Five reasons to have a wellness program   

1   The United States spends more dollars on health care than any other nation yet we are not the world’s healthiest

o  Largely sedentary   

o  Smoking is still popular   

o  Stress is at epidemic levels (WHO)   

o  Alcohol continues to take its toll on Americans   

2   Much of the disease in the United States is preventable

o  Tobacco and alcohol are leading causes of death   

o  As much as 70% of the cost of health care is driven by preventable illness   

3   Healthcare costs continue to rise

o  Healthcare premiums continue to rise and to be passed on to the employee   

o  Healthcare cost are typically the number one benefit cost to most corporations    

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

o  Most American Citizens work   

o  Poor health habits take a toll on American business   

o  Corporations have a vested interest in health related issues.   

5   Research validates that wellness programs can improve health, save money, and even produce a ROI.

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

o  Wilson, M.G. (1996). A extensive review of the effects of employee health promotion on health related outcomes –  an update.  The American Journal of wellness. Vol 10, Number 6.   

o  Wilson, M.G. (1996). A extensive review of the effects of employee health promotion on health related outcomes –  an update.  The American Journal of wellness. Vol 11, Number 2.   

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

o  Pelletier, K.R. A review of the health and cost-effective outcomes studies of comprehensive wellness and disease avoidance programs at the workplace –  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 fitness   

Sample Physical Wellness Programs / Workshops

o  Annual biometric testing

o  Regular physical activity

o  Good safety habits

Emotional Health Promotion – Focuses on all aspects of mental fitness

Sample Emotional Wellness Programs / Workshops

o  Stress management workshops

o  Dealing with aging

o  Addictive behaviors

o  Parenting

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

Sample Financial Health Promotion Programs / Workshops

o  Financial management

o  Savings and Investing

o  Credit and Purchasing

o  Insurance and Estate Planning

Spiritual Health Promotion – Focuses on promoting a healthful inner self

Sample Spiritual Wellness Programs / Workshops

o  Be sure to encourage daily devotional readings

o  Give regular service opportunities

o  Give a daily/weekly/monthly chapel (meditation) time during work hours

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

Sample Nutritional Wellness Programs / Workshops

o  Individual nutritional Assessment

o  Individual and group counseling

o  Educational classes

o  Weight loss wellness programs

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

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

The well-liked media have done much to promote the theory of employee health promotion. Last year, In Business –  Madison1 magazine printed a story accompanied by a table reporting an impressive range of Return On Investment (ROI) -

Return on Investment (Per dollar ROI for lifestyle programs)

o  Coors $6.15

o  Kennecott $5.78

o  Equitable Life $5.52

o  Citibank $4.56

o  General Mills $3.90

o  Travelers $3.40

o  Motorola $3.15

o  PepsiCo $3.00

o  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 wellness programs? and does the published literature, subject to peer review of scientific methods, support the Return On Investments reported here?

Health and Productivity Management

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

The most meaningful 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 selection 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, flyer or newsletter information to onsite fitness facilities, health risk reduction classes, and personal lifestyle change coaching.

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

Comprehensive health promotion programs may include courses on health risk reduction and job safety, fitness and exercise activities, health and fitness center memberships, and reductions in co-payments or premiums for staff members who adhere to recommended medical screening guidelines.

Along with this, some corporations 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 lowered group health 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 ROI estimates

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

Colleague-reviewed investigations and meta analyses show that ROI is achieved through improved worker health, decreased benefit expense, and enhanced productivity.

o  Goetzel and colleagues, in their meta-analysis of two dozen articles summarizing economic evaluations of health and productivity management programs, found an average return of $3.14 per $1 invested in traditional health promotion programs.  The Return On Investment estimates for the individual health promotion programs ranged from $1.49 to $13.7,

o  Aldana reviewed 72 articles and concluded that wellness programs achieve an average 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.

o  Ozminkowski and collagues conducted a 38 month case study of 23,000 participants in Citibank, N.A.’s health promotion 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 then of more intensive health promotion programming.

o  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, scientists have stated a selection of spin-off benefits –  greater productivity, intellectual capacity, and reductions in disability12 and absenteeism.9,13,14,15

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

Tailoring health promotion program to maximize ROI Health promotion programs aim to reduce the health risks of workers at high risk while maintaining the health status of those at low risk.

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

In 2001, University of Michigan scientists announced on stable trends in health care costs for over 2 million current and former workforce 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 workers moved from low risk to high risk were much greater than the decreases in costs when groups moved from high risk to low risk. Their conclusion –  Programs designed to keep healthful individuals healthful will likely provide the greatest return on investment.

On the contrary, Pelletier’s meta-analysis and other health promotion program examinations18 suggest that individualized risks reduction for high-risk workers within the context of comprehensive health promotion programming is the vital element in achieving positive clinical and cost outcomes in worksite interventions.

Dose-Response?

A few factors may affect the impact of various wellness programs and the ultimate Return On Investment, including cultural and environmental factors, workforce demographics, level of participation and longevity of the wellness program.

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

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

Length of intervention appears to be a more salient variable –  an impact on health care costs ordinarily requires three-to five years of health promotion programming.

Future developments

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

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

Meanwhile, the preponderance of data and the strength of the published research stand for a positive Return On Investment for wellness programs.

Truly, the organization case for such wellness programs is now well enough defined that some insurance brokers offer discounted rates to companies that institute or subscribe to wellness programs.

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

Here, businesss, staff, and scientists will need to collaborate to define mutual objectives 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 Health Promotion 2000; 15(1) –  45-52.

3. Manning J. Health Promotion movement gains ground among corporations, health insurers. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. August 19, 2004.

4. Chapman LS. Expert opinions on “best practices” in employee wellness (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 – Employee Benefits Research Institute (EBRI).

6. Powell C. Specialists urge companies to promote worker health promotion 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 – Wellness Councils of America. Vol 1(8); 2002.

9. Aldana SG. American Journal of Health Promotion 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.

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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 USA  is one which has an employee population centered in health, wellness and safety.

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

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

1. Identify Your Health Promotion Program Champion

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

The wellness 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 corporation’s business goals, strategic focus and organizational values.

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

2. Form Your Wellness Strategy Team

The Health Promotion 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 could include; finance, HR, training and development, health services, compensation and benefits, worker 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 develop and implement the strategic plan, look for opportunities to promote health, ensure the wellness program is integrated into key areas of the organization, streamline efforts, maximize organization resources and wellness program examination.

3. Complete an Organizational Health Audit

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

It is also vital that you 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 evaluation. During the evaluation 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 reviewing  a number of areas including; benefit costs, Worksite Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) claims, drug usage, kind of paramedic claims, absenteeism data and employee assistance program utilization.

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

5. Conduct a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) or Worker Needs and Interest Survey

The next step is to determine your worker’s health risks, interests and readiness to change. A confidential health risk appraisal can accomplish many goals.

It provides a baseline from which to measure personal lifestyle changes, provides staff members with relevant health information, excites staff members to take charge of their health and assists in health promotion program planning.

Most health risk appraisals provide individual reports and a corporate report identifying high-risk areas in the corporation.

A lot of corporations prefer to administer personalized needs and interest survey to evaluate worker needs.  The benefit of this approach is that the company is able to gather information on the employees’ perceived health promotion program needs and interests.

This information could be incorporated into the strategic plan. Administering a recent survey also has the added advantage of fostering a sense of staff member ownership to the wellness program.

6. Develop Your Strategic Plan for Wellness

The strategic plan should incorporate information accumulated from the Organizational Health Audit, your company’s cost pressures, and health risk appraisal data or worker survey results.

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

It is also important that the plan align itself with the vision, objectives and objectives of the business.

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 workforce interact with each other in a business 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 professional 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 organization’s aspirations.

2.  An incentive system to encourage and reward the accomplishment of healthful 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 health promotion programs to foster team support.

6. Initiation of support groups for staff members completing wellness programs (i.e. use of tobacco control support group).

7. Programs dealing with work and family balance.

Other information that was assessed and used to develop the plan included -

1. Business demographics

2. Focus groups

3. Cultural audit

4. Top drug report

5. EAP utilization

6. Employee benefit services report

7. Health and dental claims

8. Operational performance summaries

9. Health risk assessments

7. Pull together a Corporation Case to Support Your Plan

Your business case for wellness provides the necessary details for approval at the upper management level.  The business case includes -

1.  The Strategic Plan for Health

2. A proposed health promotion program budget

3. Marketing strategies

4. Program leadership options

5.  An implementation plan

6. Examination methodology.

In presenting the strategic plan it is vital that you highlight how the plan aligns itself with the strategic direction of the company.

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

Marketing and Advertising strategies should address how the health promotion program are going to be promoted and rolled out to various groups within the company i.e. decentralized locations, high risk workforce, older workforce.

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

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

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

Lifestyle change health promotion programs are more extensive and longer in duration. They are designed to assist workforce in changing behavior. Examples of lifestyle change health promotion 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 building a corporate culture that supports good health practices. Follow-up sessions and support groups for personnel that have completed 6-10 week wellness programs also provide a supportive environment for long-term change.

Evaluating the effectiveness of wellness is ongoing. A formal evaluation must be conducted annually and might include; re-administering steps three to five, wellness program participation statistics and a year end survey to revisit “soft” issues like morale, wellness program satisfaction and future wellness program direction.

8. Solicit Input and Communicate Your Plan

Worker input is critical to the long-term success of your wellness program.  An Worker Advisory Committee must be formed to roll out the plan. Another key responsibility of this team is to solicit feedback from all levels of the business 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 create healthy worksites, health promotion programs need to have have a health promotion program champion, have staff member ownership, be upper management supported, results driven and strategically aligned with the overall organization objectives of the organization.

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

Organizations that have embraced wellness as part of “how they do business” have one thing in common. They demonstrate a commitment to their most valuable resource ?.” their people .

They understand the increased pressures associated with downsized companies, 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 workers are happier, absent less and more productive.

References -

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

General Wellness Progam Ideas

o  Policy – Conduct an Worker Needs and Interest Survey

o  Policy – Develop a management/employee Wellness Committee

o  Policy – Choose heath programs that cover costs for weight control and smoking cessation

o  Policy – Waive co-pay or reimburse for preventive healthcare visits

o  Program – Display handouts on a variety of wellness topics for workforce to take

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

o  Program – Identify workers who are mentors or champions for healthful activities and ask them to present or to list as a contact for other employees

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

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

o  Program – Post a Health Promotion Bulletin Board and update it monthly

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

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

o  Program – Sponsor a benefits fair

o  Program – Sponsor business fitness and healthy eating challenges

o  Program – Sponsor organization wellness fairs or other on-site events

Nutrition Programs

o  Policy – Give free, healthful snacks for staff (fruit, nuts, popcorn)

o  Policy – Give healthy meal choices in cafeterias and at business events

o  Policy – Provide information to staff members about the nutritional content of food served in the cafeteria

o  Policy – Start a fresh fruit “snack basket” in the breakroom or cafeteria

o  Policy – Stock vending machines with healthier options

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

o  Program – Coordinate a weekly or monthly healthy lunch club

o  Program – Have flyers available on a variety of healthful eating topics

o  Program – Include nutrition articles in business newsletters

o  Program – Schedule a healthful food tasting contest Free

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

o  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

o  Policy – Consider flexible work schedules so that workforce can take part in weight-loss programs

o  Policy – Subsidize registration costs for weight-management programs

o  Program – Form a support group to help workers who are trying to lose weight

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

o  Program – Give individual counseling for workers trying to lose weight

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

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

Exercise Programs

o  Policy – Allow flexible work schedules to encourage exercise

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

o  Policy – Develop accessible walking paths, trails, and/or bike routes

o  Policy – Be sure to encourage personnel to walk more by parking farther away from the entrance

o  Policy – Establish a fitness club with aerobic equipment, weights, group exercise classes, fitness professionals

o  Policy – Hold walking meetings

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

o  Policy – Offer decreased fitness club membership fees to all employees

o  Policy – Provide facilities for workers to secure bikes

o  Policy – Schedule 5 ?.” 10 minute stretch breaks during the day

o  Policy – Subsidize fitness center membership for personnel who participate a minimal number of days per week (ex., 3 days per week)

o  Policy – Support lunchtime walking/running clubs or business sports team

o  Program – Make sure to encourage stairwell use and incentives

o  Program – Install a basketball hoop outside

o  Program – Promote and support community walks or fitness events

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

o  Program – Provide periodic fitness incentive programs to encourage exercise

o  Program – Schedule educational sessions on fitness activities

Tobacco use Cessation Programs / Tobacco Cessation Programs

o  Policy – Create a smoke-free grounds

o  Policy – Develop a tobacco-free worksite

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

o  Policy – Reimburse for tobacco replacement products

o  Policy – Subsidize the cost of tobacco use cessation workshops

o  Program – Give flyers and information on health effects from tobacco use and tobacco cessation

o  Program – Schedule awareness sessions to motivate workers to attempt to quit tobacco use

o  Program – Schedule onsite smoking cessation workshops

Staff Member Health Screening

o  Policy – Discount medical insurance premiums or reduce co-payments for workforce who participate in screenings and who participate in managing their risk factors

o  Policy – Install blood pressure (BP) monitoring equipment

o  Program – Offer flu shots for workforce and family members

o  Program – Give Health Risk Appraisals (HRAs) to all staff, including counseling and follow-up

o  Program – Give periodic blood pressure (BP) screenings and follow-up

o  Program – Give periodic screenings for cholesterol, blood sugar, body composition, etc.

Stress Management Programs / Make sure to work Life Balance Programs

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

o  Program – Offer and promote an worker assistance program

o  Program – Provide information on substance abuse prevention

o  Program – Give handouts and information on stress management and psychological health

o  Program – Give flyers and information on work life balance, like financial planning, childcare, parenting, elder care, etc.

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

o  Program – Review business policies and work schedules to identify organizational stressors

o  Program – Review the worker assistance program to ensure it is meeting the needs of the workforce and company

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

o  Program – Schedule seminars on relaxation, stress management, and work life balance topics

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

Working with local hospitals and other companies, you can obtain information on providing screening and intervention programs that could improve your employees’ health and save your company money in absenteeism, treatment for illness complications, and reduced productivity.

Following are some ideas to help get you started.

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

o  Blood Pressure Checks to identify personnel with pre-hypertension or hypertension (high blood pressure),

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

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

o  Body composition, like BMI  or body fat measures

o  Bone density for potential risk of osteoporosis,

o  Cancer screenings like, skin examinations, mammograms, or PSA screenings,

o  Vision checks for glaucoma, or visual acuity

o  Other screenings depending on your employee population and needs

Your local hospital, business physician practice, or health department my provide assistance. However, if you have a young workforce you may want to concentrate on health promotion programs that will keep them healthful rather than screening for early identification of chronic condition.

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

In addition to the health testings, consider offering a HRA to all workforce.  The HRA will help to identify factors that might lead to additional risks, like use of tobacco history, stress levels, perception of health, family history, job satisfaction, support systems, and mental health.

Very often the screening results are included on the Health Risk Appraisal, which provides a more robust snap shot of health risks.  The summary results provide the important information to plan appropriate interventions.

Wellness Program Interventions

The key to the success of screenings and Health Risk Assessments (HRAs) is the interventions or follow-up programs.  The information from the screenings increases awareness and often motivates personnel to consider making healthier changes.

It is 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 change programs, and/or organizational support. Examples include -

o  Strategies to lower blood pressure

o  Managing diabetes

o  Taking care of your heart

o  Healthy eating

o  Weight loss strategies

o  Increasing physical activity

o  Tobacco use Cessation

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

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

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Health Risk Assessments (HRAs), are an assessment tool or questionnaire scientifically designed to identify health risks and outline information to assist person in making healthful changes that impact their health and prevent chronic illness.

Health Risk Assessments (HRAs) have four standard elements in worksite settings -

o  A Questionnaire

o  A Computerized Program to Evaluate Health Risk

o  Confidential Individual Reports

o  Group Summary Report

Individuals complete a lifestyle questionnaire that includes for example nutrition practices, height and weight, exercise habits, family history, stress perceptions, tobacco use history, and work satisfaction.

Another important feature to consider is readiness to change questions to determine participation interest. Including biometric testings such as cholesterol and blood pressure (BP) causescreases the benefits of an Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) by providing a more valid health assessment and therefore bettering lifestyle choice decisions and health promotion program choices.

Nevertheless, it is important to determine when the HRA can be used without including this information.

The questionnaire information is entered into a computer program and a personal 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 starting the Health Risk Appraisal, it’s crucial to consider the type of report the company will receive as well.

A group report summarizing major risk factors and recommendations for wellness programs to begin in order to reduce staff member and company risks provides valuable information for your wellness program.

The Health Risk Assessments (HRAs) can be used to -

o  Bring awareness to individual staff member’s health status

o  Motivate workforce to make healthier lifestyle changes

o  Coach high-risk employees

o  Plan wellness programs based on the identified needs

o  Evaluate wellness program success by comparing HRAs completed at set intervals such as each year.

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

The practice focuses on promotion and restoration of health, prevention of disease and injury, treatment of work and non-work related injuries and illnesses, 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 enhance the health of all your staff members. They are subject matter experts who might  be a asset regardless your wellness program needs and goals.

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

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

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We are planning organization health promotion programs to help you feel better and stay healthy. In order to plan health promotion programs that best meet your needs and interests we’d like your suggestions!

Please take several minutes to answer some questions about your interests. Your answers are going to be combined with those of other’s and reviewed to help plan health promotion programs for you. Don’t 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 wellness 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’re very interested. Indicate your response by circling or “Xing” the number.

I am interested in -

Participating in wellness 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 healthy eating options 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 lifestyles 1 2 3

Healthy snack choices 1 2 3

Learning how to quit smoking 1 2 3

Attending courses to help me quit use of tobacco 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 starting fitness program 1 2 3

Creating time to exercise for busy individuals  1 2 3

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

Learning about cancer prevention 1 2 3

Heart health choices 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 children –  ) 1 2 3

On-Site exercise classes –  walking Yoga aerobic other –  1 2 3

Health testing like blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar 1 2 3

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Program evaluation might  be the last step, but it must be planned at the beginning of your efforts! Investigation helps you identify what parts of the health promotion program are working well and what parts need improvement.

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

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

Likewise remember to evaluate the health promotion program based on the objectives and objectives you already identified during your planning process.

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

o  Program topic and numbers of employees who participated

o  The numbers of pamphlets taken by staff or distributed and on what topics

o  The number of participants in a behavior change program and how many met their objectives in addition to how many attended all of the sessions

o  Numbers of staff members who continued the healthy behavior change following the health promotion program?

o  Overall worker satisfaction with the wellness program or each topic. Here’s a sample investigation form.

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

o  Absentee rates

o  Injury rates

o  Health risk factors Insurance costs

Summarize and Report Wellness Program Results

Once you have gathered all the investigation information it needs to be reviewed with the Wellness Committee and summarized. You will 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 as well as to plan for next year and is vital that you include in your report.

It’s imperative that you communicate the wellness program results to both upper management and workforce.  Consider how upper management ordinarily receives reports on operations and productivity issues and include the annual wellness program report in the same format.

At some businesses the reports are made during upper-level management meetings using presentation styles such as power point slides.  At other businesses, graphs and bar charts are the norm or a list of the objectives and the summary outcomes reported.

No matter the format, it’s crucial to convey the outcomes and successes achieved, including any anecdotal stories, in addition to areas for improvement. Be sure 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 employees of the wellness program -

o  Corporation newsletters,

o  Bulletin boards,

o  E-mails

Also consider celebrating successes and recognizing achievements by -

o  Posting pictures from events

o  Highlighting success stories

o  Posting pictures of successes

o  Scheduling a celebration

o  Recognizing champions

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Armed with data, Wellness Program topic preferences, objectives, and objectives ?.” and a Wellness Committee rearing to get things done ?.” it’s now time to decide how best to take action.  This website provides tools to help you!

You can peruse about the different types of wellness programs offered by other corporations to get an idea of what might work for your company.

When your planning phase was well executed, you should simply have to follow through with the plans you have already made.

Important Health Promotion Program considerations include -

1. Formally Introduce the Wellness Program and consider policy statements that state the importance of the wellness program.  Examples include a general policy regarding the commitment to employee health and safety in addition to specific policies such as No Use of tobacco, Healthful Consuming and Physical Activity.

2. Communicate Your Program –  the best planned wellness program with excellent wellness programs won’t be beneficial if your workforce don’t know about it or don’t understand the choices or how to participate.  Communicate your wellness program using a selection of methods to ensure the message and “how-to’s” are heard!

Health Promotion Program Communication Strategies could include -

o  Newsletter articles

o  Postings on the company’s intranet or internet

o  A designated Champion of the health promotion program

o  Formal or informal meeting to announce wellness program, “the kick-off”

o  flyers / table tents,

o  Bulletin boards / kiosk where all material is promoted or found,

o  Email / phone messages,

o  Mailings or distributions

3. Use Health Promotion Program Incentives –  You’ll be amazed to figure out what individuals  will do for a free T-shirt.  Incentives can both support and motivate participation among workers.

Consider both formal or organization incentives and informal or health promotion program rewards/prizes from local resources to reinforce participation in Wellness Programs. Either way, it is crucial that you provide incentives that are attractive and meaningful to your staff.

Company Structural or Formal Wellness Program Incentives -

o  Discounts on staff member medical insurance premiums or co-pays, or contributions to 401K programs, staff member stock choices, or other mechanisms.  Click here for more information on medical plan incentive ideas

o  Fitness Center/Fitness Center discounts or enrollment fee coverage

o  Public transportation vouchers

o  Flexible work time options

o  ”Health Promotion Days” off work

Rewards/Prizes or Informal Health Promotion Program Incentives -

o  Cash ?.” a very effective incentive!

o  Prize incentives like gift certificates to heart healthy restaurants; music player to use while exercising, emergency kits, or any other prizes that would motivate your personnel.

o  T-Shirts, water bottles, or other affordable rewards

4. Assess community resources available to provide some of the wellness services.  The local health department or your corporation healthcare provider may  be able to assist you with this information.  There are also vendors throughout the State providing excellent wellness services for corporations. They are available to help you strategize and find the best options available.

5. Implement your health promotion program as planned documenting information and outcomes as you go such as numbers of participants, dates of activities, and any other special details you’re tracking.

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