Posts from — November 2008

At times Company Wellness Programs have been instituted as public relations vehicles intended to enhance the corporate image with little concern for improvements in worker health. Companies who are truly committed to enhancing worker health and wellness, are businesses who have worked to include Company 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 worker health, productivity, and morale. These policies and procedures are critical to the establishment of supportive organizational cultures conducive to worker health and wellness.

• Active worker involvement in Company Wellness Program committees and company decision making
• Availability of flextime work schedules
• No smoking policy
• Drug use policy and screening
• Motor vehicle seatbelts and the use of other protective/safety equipment
• Sexual harassment policy
• Family leave initiatives
• Consistent and frequent awards and recognition of worker work efforts

An worker’s psychological health can never be neglected in a comprehensive model of Company Wellness Programs. Originating out of a need for alcohol abuse initiatives 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 personal issues.

Evidence of the need for such initiatives is wide spread. In a national survey conducted by the Northwestern Life Insurance Company (1992) 46% of workers reported that their job was very stressful, 34% thought about quitting their jobs because of worksite stress, and 14% 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 Company Wellness Program.  Exemplary Company Wellness Programs will include:

• Individualized assessment of worker concerns
• Assistance in treatment choice
• Emphasis on prevention as well as treatment
• Individual and family counseling initiatives
• Treatment for addictions:

• Drugs
• Alcohol
• Gambling

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

At some workplaces, workers 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 Company Wellness Program specialists. These two sets of consultants may also work together for the ongoing evaluation of cost effective Company Wellness Programs.

In conjunction with the above initiatives most large businesses also have a nurse or physician on staff to dispense on-site 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 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 initiatives
• Child and infirm adult care services
• Financial and Pre-Retirement planning
• Ongoing learning/educational opportunities
• Coordination of company picnics and outings
• Parent-child work visitation initiatives
• Workers compensation/rehabilitation

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

Quality Company Wellness Programs encourage and facilitate participation in daily physical activity for all workers, 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 comprehensive program will provide opportunities for Individualized 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 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 Company 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 comprehensive 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 participant 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 workers, 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 appraisals
• Individualized health prescriptions and behavior change assistance
• First aid and CPR training
• Nutrition education initiatives
• Stress Management Programs
• smoking cessation  initiatives
• Heart disease and cancer education
• Blood borne pathogens education initiatives
• Sexual assault prevention initiatives
• Prenatal care and Postnatal
• Safety education initiatives
• Self care initiatives
• Healthy back initiatives
• Family centered initiatives
• Supplies of literature and educational media available for worker loan

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, Environmental Health, Health Services, Physical Fitness Education, Counseling and Psychological Services, School Food Service, Company Wellness Programs for Faculty and Staff, and the Integration of School and Community Resources.

To promote the health of school age children, prevention specialists have found that an integrated comprehensive approach is the most effective strategy. Relying only 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 Company Wellness Programs are to impact positively on the health and performance of all workers.

A comprehensive model of Company Wellness Programs includes the following components; Health Education Strategies, worker Health Services and Benefits, nutrition and physical fitness Strategies, Company 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 Company Wellness Programs that are truly comprehensive in nature, focusing on primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies for workers.

One value of a truly comprehensive model is that it is possible to promote a holistic philosophy of worker health. A healthy, productive 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 initiatives designed to only reduce healthcare costs, prevent disease, or maintain health.

A key factor in the utility of this model is the overlap of responsibilities. Implementation and design are dependent upon the cooperation and motivation 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 workers are happy and proud to work.

Various professional groups are working to advance the science of Company Wellness Programs. Health educators have the expertise and training to be leaders in this area. On the basis of theoretical foundations of health behavior and the results of empirical research, we must begin 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
• nutrition and physical fitness Strategies
• worker Health Services and worker Benefits
• Counseling & Employee Assistance Programs
• Safe Work Environment
• Health Related company Policies and Procedures
• Integration of company and Community Resources

As the field of Company Wellness Programs continues to evolve, so will the need to clearly define the dimensions of a comprehensive model of Company Wellness Programs. A representative model includes the following Company Wellness Program components; health education initiatives, worker health services and benefits, nutrition and physical fitness initiatives, Company 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 comprehensive approach to Company Wellness Programs will maximize the impact of all initiatives by increasing communication between administrators, workers, and worker families, while encouraging the adoption of a healthy worksite culture and climate. Philosophically, this model supports the ideals of worker wellness and optimal health by encouraging worksites to go beyond initiatives designed to only reduce healthcare costs, prevent disease, or maintain health.

A key factor in the utility of this model is the overlap of responsibilities for Company 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 Company Wellness Programs that are truly comprehensive in nature.

A Comprehensive Model For Company Wellness Programs

According to the National Survey of Worksite Health Promotion Activities (1992) 81% of businesses in the U.S. with 50 or more workers have some form of Company 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 employers getting into the company of Company Wellness Programs? The three most common reasons cited for employer interest in Company Wellness Programs are the desire to control spiraling healthcare costs, to encourage a healthy productive work force, and as a method of boosting the morale of workers and the image of the company (O’Donnell, 1994).

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

Imagine yourself working for the healthiest company possible. What characteristics or Company Wellness Program strategies would make that organization so healthy? Examine it from a holistic perspective. What does that company do to enhance the physical, social, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual aspects of worker health? How does that company develop effective health policies and relevant programs that impact all workers? 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 Company Wellness Program will be responsible for the positive health outcomes of all workers. Company Wellness Program 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 initiatives. Company Wellness Program consultants frequently speak of the importance of cultural change and the need to institutionalize Company 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 Company Wellness Programs are some of the most popular Company Wellness Programs. They set the bar for entry fairly low - most anyone can walk around the block or their building - and walking Company Wellness Programs also provides 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 #2 leading cause of absenteeism, according to Company Wellness Program statistics.

As a first step to starting your Company Wellness Program, we recommend that you have a designer draw up an attractive map of your corporate 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 Company 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 in the workplace and make sure people know about walking Company 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 Company Wellness Programs route.

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

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

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

Some 25 percent of U.S. companies were running Company Wellness Programs in 1996.
Company Wellness Program Statistics depict a savings of $2.30 to $10.10 for every $1 spent on Company Wellness Programs.
Coca-Cola’s physical fitness program recouped $500 per year per worker, despite the fact that only 60% of their staff was enrolled.
A Ipsos-Reid Company 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.
Company Wellness Program Statistics from Prudential Insurance reveal a benefit expense of $312 per individual enrolled in their wellness system, but $574 per non-enrolled worker.
At the Coors Brewing Co., Company Wellness Program Statistics illuminate a savings of $5.50 per $1 spent on physical fitness, with a positive side-effect of participant absenteeism dropping by 18%.

Company Wellness Program Advantages still aren’t self-evident to some executives, even though the research, real-world evidence and cost-benefit analyses are demonstrative. With careful planning, almost every corporation can reap Company Wellness Program Advantages.

Part of the problem is that some executives erroneously believe that the Company Wellness Program Advantages are mostly on the worker side. The truth is that Company Wellness Program Advantages both the company and worker - and according to Company Wellness Program statistics , the employer stands to gain $2.30 to $10.10 in savings per dollar spent. Employee physical fitness saves businesses money.

At the same time, healthcare and insurance costs continue to skyrocket. Company Wellness Program Advantages are one of the only ways to cut those costs while helping employees at the same time. As Karen Roberts, senior vice president with Aon Consulting, said about Company Wellness Program Advantages in her address at the 2006 WorldAtWork Total Rewards Conference & Exhibition, “If you can’t afford to invest in wellness this year, you’re never going to afford it.”

Company Wellness Program Advantages include helping to prevent cancer, obesity, heart disease and hypertension. It’s rare that companies can cut costs and assist struggling employees, support families and even arguably save lives. Isn’t that a good thing?