a way to proactively address the health needs of the largest number of workers, and effectively change unhealthy behaviors, promote wellness and ward off disease and illness.

Printed materials such as brochures, posters, fliers or pamphlets present an easy solution. But it’s important to remember that different employees require different formats for learning. A good rule of thumb: provide information in a variety of learning formats such as videos, pamphlets, health-related quizzes, display boards, Lunch & Learn presentations and reimbursement or incentive programs.

This assumes you’ve overcome the first hurdle – getting employees to sign on to a Corporate Health Promotion Program. While survey respondents indicated health and Corporate Health Promotion Initiatives are important, just six out of 10 (60%) reported that they participated in the Corporate Health Promotion Initiatives at their companies. The other 40% cited lack of interest and lack of time as deterrents.

This points to the need for a broad-based, structured Company Health and Wellness Program using a creative approach, with an incentive for participation and effective program marketing.

By investing in an organized Company Health and Wellness Program headed by a qualified health care professional such as an worksite nurse, companies can give workers the access to the health information they want, and increase participation and generate interest at the same time.

The result: workers become savvier health care consumers who feel more in charge of their personal health. And healthier workers make for a healthier bottom line.