Posts from — September 2010

A Wellness Program is an organized health promotion program to assist and support employees in establishing healthier lifestyles.  This can include increasing worker awareness on health topics, scheduling behavior change programs, and/or establishing organization policies that support health-related goals.

Programs and policies that promote increased exercise, smoking prevention and cessation, and healthy food selections are a few examples.

Dimensions of Wellness

Wellness is more than physical fitness.  In addition to physical fitness, the dimensions of optimal health include

o  Spiritual Wellness Dimension

o  Emotional Wellness Dimension

o  Social Wellness Dimension

o  Intellectual Wellness Dimension

These Wellness Dimensions are often depicted as a “life wheel” with examples of health components that include -

o  fitness,

o  nutrition,

o  purpose in life,

o  financial planning,

o  social connections and support systems,

o  stress management,

o  mind-body health,

o  career planning and

o  continued learning.

The key for individual health is keeping the “life wheel” in balance.  A extensive health promotion program addresses most, if not all, of these dimensions.

Why Company Health Promotion?

Employees spend a excellent deal of time on the job, and the reality is that our traditional work-week is increasing. Indeed, the typical American now works about 47 hours per week.

Plus, technologies like modems, laptops, cellular phones, voice and email have blurred the work-life boundary.  These realities cut down on the amount of time that the typical individual can devote to wellness pursuits, and yet personnel are expected to be at top performance when at work.

A recent research study  by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses found that company wellness or wellness programs are successful in assisting workforce make positive health changes as a result of a few factors like convenience, environmental support, and peer or social acceptance.

What’s the Link between Health Promotion and the Worksite?

Programs and policies that promote healthful behaviors may make a big difference on worker health promotion AND have an impact on the corporation’s bottom line.   Studies have shown that for every dollar invested by companys in company health promotion/health promotion programs, there were savings ranging from $1.49 to $4.91 with a median savings of $3.14*.

In corporation terms, that’s more than a 3 - 1 minimum return on investment - a number that is hard to ignore, and a best practice that should warrant serious consideration from corporations.

Truly, a company wellness literature review posted in Wellness Practitioner Journal found -

o  19 studies found a 28.3 percent reduction in sick leave

o  16 studies demonstrated a 5.6 - 1 return on investment

o  23 showed a 26.1 percent reduction in medical costs

o  4 found a 30% reduction in direct medical and workers’ compensation claims

There is little doubt that a robust health promotion program targeted to meet a corporation’s specific needs can save money by decreasing absenteeism, lowering health care expenditures, decreasing employee turnover, and increasing productivity.

o  United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2003

Ten Steps Toward Strategic Wellness Programs

The Wellness Program management world is evolving quickly. Each month, there are new research findings that support the premise that Wellness Programs and disease management (DM) have a long-term impact on health care costs.

Many large businesses that began Wellness Programs three to five years ago are showing savings in health, disability, and staff members compensation costs. Small to mid-size businesses are watching all this and wondering where to begin with wellness.

Getting executive management support and budget approval is among the challenges at the beginning of a Wellness Program. This is the case because Wellness Programs can be expensive, averaging $150-300 per employee per year in large organizations.

Most of the savings are not realized for a number of years. This long-term investing is hard for corporations on the move.

The key to success for Health Promotion Programs is to take a strategic approach. Here are ten steps to consider when beginning a Health Promotion Program.

1. Start with executive management. Without executive management support, a wellness strategy can fall flat. Start with the health of your executive team and discover your wellness champions at the top of the corporation.

2. Analyze the problem. Look at your health care claims and analyze the trends. Which conditions are driving your medical, disability, and workers’ compensation claims and which are modifiable? What’s worked and what hasn’t therefore far? What’s the long-term impact of doing nothing?

3. Hold an initial wellness meeting. Invite your key stakeholders both inside and outside the corporation. Ask your broker to facilitate the meeting and invite key health providers including health, disability, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), fitness, and occupational nursing.

Review claims and utilization data and identify key areas of concern. Look at current offerings and see how they can be tailored to the needs of the population.

4. Consider both healthy and unhealthy workers. Since 85% of claims are usually attributed to 15% of claimants, it is essential to reach those with the most expensive conditions while also reaching individuals  who are at risk for developing preventable illnesses in the future.

Voluntary wellness programs such as lunchtime wellness seminars miss many of the people  who need them most. Consider wellness programs that are population-wide or target intact workgroups. Health Promotion incentives help but don’t motivate everybody.

5. Make certain to set short-term goals for the health promotion programs. Make certain to set some realistic short-term goals based on your key areas of concern. Are there any plan design changes that could have an immediate impact on spending? Are there some programmatic actions that could have immediate results?

6. Find out what workforce are thinking. Hold some focus groups to determine where individuals  are with wellness. What is working? What isn’t? Just how much interest do individuals  have in the Wellness Programs? What obstacles and barriers are workforce experiencing when they try to change behavior?

7. Be certain you have a high-impact Staff Member Assistance Program (EAP). Your first wellness dollars ought to go into upgrading your Staff Member Assistance Program (EAP). A highly utilized Staff Member Assistance Program (EAP) can provide a foundation for all of your future wellness activities.

A good Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a trusted link to the hearts and minds of staff.  At no additional cost, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can provide needed follow-up coaching and personal attention for staff who are working on modifiable health behaviors or involved in disease management programs.

Nutritionists, fitness, pregnancy, and stress management experts are all part of a high-value Staff Member Assistance Program (EAP).

8. Be sure to set three to five year goals for healthcare savings and measure them. Get help from your broker and insurance carrier help you on long-term goals for your health, disability, and workers compensation plans.

Establish program metrics that’ll help you to measure Return On Investment (ROI). Go beyond participation rates, completion rates and program satisfaction. Measure changes in readiness, changes in behavior, and changes in risk factors. Establish rigorous methods to measure healthcare savings over the long term.

9. Be certain to set objectives for organizational health. Consider the more intangible advantages of a health promotion program and quantify them whenever possible. Include staff member turnover rates, cost of new hires, staff member morale, benefit satisfaction data, and company of option issues in establishing objectives. Establish ways to measure success in these areas.

10. Add specifics to your short and long-term plan. Include a program strategy, a communication strategy, and an incentive strategy that will fit with your corporate culture. Focus on integration of related components along a health continuum with communications that are focused, simple, and human.

Establish a budget that includes key components such as consumer education, wellness, health risk assessments, and regular biometric screens.

Health Promotion Programs are critical to improving the health of our nations. Most adults spend more of their waking hours at work than anywhere else, making it a great venue for promoting healthful habits.

The workplace organizational culture and environment are powerful influences on behavior and this needs to be put to use as a means of helping workers to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Benefits to Wellness Programs include -

o  Weight loss

o  Better fitness

o  Increased stamina

o  Lower levels of stress

o  Improved wellness, self-image and self-esteem

Companys can also benefit from Health Promotion Programs. According to recent research, employers’ benefits are -

o  Improved recruitment and retention of healthy personnel

o  Lowered health care costs

o  Decreased rates of disease and injuries

o  Lowered staff member absenteeism

o  Improved staff member relations and morale

o  Improved productivity

o  Weight reduction

o  Improved fitness

o  Enhanced stamina

o  Lower levels of stress

o  Better well-being, self-image and self-esteem

Companys can also benefit from Health Promotion Programs. According to recent research, companys’ benefits are -

o  Enhanced recruitment and retention of healthy personnel

o  Decreased healthcare costs

o  Reduced rates of illness and injuries

o  Reduced worker absenteeism

o  Enhanced staff member relations and morale

o  Enhanced productivity

A USA  Department of Health and Human Services report revealed that at workplaces with exercise programs as components of their Wellness Programs have -

o  Decreased health care costs by 20 to 55%

o  Lowered short-term sick time by six to 32 percent

o  Increased productivity by two to 52 percent

Thanks to modern medicine, life expectancy for Americans has continually increased. How much we enjoy these additional years, nevertheless, depends greatly on how we have lived our lives.

When our quality of life is to remain high so that we can fully enjoy these additional years, we must practice good consuming habits, be active and refrain from using tobacco products.

Who needs Health Promotion Programs? If you work in an office or a jobsite or are a member of an organization who spends a considerable amount of time at work, you’ll benefit from a well-designed employee health promotion program. Employees spend a minimum of about 200 hours a month at work - a considerable amount of time.

Further, stress, distractions and the pressures of the job can take its toll on the worker, which makes it important that a wellness program is implemented.

Today, all across America, Canada, Europe and Asia, top corporate Wellness Programs are being used to help improve worker conditions at work and reduce the cost of worker healthcare.

Some of the top Wellness Programs currently in use today include -

Health Promotion Programs - HRAs (HRAs)

HRA is a top Wellness Program currently in use globally. Organizations that implement it determine the safety and health concerns of staff members by the assessment of appropriateness of the facilities and equipment against the needs of the staff members.

It can, for example, guide the company into determining how much air quality within an office room affects the users and then help the assessment team to come up with the measures necessary to correct the problem.

An HRA can also evaluate the level of exposure employees have to certain perilous or perilous materials and practices.

Wellness Programs - Immunizations.

This is not always practiced in every country since there are regions where government sponsored immunization shots are available. Notwithstanding, it has also become an important component of the top Health Promotion Programs in many organizations in North America.

Immunization shots, like those used to combat flu, for instance, are offered to personnel for free.

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

Staff Member Assistance Programs (EAPs) consist of a broad variety of services. It can range from providing educational resources to personnel regarding health issues to sponsoring health services and medical care. In many corporations, medical and insurance have also become a staple part of their benefits system.

Weight Management Programs

This is another health promotion program that companies use, in particular those that offer in-house commissary or cafeteria services. Instead of serving richer, high-calorie fare, cafeterias offer choices for a healthier diet, ordinarily in the form of low-calorie foods and sugar substitutes.

Staff Member Health Promotion Newsletters - Health Education Programs

Among the top Health Promotion Programs that corporations can implement is a self-powered tool using a newsletter to promote wellness, coupled with a visible campaign.

The campaign could  be done periodically and focus on a specific topic, like smoking hazards, cancer, stress, carpal tunnel syndrome, safety in the worksite, etc.

The newsletter in itself could be an effective means to deliver information to employees or members of an organization but it is far from perfect. Some employees, for example, may not peruse the newsletter in its entirety or even pay attention to it.

When the issues outlined in the newsletter are promoted through an active and highly visible campaign, it will be easier to maximize positive results.

Physical Fitness and Exercise Programs

Another top health promotion program for companies is one that involves physical activities. Corporations often sponsor exercise-related events such as marathons and corporation sports programs to encourage personnel to remain fit or lose excess weight. In mid- to large-sized companies, companies may even pay for health and fitness center memberships or in-house exercise facilities.

Health Promotion Program Incentives.

Some of the top Wellness Programs implemented by companies involve incentive rewards. This involves company-sponsored programs that reward workers for achieving specific wellness objectives.

Participation in health campaigns and signing up for Health Promotion Programs are two of the most commonly rewarded schemes. Rewards can range from special recognitions to points (for larger rewards) to specific gifts. In several cases, cash might also be used.

Notwithstanding, incentive systems have had mixed reactions and levels of success. But it continues to be among the top choices among companies who are willing to modify it in order to fit their unique needs.

Health Promotion Programs - Group Activities

In many companies, companies take benefit of coworker pressure to encourage staff to take part in Health Promotion Programs. This is currently among the favorite staff member Health Promotion Programs currently in use today and growing in popularity.

Colleague pressure is usually leveraged to help promote competitions referring to employee health promotion and to persuade employees to be active in company-sponsored wellness fairs.

Health promotion programs at the corporate level are beneficial, right? Wellness statistics obviously show that such health promotion programs are not only cost-effective to the company but can assist the employee in developing a healthier lifestyle.

With the rising cost of health care, health promotion programs simply make sense. So where does the problem come in? Let’s examine the topic from both perspectives.

Health Promotion Programs -  the Good

o  A sampling of corporate returns on investment for wellness programs -  Bank of America -  600%; General Motors - 370%; Pepsico -  300%; Citibank -  465%; and the Washoe County School District leading the pack at a whopping 1,560 percent. (Campbell,J., Wellness Improvement Specialists, www.wellnessimprovementprofessionals.com, Albuquerque, New Mexico.)

o  Organizations with health promotion programs have realized a 28 percent reduction in sick leave, a 26 percent reduction in adjunctive healthcare costs and a 30 percent reduction in disability and staff compensation costs. (Health Affairs, Volume 21, No.2, March, 2002.)

o  The Washoe county School District in Northern Nevada realized a $15.60 return on investment for every dollar spent as a result of a 20% reduction in absenteeism. (Hardy,A. (2005).  At the Top of the Class. WELCOA’s Absolute Advantage Magazine, 5(1), 14-20.)

o  Health promotion programs provide the structure, encouragement, incentives and ongoing support that many individuals need to make lifestyle changes.

o  Workers also realize returns on their efforts. FiServ, a financial services technology corporation, gave staff members who filled out a health risk appraisal a significant discount on their medical insurance premium. (Holland, Kelley, the New York Times, July 22, 2007.)

Wellness Programs -  the Bad

The flip side of the argument centers on basic human rights. Do we want/need our corporation to tell us to eat our veggies or lose 30 pounds? A number of businesses are doing just that and at least one lawsuit has resulted because of it.

o  Three hundred corporations have requested assistance from a national employment and labor law firm to institute more assertive wellness programs.(Cornwell, Lisa, Associated Press, Albuquerque Journal, September 10,2007.)

o  Clarian Health, based in Indianapolis, Will begin reducing employee paychecks by $10.00 for every employee who has a Body Mass Index (BMI)  of greater than 29.9 because not enough workforce were utilizing their wellness services.(Cornwell, Lisa, Associated Press, Albuquerque Journal, September 10,2007.)

o  Scott Rodrigues filed a suit against his prospective company, Scotts Miracle-Gro, because he believed the organization’s antitobacco use policy violated his civil rights.  The business has a policy against hiring workers who smoke and Mr. Rodrigues’drug screen was positive for nicotine.(Holland, Kelley, the New York Times,July 22,2007.)

o  Worker advocates are concerned that health discrimination may not be covered beneath the Americans with Disabilities Act.(Cornwell, Lisa, Associated Press, Albuquerque Journal, September 10,2007.)

Penalizing personnel by hitting them hardest where it hurts the most,their pocketbook, doesn’t appear to be a favorable approach to molding human behavior.

Such tactics may lead to increased resentments and retaliation, mainly in the form of absenteeism and presenteeism (decreased productivity on the job.) Voluntary, incentive-based wellness programs, such as the one in the Washoe County School District, can and do produce results.

A positive attitude on the part of senior level management along with an opportunity for personnel to have a stake in the decision-making may yield the greatest dividends to both company and worker.

The motivation and resolve needed to change unhealthful lifestyle habits can best be derived from the basic tenets of encouragement, respect and support.

Getting Began - Secure upper management support

o  Justifications for having a health fair

o  Health risk appraisals

o  Make certain to help for high-risk population -  smokers, obese staff members

o  Early detection of diabetes, heart disease risk factors (high cholesterol, high blood pressure)

Wellness Fair Participation - Identify your audience

o  Employees only, whole family, retirees?

o  Community involvement? Theme?

Wellness Fair Time Line

o  Be sure to set a date and time Allow 4-6 months of planning time

Wellness Fair Developing

o  Identify health-related screenings, tests, other activities you will offer Identify educational literature and other learning opportunities wellness fair will provide Include any “fun” activities, or food/beverage needs for the fair

Wellness Fair Location and Logistics

o  Consider location large enough to accommodate the largest volume of individuals  at “peak time” periods

o  Determine how booths/stations are going to be set up

Wellness Fair Vendors

o  Target relevant health/safety-related community and corporate vendors to provide services, educational materials, incentives and giveaways

Wellness Fair Marketing

o  Determine advertising and marketing tools to be used to inform employees/participants (posters, mailings, e-mail)

o  Determine any incentives or giveaways that’ll be included in the fair or used to encourage participation in the fair

Wellness Fair Scheduling

o  Coordinate timing and events with staff and/or volunteers

Wellness Fair Personnel

o  Schedule appropriate specialists Physician or similar healthcare personnel to provide patient consultation for review of blood draw lab results

o  Nurse(s) to administer immunizations

o  Administrative/all-purpose individual to facilitate paper work, finger sticks and to provide general assistance

o  Pharmacist or pharmacist assistant if appropriate Dietitian for nutritional counseling suggested personnel designated for wellness fairs

Footnotes

1 the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation via Reuters Health E-Line.

2 Kaiser Daily Policy Concerning Health Report, (9/11/03)

3 www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/press/archive/lower_cost.htm

4 “Is Stress Nibbling Away at Your Bottom Line?” By Stephen Alper, Nov. 15, 2002.

5 Health Promotion in the Workplace, Michael P. O’Donnell, page 415.

6 http - //www.bmpcoe.org/bestpractices/internal/dayto/dayto_6.html

According to Gordian Health Solutions, the effectiveness of wellness programs in bettering health and lowering health care costs is directly linked to incentives -

o  The more substantial the incentives,

o  The higher the success rate.

Incentives can range from tokens of achievement, like t-shirts, water bottles and sports equipment, to more substantial financial awards, like cash incentives or copay vouchers for the successful completion of a health promotion program.

Nationwide Insurance is seeing results from a small incentive program initiated by one of the company’s on-site nurses.  To encourage lunchtime walking, the employee has informally launched a “shoelace program” modeled after the karate-belt color system.

Employees progress through the color scale until they reach “black-lace” status.  The reward system has resulted in more personnel making commitments to walk during their lunch hour.

At the high end of the reward spectrum, some corporations pay cash to employees who meet wellness objectives. LuK, Inc. offers employees $250 for kicking the tobacco habit and remaining smoke free for 12 months.

For logging fitness points that add up to 10 miles a month, personnel are eligible for health assessments, which could result in reward amounts of up to $225.

The most effective motivator, as reported by Gordian research, comes through linking participation in wellness programs directly to insurance premiums. Doing so obviously demonstrates to employees the positive effects of wellness on their own healthcare costs.

Typically, the first step in linking health promotion programming to insurance coverage is lowering deductibles for wellness care or eliminating deductibles altogether. By adding this benefit, corporations can encourage workers to undertake routine screenings and other procedures to respond to health problems before they become chronic.

Early detection benefits both patient health and corporation healthcare costs.

Incentivizing health promotion program participation with health care credits

More frequently, companys are going beyond increased wellness care coverage and looking to demonstrate the importance of wellness by linking participation to employees’ bottom lines.

Worthington Industries has lately rolled out a health promotion program that permits workers to eliminate their portion of the insurance premium by enrolling in a Healthful Options health promotion program.

During the first year of the Healthful Options program, workers and their spouses complete Personal Health Assessments and biometric testings to determine their levels of health risks.

Nurses, dietitians and exercise experts are available to help moderate- and high-risk participants create individual action plans for improved health through the use of educational materials, behavior modification, telephone help from third-party program health coordinators, and formal health management programs.

By completing the assessments, employees earn their full premium credit. Because some plans at Worthington require no staff member contribution, a cash award takes the place of a credit in those cases.

During year two of the health promotion program, the wellness bar is raised slightly.  To continue to receive the wellness credit, participants in the moderate- to high-risk category are going to be required to work at setting objectives with third-party health coordinators.

Year three raises the bar again, requiring participants to show progress in meeting objectives and to continue to work with health coordinators to reach objectives.

After year three, Worthington Industries employees will be on the wellness track.  The organization believes that’ll mean a healthier workforce and cost savings for employees and the organization.

The well being of Worthington staff is the foundation of this health promotion program, and both staff and the business are expected to benefit from the long-term benefits of the Healthy Choices Wellness Program.

While Worthington has taken a wide approach to wellness, other companies have found success in offering incentives in specific areas. Longaberger, for example, offers a discount on health care policies for staff members who do not use tobacco.

An individual employee who does not use tobacco saves $7 per bi-weekly pay. for tobacco-free personnel with family coverage whose families are also tobacco-free, the savings increases to $14 per pay.

The next step -  Penalizing harmful behaviors

As it stands, healthcare is the only type of insurance that does not focus on penalizing for behaviors that put the insured party at risk. With healthcare costs rising so dramatically, that could soon change.

Just as an accident likely raises auto insurance premiums, increasing premiums for those who engage in unhealthful behaviors is a possible next step in corporations’ attempts to manage healthcare costs.

Reports that personnel would support this kind of action are stacking up. One Ohio company conducted an informal survey that indicated personnel would consider it a morale improve when health-conscious personnel were relieved of some of the burden of subsidizing care for personnel who engage in behaviors that negatively affect their health.

Whether or not this type of health promotion program gains popularity, one thing is sure -  the need to control the rise in healthcare costs is becoming ever more pressing.

Take the first step

Whatever the strategy, from offering staff health resources to providing incentives for healthful behaviors, corporations have a real opportunity to improve morale and productivity, reduce absenteeism and control health care costs through wellness.

The first step is committing to taking one, no matter what size effort is appropriate for your organization.  Big strides begin with small steps.

Preventing injuries is a high priority for companys, in particular in factory settings such as Honda. That’s why the business offers a few programsâ.”including line-site process examinations â.”to identify potential hazards and help reduce the chance of injury.

As part of an early intervention program, Honda workers who are feeling pain can receive a massage of the affected area during work time.

Stretching programs are another effective tool in injury prevention. According to the Best Practices in Manufacturing Web site, Dayton Parts, Inc. (DPI) in Harrisburg, Pa., conducted research that revealed approximately 80 percent of all manufacturing injuries occurred within the first two hours of each shift.

After starting a program that required production workforce to stretch for 10 to 15 minutes at the starting of their shifts, they saw a dramatic reduction in injuries.

While the DPI program costs about $75,000 a year to operate, paired with other company programs, it has assisted bring the annual cost of workers’ compensation from $700,000 to $200,000 per year.6

To help prevent lengthy absences and reduce workers’ compensation claims, Honda instituted a work recovery program. Through the program, employees who have had an injury can work in a modified jobâ.”getting better.

Workers in the program spend their work days receiving physical conditioning to elevate overall fitness, physical therapy to restore functionality, health education and nutrition counseling.  The program is based on data that shows fewer work days are lost when an staff member stays connected to the work environment.

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, www.ohiobwc.com, provides a “10-Step Company Plan” as a guide for organizations in providing health promotion programs that aim to reduce injuries.  The plan includes information on safety and health programs to prevent occurrences of on-the-job accidents, including -

Employee involvement - to ensure the success of any corporation health promotion program, staff must participate in the safety and health-management process.

This could be done through safety and health audits, accident investigations, or by forming safety and health involvement teams, focus groups or committees.

Orientation and training plan - Conduct orientation and training sessions to educate personnel on the corporation’s safety policies.

These sessions ought to include procedures for the safe use of machinery and tools, chemical hazards and how to prevent contact or exposure, specific job/task safe practices, and hazard recognition and prevention.

Communication - Open communication keeps workforce informed and provides suggestions and feedback on the effectiveness of the corporation’s wellness program.

Through memos, bulletin boards and staff meetings, important health and safety information can be conveyed throughout the business, keeping all upper management staff and staff knowledgeable about the corporation’s safe practices.

The business plan also outlines incentives for post-injury procedures, including -

Medical treatment and return-to-work practices - arly return-to-work strategies help injured or ill workers return to work in a timely manner.

Businesses should establish a disability management policy to help injured or ill staff members obtain quality medical treatment, making their transition back to work quick and effortless.

Timely notification of claims - Corporations should document worksite injuries immediately after they occur and promptly send that documentation to a claims handler.

Rapidly providing claim information demonstrates care and concern for the injured staff member, prevents delays and confusion with the claim process, and lowers the potential for abuse or needless litigation.

Record keeping - Internal documents must be kept to record work-time injuries and to assess the success of the corporation’s safety efforts.

Business audits, surveys and injury or illness reports can all be used to analyze which safety practices and policies have proven successful, and what areas of wellness need improvement.

Dr. Moore of Nationwide maintains that immunization is the most cost-effective treatment in medicine. for example, vaccinating kids against the influenza virus averages a savings (including health care costs, parents’ missed work, etc.) of up to $35 per vaccine recipient.

And professionals predict that estimate is low, because it doesn’t take into account the rapid spread of the flu.

The American Association of Family Physicians’ Web site, www.aafp.org, offers a advised adult immunization schedule developed by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

This schedule, tiered by age and chances of exposure, recommends diphtheria, tetanus, influenza, pneumonococcal, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, measles, mumps and rubella, varicella and meningococcal vaccinations.

Ideas to incorporate prevention and early detection -

o  Hold a wellness fair and invite corporations that provide screening services for such conditions as blood pressure, blood iron, cholesterol, Body Mass Index  and diabetes.

o  Provide educational materials about well-baby care and immunizations.

o  Pick healthcare coverage plans that include wellness check-ups and immunizations.

o  Make available on-site mammograms for staff members.

o  Sponsor onsite flu shots to coincide with flu season.

Benefits of Stress Reduction Programs

While stress can’t be eliminated from life, or even from the workplace, coping skills could be created with relative ease. Stress management skills lead to decreased absenteeism and more effective, more productive workforce.

Because stress has been proven to contribute to such physical conditions as ulcers, high blood pressure (BP) and stroke, stress reduction has a direct impact on improving physical health.

Studies have shown that heart patients who attend stress management programs have 42 percent lower health care costs. Other studies have documented a 50 percent reduction in medical services use when stress management programs are employed.

Further, Worker Assistance Program (EAP) experts estimate that 20% of any workforce is affected by personal problems that can influence work performance.

Stress reduction tactics to consider -

o  Offer on-site yoga or meditation classes.

o  Organize support groups among workforce.

o  Sponsor stress management courses during the workday.

o  Give an staff member assistance program that includes both counseling and referral.

o  Make available on-site counseling for staff if a work-related trauma, like the death of a peer.