Posts from — November 2008

At times Corporate Wellness Programs have been instituted as public relations vehicles intended to enhance the company image with little concern for improvements in staff member health. Companies who are truly committed to enhancing staff member health and wellness, are organizations who have worked to include Corporate Wellness Programs into the company’s mission statement. With this commitment, policies and procedures can be written to address short and long term goals of increased staff member health, productivity, and morale. These policies and procedures are critical to the establishment of supportive organizational cultures conducive to staff member health and wellness.

• Active staff member involvement in Worksite Wellness Program committees and company decision making
• Availability of flextime work schedules
• No smoking policy
• Drug use policy and testing
• Motor vehicle seat restraints and the use of other protective/safety equipment
• Sexual harassment policy
• Family leave initiatives
• Consistent and frequent awards and recognition of staff member work efforts

The environmental conditions of the worksite can be divided into both physical and psychosocial domains, both of which influence the climate and culture of a worksite. The cultural norms of a workplace have been identified as powerful determinants of worker health and behavior (Baum, 1995). Ultimately, workers benefit most from a healthy, supportive; eustressful workplace community was they feel valued and respected. Since adults spend approximately one third of their waking hours at work, one would hope that staff members view work as less of a necessity and more of an enjoyable experience.

The climate of a workplace is also more conducive to enhancing health and human performance when the environment is safe, clean, aesthetically pleasing and ergonomically engineered. While some occupations maybe inherently dangerous (e.g., fire fighter, military personnel) all broad-based Corporate Wellness Programs should control exposure to unhealthy conditions including: hazardous chemicals, noise, temperature, radiation and other risky conditions. Program examples include:

• Corporate Wellness Programs grounded in supportive cultural change strategies
• Environmental and safety compliance measures
Lighting
Ventilation
Heating
Control of toxic substances
Noise
Universal precautions
• Ergonomically designed workstations
• Sanitary, clean, well maintained worksite
• Recycling promoted initiatives
• staff member & management training in emergency procedures

An staff member’s psychological health can never be neglected in a broad-based model of Corporate Wellness Programs. Originating out of a need for alcohol abuse initiatives in the workplace, 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 initiatives 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 workplace stress, and 14 percent did leave their job because of stress. Alcohol and substance abuse problems as well as issues of workplace violence and harassment are common areas of concern. For many the only viable treatment solution is the Corporate Wellness Program.  Exemplary Corporate Wellness Programs will include:

• Personalized assessment of staff member concerns
• Treatment choice assistance
• Emphasis on prevention as well as treatment
• Personal and family counseling initiatives
• Treatment for addictions:
Drugs
Alcohol
Gambling
• Crisis intervention initiatives
• Stress Management Programs
• Ongoing support groups
• Management and staff member training to establish individuals at risk.
• After treatment assistance

Small and large organizations 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 organizations are attempting to slow the increase of health care insurance premiums by providing innovative cost control initiatives. Greater emphasis is being put on primary prevention to keep staff members healthy and secondary prevention to establish 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 staff member 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 Program specialists. These two sets of consultants may also work together for the ongoing evaluation of cost effective Corporate Wellness Programs.

In conjunction with the above initiatives most large organizations also have a nurse or physician on staff to dispense worksite medical and preventive care. Some initiatives have also found it cost effective to provide their own physical therapy programming to assist injured and infirm workers in regaining optimal functioning. A broad-based selection of health related staff member 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 testing
Blood pressure testing
Mammography
Vision and hearing testing
Diabetes
• Referral and follow-up procedures (e.g., Hypertension, Cholesterol, Cancer)
• First Aid and emergency care
• Disease control and prevention initiatives
• Child and infirm adult care services
• Financial and Pre-Retirement planning
• Continued learning/educational opportunities
• Coordination of company picnics and outings
• Parent-child work visitation initiatives
• Workers compensation/rehabilitation

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

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

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

Successful health education initiatives will incorporate adult learning theories and encourage active member involvement in all phases 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 (HRAs)
• Personalized health prescriptions and behavior change assistance
• CPR and first aid training
• Nutrition education initiatives
• Stress Management Programs
• smoking cessation  initiatives
• Cancer and heart disease education
• Blood borne pathogens education initiatives
• Sexual assault prevention initiatives

• Prenatal care
• Safety education initiatives
• Self care initiatives
• Healthy back initiatives
• Family centered initiatives
• Supplies of literature and educational media available for staff member loan

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

To promote the health of school children, prevention specialists have found that an integrated broad-based approach is the most effective strategy. Relying solely on health education or Physical Fitness Education initiatives 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 essential if Corporate Wellness Programs are to impact positively on the health and performance of all staff members.

A broad-based model of Corporate Wellness Programs includes the following components; Health Education Programs, staff member Health Services and Benefits, physical fitness and nutrition Programs, Worksite Wellness Program 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 Corporate Wellness Programs that are truly broad-based in nature, focusing on primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies for staff members.

One value of a truly broad-based model is that it is possible to promote a holistic philosophy of staff member health. A healthy, productive staff member 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 initiatives designed to only reduce health care costs, prevent disease, or maintain health.

A key factor in the utility of this model is the overlap of responsibilities. Design and implementation are dependent upon the motivation and cooperation of qualified - and ideally - credentialed consultants 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 Corporate 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 start to articulate a clear vision of what optimal initiatives should consist of. The Components of this model are included below for reference and will be discussed individually in coming posts.

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

As the science behind Corporate Wellness Programs continues to evolve, so will the need to define and articulate the dimensions of a broad-based model of Corporate Wellness Programs. A representative model includes the following components; health education initiatives, staff member health services and benefits, physical fitness and nutrition initiatives, Worksite Wellness Program policies and procedures, counseling and employee assistance programs, a safe and healthy work environment, and the integration of company and community resources.

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

A key factor in the utility of this model is the overlap of responsibilities for Corporate Wellness Programs by various departments and individuals outside and inside the company. As the structure of the workplace continues to change, in the future this dynamic model can be used to evaluate and plan for Corporate Wellness Programs that are truly broad-based in nature.

A Comprehensive Model For Corporate Wellness Programs

According to the National Survey of Worksite Health Promotion Activities (1992) 81 percent of organizations in the U.S. with 50 or more staff members have some form of Corporate Wellness Programs activity. This result puts us in proximity of the Healthy People 2000 (1990) objective of 85 percent by the year 2000. Why are organizations getting into the company of Corporate Wellness Programs? The three most common reasons cited for employer interest in Corporate 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 Corporate Wellness Programs differ, so do the extent of a Corporate 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 Program targeted to the specific needs of a company and its staff members. Research indicates (O’Donnel & Harris, 1994) that some Corporate Wellness Programs have been more effective than others in improving health status, but what would a truly broad-based model of Corporate Wellness Programs consist of?

Close your eyes and imagine yourself working for the healthiest company possible. What characteristics or Worksite Wellness Program strategies would make that organization so healthy? Examine it from a holistic perspective. What does that company do to enhance the social, physical, spiritual, emotional, and intellectual aspects of staff member 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 Program will be accountable for the positive health outcomes of all staff members. Worksite Wellness Program have evolved from the occasional fitness center for the exclusive use of company executives, or the sporadic staff member safety program, to a wide range of health enhancing services and initiatives. Worksite Wellness Program consultants frequently speak of the importance of cultural change and the need to institutionalize Corporate Wellness Programs in today’s workplace. This goal can only occur through a broad-based and integrated approach that impacts on workers through numerous channels.

Walking Corporate Wellness Programs are some of the most popular Corporate Wellness Programs. They set the bar for entry fairly low - most anyone can walk around the block or their building - and walking Corporate Wellness Programs also provides workers with a good way to break up the afternoon doldrums and interact in a casual, more social environment with other workers. Just leaving your desk for a few minutes every day for a some fress air can be a big stress reliever - and stress is the #2 leading cause of absenteeism, according to Worksite Wellness Program statistics.

As a first step to beginning your Corporate 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 Program 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 at the worksite and make sure people know about walking Corporate Wellness Programs by using your office communication channels - newsletters, announcements, corporation meetings. Keep it fun by building weight-loss teams, setting up races or organizing healthy picnics and athletic activities around the walking Corporate Wellness Programs route.

Here are some other walking Corporate 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 Program 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 at the worksite.
Reinforce the walking Worksite Wellness Program message by regularly mentioning it during worker meetings
Set up a health-related benefit that walking Corporate Wellness Programs participants can use for health-related expenses.

Worksite Wellness Program Statistics tell a clear story - Worksite Wellness Program Programs are effective , and they save businesses money.

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

Some 25 percent of U.S. businesses were running Corporate Wellness Programs in 1996.
Worksite Wellness Program Statistics depict a savings of $2.30 to $10.10 for every $1 spent on Corporate 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 Program 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 Program 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 Program Statistics illuminate a savings of $5.50 per $1 spent on fitness, with a positive side-effect of member absenteeism dropping by 18%.