Posts from — January 2009

Small and large businesses carry a significant proportion of the provision of health care for families in this country by providing health care insurance for their staff members. With the escalating increase in health care cost many businesses are attempting to slow the increase of health care insurance premiums by providing creative cost control programs. Greater emphasis is being put on primary prevention to keep staff members healthy and secondary prevention to identify and treat health conditions before they can become serious.

At some workplaces, staff members are being encouraged to take greater responsibility for their health related behaviors through risk rated incentive packages. Linking wellness to worker benefits of gain sharing and co-payment cost reductions will provide new opportunities requiring efforts of collaboration between the human resource managers and the Worksite Wellness Plan specialists. These two sets of experts may also work together for the ongoing evaluation of cost effective Workplace Wellness Programs.

In conjunction with the above programs the majority of large businesses also have a nurse or physician on staff to dispense on-site medical and preventive care. Some programs have also found it cost effective to provide their own physical therapy programming to assist injured and infirm workers in regaining optimal functioning. A comprehensive selection of health related worker services and benefits would include the following:

• Free or low cost health screenings provided on site by company clinical personnel or through outside contractors:
Serum cholesterol
Colorectal cancer screening
Blood pressure check
Mammography
Vision and hearing screening
Diabetes
• Referral and follow-up procedures (e.g., Hypertension, Cholesterol, Cancer)
• First Aid and emergency care
• Disease control and prevention programs
• Onsite Child and adult care services
• Pre-retirement and financial planning
• Continued learning/educational opportunities
• Coordination of company picnics and outings
• Parent-child work visitation programs
• Workers compensation/rehabilitation

An worker’s psychological health can never be neglected in a comprehensive model of Workplace Wellness Programs. Originating out of a need for alcohol abuse interventions in the worksite, today’s employee assistance programs (EAP) encompass assessment and counseling for substance abuse and dependency, stress related disorders, family conflicts and other individual issues.

Evidence of the need for such programs is wide spread. In a national survey conducted by the Northwestern Life Insurance Company (1992) 46 percent of staff members reported that their job was very stressful, 34 percent thought about quitting their jobs because of worksite stress, and 14 percent did leave their job because of stress. Alcohol and substance abuse problems as well as issues of worksite violence and harassment are common areas of concern. For many the only viable treatment solution is the Workplace Wellness Program.  Exemplary Workplace Wellness Programs will include:

• Individualized assessment of worker concerns
• Assistance in treatment choice
• Emphasis on prevention as well as treatment
• Individual and family counseling programs
• Treatment for addictions:
Drugs
Alcohol
Gambling
• Crisis intervention programs
• Stress management
• Ongoing support groups
• Management and worker training to identify individuals at risk.
• After treatment care

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

Quality Workplace Wellness Programs promote and facilitate participation in daily physical activity for all staff members, and when possible family members and retired workers. This is accomplished through access to fitness facilities, (preferably on site) and properly supervised physical fitness classes. In addition a comprehensive program will provide opportunities for Individualized physical fitness and nutrition prescriptions from certified experts. Commitment to the model is demonstrated through occupational food services and sales consistent with healthy nutrition. Specific programs to include:

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

Health education is easily integrated into all the areas of comprehensive Workplace Wellness Programs and it is unlikely that any of the areas could survive without an educational component. It is a primary element of every primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention program and a method of promoting wellness and optimal health. A comprehensive health education program must be based on theoretically and scientifically sound principles to ensure effectiveness.

Successful health education programs will incorporate adult learning theories and promote active participant involvement in all aspects of program planning and implementation. Health education efforts should emphasize skill development and the adoption of health enhancing behaviors while being accessible to all staff members, their families and retirees. Methods of delivery may include; one on one instruction, group presentations, seminars, workshops, educational media lending library and health literature distribution. Program examples may include:

• Health Risk Assessments / Health Risk Appraisals
• Individualized health prescriptions and behavior change assistance
• CPR and first aid training
• Nutrition education programs
• Stress management
• smoking cessation  programs
• Heart disease and cancer education
• Blood borne pathogens education programs
• Sexual assault prevention programs

• Prenatal care
• Safety education programs
• Self care programs
• Healthy back programs
• Family centered programs
• Supplies of literature and educational media available for worker loan

As the science behind Workplace Wellness Programs continues to evolve, the need to define succinctly the components of this comprehensive approach increases. In 1987 Allensworth and Kolbe (1987) expanded the prevailing definition of comprehensive school health to include the domains of Health Instruction, Healthy Environment, Health Services, Physical Education, Counseling and Psychological Services, School Food Service, Workplace Wellness Programs for Faculty and Staff, and the Integration of School and Community Resources.

To promote the health of school children, prevention specialists have realized that an integrated comprehensive approach is the most effective strategy. Relying only on health education or Physical Education programs to foster children’s health has demonstrated limited effectiveness. Consistent health messages delivered by numerous agents increases the possibility of attaining health goals and objectives. A similar model is critical if Workplace Wellness Programs are to impact positively on the health and performance of all staff members.

A comprehensive model of Workplace Wellness Programs includes the following components; Health Education Initiatives, worker Health Services and Benefits, physical fitness and nutrition Initiatives, Worksite Wellness Plan Policies and Procedures, Counseling and Employee Assistance Programs, a Safe and Healthy Work Environment, and the Integration of Company and Community Resources. This model can be used to evaluate and plan for Workplace Wellness Programs that are truly comprehensive in nature, focusing on primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies for staff members.

One value of a truly comprehensive model is that it is possible to promote a holistic approach of worker health. A productive, healthy worker is one who is given the opportunity to develop emotionally, physically, socially, intellectually and spiritually. In addition, this model supports the ideals of wellness and optimal health by encouraging worksites to go beyond programs designed to only reduce health care costs, prevent disease, or maintain health.

A primary factor in the utility of this model is the integration and overlap of responsibilities. Design and implementation are dependent upon the motivation and cooperation of qualified – and ideally – credentialed experts throughout the administrative structure of a company. Such a model requires consistent communication between health educators, medical staff, human resource managers, physical therapists, industrial hygienists, physical fitness physiologists, ergonomic engineers, dietitians, occupational therapists, psychologists and independent consultants. Planning must also incorporate active involvement of workers, administrators, family members, and company retirees at all stages of the development, implementation and evaluation stages. All must be committed to the development of a healthy organization where staff members are happy and proud to work.

Various professional organizations are working to advance the science of Workplace Wellness Programs. Health educators have the expertise and training to be leaders in this field. On the basis of theoretical foundations of behavior and the results of empirical research, we must begin to articulate a clear vision of what optimal programs should consist of. Components of this model are included below for reference and will be discussed individually in coming posts.

• Health Education
• physical fitness and nutrition Initiatives
• worker Health Services and worker Benefits
• Employee Assistance Programs and Counseling Programs
• Safe Work Environment
• Health Related company Policies and Procedures
• Integration of company and Community Resources

As the science behind Workplace Wellness Programs continues to evolve, so will the need to define the dimensions of a comprehensive model of Workplace Wellness Programs. A representative model includes the following components; health education programs, worker health services and benefits, physical fitness and nutrition programs, Worksite Wellness Plan policies and procedures, counseling and employee assistance programs, a safe and healthy work environment, and the integration of company and community resources.

A comprehensive approach to Workplace Wellness Programs will maximize the impact of all interventions by increasing communication between administrators, staff members, and worker families, while encouraging the adoption of a healthy worksite climate and culture. Philosophically, this model supports the ideals of worker wellness and optimal health by encouraging worksites to go beyond programs designed to only reduce health care costs, prevent disease, or maintain health.

A primary factor in the utility of this model is the integration and overlap of responsibilities for Workplace Wellness Programs by various departments and individuals outside and inside the company. As the structure of the worksite continues to change, in the future this dynamic model can be used to evaluate and plan for Workplace Wellness Programs that are truly comprehensive in nature.

A Comprehensive Model For Workplace Wellness Programs

According to the National Survey of Worksite Health Promotion Activities (1992) 81 percent of businesses in the United States with 50 or more staff members have some form of Workplace Wellness Programs activity. This result puts us in proximity of the Healthy People 2000 (1990) objective of 85% by the year 2000. Why are businesses getting into the company of Workplace Wellness Programs? The three most common reasons cited for employer interest in Workplace Wellness Programs are the desire to control spiraling health care costs, to encourage a healthy productive work force, and as a method of boosting the morale of staff members and the image of the company (O’Donnell, 1994).

As the motivations for Workplace Wellness Programs differ, so do the extent of a Workplace Wellness Programs efforts. A program may consist of distributing the occasional health pamphlet on the warning signs of cancer to staff members, or it may comprise an elaborate and strategically planned Worksite Wellness Plan targeted to the specific needs of a company and its staff members. Research indicates (O’Donnel & Harris, 1994) that some Workplace Wellness Programs have been more effective than others in improving health status, but what would a truly comprehensive model of Workplace Wellness Programs consist of?

Imagine yourself working for the healthiest company possible. What characteristics or Worksite Wellness Plan strategies would make that organization so healthy? Examine it from a holistic perspective. What does that company do to enhance the spiritual, emotional, social, physical and intellectual aspects of worker health? How does that company develop effective health policies and relevant programs that impact all staff members? Finally, how does that company demonstrate its belief that workers are the company’s most valued asset?

It is unlikely that any one component of a Worksite Wellness Plan will be responsible for the positive health outcomes of all staff members. Worksite Wellness Plan have evolved from the occasional fitness facility for the exclusive use of company executives, or the sporadic worker safety program, to a wide range of health enhancing services and programs. Worksite Wellness Plan experts frequently speak of the importance of cultural change and the need to institutionalize Workplace Wellness Programs in today’s worksite. This goal can only occur through a comprehensive and integrated approach that impacts on workers through numerous channels.

Walking Workplace Wellness Programs are among of the most popular Workplace Wellness Programs. They set the bar for entry fairly low – most anyone can walk around the block or their building – and walking Workplace Wellness Programs also offers employees with a good way to break up the afternoon doldrums and interact in a casual, more social environment with other employees. Just leaving your desk for a few minutes every day for a little sunshine can be a big stress reliever – and stress is the second leading cause of absenteeism, according to Worksite Wellness Plan statistics.

As a first step to beginning your Workplace Wellness Program, we recommend that you have a designer draw up an attractive map of your company campus or vicinity. Plan out and test a few short walks of varying distances, and using a pedometer and watch, figure out how long each walk is in time and distance. Have a little fun with your walking Worksite Wellness Plan by equating each walk with a common office activity of the same duration, like a writing a one-page status report or filling out a common form. Post the map in the office and make sure people know about walking Workplace Wellness Programs by using your office communication channels – newsletters, announcements, company meetings. Keep it fun by building weight-loss teams, setting up races or organizing healthy picnics and athletic activities around the walking Workplace Wellness Programs route.

Following are some other walking Workplace Wellness Programs tips from Tom Weede, author of The Entrepreneur Diet: The On-the-Go Plan for Fitness, Weight Loss, and Healthy Living:

Make sure to link the walking Worksite Wellness Plan to work objectives. Employees need to be reassured that these walks are part of their responsibility to be healthy and productive. They’re not personal errands that need to be compensated for by longer days at the office.
Keep healthy snacks in the office.
Reinforce the walking Worksite Wellness Plan message by regularly mentioning it during worker meetings
Set up a health-related benefit that walking Workplace Wellness Programs participants can use for health-related expenses.

Worksite Wellness Plan Statistics tell a clear story – Worksite Wellness Plan Programs are effective , and they save corporations money.

You should take note of these interesting Worksite Wellness Plan Statistics:

Some 25 percent of United States corporations were running Workplace Wellness Programs in 1996.
Worksite Wellness Plan Statistics depict a savings of $2.30 to $10.10 for every $1 spent on Workplace Wellness Programs.
Coca-Cola’s fitness program recouped $500 per year per worker, despite the fact that only 60% of their staff was enrolled.
A Ipsos-Reid Worksite Wellness Plan statisics paper in 2004 found the three major preventable causes of staff absenteeism to be mental health (anxiety and/or depression), stress and a bad relationship with a supervisor.
Worksite Wellness Plan Statistics from Prudential Insurance reveal a benefit expense of $312 per person enrolled in their wellness system, but $574 per non-enrolled worker.
At the Coors Brewing Co., Worksite Wellness Plan Statistics illuminate a savings of $5.50 per $1 spent on fitness, with a positive side-effect of participant absenteeism dropping by 18%.