Posts from — December 2010

Effective wellness programs recognize the importance of building a supportive cultural environment.  The worksite culture includes shared values/heartfelt beliefs about what’s important. It includes social standards of expected and accepted behavior called “cultural norms.”

It includes peer support from family, friends, and peers. This support can help one adopt healthy life choices. Tools are available to audit a business.

The long-term success of any health promotion program is dependent on the corporate culture.

Some healthy culture signs in a organization are -

o  Staff Members communicate openly

o  Leaders support diversity and opinion

o  Staff Members have fun

o  Policies support wellness

o  Staff Members are encouraged to grow

o  Employees work together as a team

o  Employees’ skills and talents are matched to their jobs.

o  Flexible work schedules are available

o  Companys consider workers as their most asset

Effective wellness programs attempt to create healthful workplace climates. A healthful workplace climate is one which encourages teamwork, cooperation, and empowerment of the individual.

Individuals  have a sense of community, a shared vision, and a positive outlook. Policies promote and support wellness efforts within the workplace.

o  Effective wellness programs identify ways that corporation policies and organizational traditions encourage wellness.

o  Effective health promotion programs work at the group and organizational level to build support for healthy lifestyle choices.

o  Effective wellness programs set clear target objectives and objectives for the health betterment of the worksite.

An initial medical screening can include a recent survey of employees’ interests as part of the assessment. Successful wellness programs are designed to meet the needs and interests of the workforce.

The information you need to get from a recent survey depends on the scope of your wellness program. A sample survey could be acquired in the HOPE Publications Web site.

If you plan to adapt this sample survey or develop your own survey, keep the following hints in mind -

o  Ask primarily closed-choice questions, particularly if you’ll be sending the survey to a large number of staff. Closed-choice questions provide specific choices and are easy to tabulate. You may want to use a computer for data entry and analysis.

o  Invite comments, suggestions and recommendations, or ask open-ended questions at the end of the survey. Open-ended items are more difficult to summarize.

o  Include a brief explanatory cover letter with the survey with the signature of the corporation president. Be sure to include a statement about confidentiality and anonymity.

o  Ask a group of representative staff to review the survey before it’s distributed. Find out when the questions will be understood by staff and won’t be objected to.

o  Include demographic information at the beginning or end of the survey. Consider various ways that you may analyze the responses by demographic characteristics (gender, age, shift, site, department, etc.).

When considering who should get the survey, a simple rule is when you’ve under 500 staff members, everyone should receive one.  The public relations benefit of everyone receiving a recent survey could be significant.

Over 500 workers, a sample of the work population will suffice. A sample saves on costs and time. You could want to consider consulting with a statistician to determine an appropriate sample size for your worksite.

Needs surveys are confidential and anonymous; they do not request information that may identify a person.

Getting support from executive management is crucial to the success of the wellness program.

One way to do this is to survey managers (see forms) and conduct interviews with decision-makers in the company. You can use the surveys here or make up your own.

When you decide to do your own, keep the survey short. It should not take more than ten minutes to complete.

The interview process can also serve to educating management. Give concise fact sheets on the advantages of wellness programs for management.

When surveys and interviews are completed, tally the surveys and write brief summaries of the interviews. Give these reports to management.

Once completed present a brief executive summary to management. Highlight a few fascinating findings that could be used immediately to make decisions about the wellness program.

Utilize charts and graphs to make your points. Prep a detailed report for wellness committee members itemizing each response. Provide a short article about the survey in the business newsletter.

The higher the response the more accurate and reliable the results. A minimum response of 40% to 50% is acceptable.

Robust wellness programs involve all employees, deal with all major health risks, offers choices, and target both the employees and the workplace environment; provide periodic evaluation of its results.     

Robust health promotion programs emphasize follow-up and offers support for the worker since he/she is employed. Studies have shown this approach to be highly successful. Key components are planning, implementation, and analysis.   

Planning robust wellness programs involve performing a needs and interest assessment, appointing a wellness committee, picking  wellness providers, setting goals/objectives for the wellness program, marketing/promoting the wellness program, and establishing procedures to ensure confidentiality.   

Implementation of robust wellness programs consist of five major tasks -    

1   Health testing and referral

2   Follow-up and counseling workforce

3   Follow-up with physicians

4   Health improvement programs

5   Organizing worksite-wide activities.

Analysis involves monitoring health promotion programs to find out when it’s working and to help you refine it. Measuring success shows what you’ve achieved, assists justify costs, and provides information for senior management to support continued health promotion programming.   

Robust wellness programs involve all employees, deal with all major health risks, offers options, and target both the employees and the workplace environment; provide periodic analysis of its results.     

Robust health promotion programs emphasize follow-up and offers support for the worker if he/she is employed. Studies have shown this approach to be highly successful. Key components are planning, implementation, and examination

Developing robust health promotion programs involve performing a needs and interest assessment, appointing a wellness committee, choosing  wellness providers, setting goals/objectives for the health promotion program, advertising and marketing/promoting the health promotion program, and establishing procedures to ensure confidentiality

Implementation of extensive wellness programs consist of five major tasks -

o  Medical screening and health risk assessment

o  Follow-up and counseling employees

o  Follow-up with physicians

o  Health betterment and disease avoidance programs

o  Organizing worksite-wide health promotion program activities.

Analysis involves monitoring health promotion programs to determine if it’s working and to help you refine it.

Measuring success shows what you’ve achieved, helps justify costs, and provides information for upper-level management to support continued wellness programming.

Initially introduced by Halbert Dunn in the 1950’s, wellness became a well-liked buzzword during the late 1970’s and received considerable academic attention in the 1980’s.     

Wellness programs for staff members became more widespread during the following decade, and credible evidence for their economic viability began to be published.     

There have now been over 100 published studies on this topic and a number of systematic reviews.

Health risks increase costs.  Medical and medical insurance costs escalate with both age and number of risks present.8,10   the number of risks is also strongly related to sick time absenteeism, Employee’s Compensation costs, short-term disability, and reduced productivity (”presenteeism”).

Early worker health promotion programs were relatively basic and usually produced a Return On Investment of less than one dollar for every dollar spent operating the health promotion program (Return On Investment = <1 - 1).8

Such wellness programs might  be characterized as “fun-oriented”.  Participation is entirely voluntary, and there’s no particular focus on the reduction of particularly identified high risks.

Interventions and activities are not customized, and there’s no emphasis on the management of medical costs.  These health promotion programs are typically site-based only, lack options to address all the major behaviorally-related health risks, and lack multimodal presentation.

Minimal or no incentives are provided to personnel for participation, and services to spouses and family members aren’t available.  Most such health promotion programs lack meaningful analysis.

More conventional wellness programs are “activity-oriented” and have shown an ROI of between 1 - 2.5 and 1 - 3.5.8 These wellness programs might have a greater emphasis on health and risk reduction, although the efforts are relatively broad and not personalized.

They might have some generalized emphasis on medical cost management, although not necessarily aimed at specific high risks.  Most are site-based and voluntary, with spouses included only rarely.

Modest incentives might  be utilized to encourage participation.  Formal analysis might  be weak.

The newest and most economically viable health promotion programs are “results-oriented” and exemplify the health and productivity management model.  These health promotion programs consistently produce return rates of 1 - 4 or greater within a 12-24 month period.8

Such health promotion programs are strongly focused on the reduction of namely identified high risks and the management of medical costs. They’re generally voluntary, but use strong financial and other incentives to promote participation.

They’re multi-component in nature (address all major risks), and have both onsite and virtual modalities of operation.  The interventions are highly targeted and individualized, and offered to spouses as well as personnel.

For companies, the cost of providing medical insurance for their workforce is of great importance.  Those costs have been increasing at annual rates between 6% and 14%.

Chapman’s 2007 systematic review7 stated an average reduction in healthcare costs of 26.5% then of employee health promotion programs.  His review covered 60 of the most scientifically precise studies, with an average of 3.77 years of study.

Absenteeism due to disease is another cost driver.  Chapman’s review7 reports an typical reduction in sick time of 25.3 percent.   Cost for Employee’s Compensation was decreased by 40.7 percent, and disability costs by 24.2 percent.

There is also an emerging literature on the costs of presenteeism (reduced productivity).11,13  In one study, every risk lowered through a wellness program yielded a 9 percent reduction in presenteeism (and a 2 percent reduction in absenteeism).11

A lot of companies have achieved a zero percent increase in healthcare costs across at least brief periods of time.10  Doing so requires 90-95 percent participation of the employee population in focused health promotion programs, with 75%-85 percent of the staff members falling into the low risk category.10     

Despite the fact that extensive efforts to lower the risk status of those in moderate or high risk categories should be made, the needs of currently healthful workforce should be addressed as well to avoid increases in risk-status.   

Given the size of the federal workforce, meaningful cost savings in the government’s contribution to medical insurance premiums for employees may be achieved when a majority of that population were participating in active health promotion programs.     

Similarly, improvements in absenteeism, employee’s compensation, disability, presenteeism, and turnover as a result of comprehensive staff member wellness programs would yield substantial fiscal benefits for the government.   

References   

1   Aldana, Steven G.  (2001)   Financial Impact of Health Promotion Programs -   A Comprehensive Review of the Literature.   Am J Health Promotion 15(5) - 296-320.

2   Chapman, Larry.  (1998)   the Role of Incentives in Wellness.  The Art of Health Promotion  2(3) - 1-8.

3   Chapman, Larry.   (2003)   Biometric Screening in Health Promotion -   is it Really as Important as We Think?  the Art of Health Promotion  7(2) - 1-12.

4   Chapman, Larry.  (2005)   Meta-Evaluation of Employee Wellness Economic Return Studies -  2005 Update.  The Art of Wellness, July/August, 1-15.

5   Chapman, Larry.   (2006)  Worker Participation in Employee Wellness and Wellness Programs -  Precisely how Important are Incentives, and Which Ones work Best?   North Carolina Medical Journal   67(6) -   431-432.

6   Chapman, Larry, Lesch, Nancy, and Passas Baun, Mary Beth.   (2007)   the Role of Health Promotion Coaching in Corporate Health Promotion.   the Art of Wellness, July/August, 1-12.

7   Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   Proof Positive -   an Analysis of the cost-Effectiveness of Corporate Health Promotion.  Northwest Health Management Publishing, Seattle, WA.

8   Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   an In-Depth Look at the Economic Evidence for Rewarding Health Behavior Change.   Workshop presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthful Behaviors for Health Plans and Corporations” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.

9   Edington, Dee.   (2001)   Emerging Research -   A View from One Research Center.  American Journal of Health Promotion 15(5) -  341-349.

10   Edington, Dee W.  (2007)   Health Management as a Serious Business Strategy.  Presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthy Behaviors for Health Plans and Companys” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.

11   Pelletier, Barbara, Boles, Myde, and Lunch, Wendy.  (2004)  Changes in Health Risks and Make sure to work Productivity.   Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 46(7) -  746-754.

12   Pelletier, Kenneth R.  (2005)   A Review and Analysis of the Clinical and Cost-Effectiveness Studies of robust Health and Disease Management (DM)Programs at the Workplace -  Update VI 2000-2004.  JOEM 47(10)1051-1058.

13   DeVol, Ross, Bedroussian, Armen, et.  Al.  (2007)  an Unhealthful America -   the Economic Burden of Chronic Condition.  Report released by the Milken Institute.   www.milkeninstitute.org.

14   Partnership for Prevention.  (2008) Investing in Health -   Proven Health Promotion Practices for Worksites.   http - //www.prevent.org/images/stories/2008/investinginhealth_finalfinal.pdf.

Corporate America is increasingly investing in employee health promotion because it’s good business.  In order to meet productivity demands, businesses must rely on a healthful, productive workforce to succeed in the highly competitive global marketplace.

Over a hundred studies in both corporate and governmental settings have documented the economic benefits of worker health promotion programs, including reduced absenteeism, reduced injuries and workman’s compensation costs, reduced healthcare costs, reduced worker turnover, as well as increased productivity, greater worker satisfaction, and improved morale.1-10

The more recent literature reflects improvements in health promotion programming along with greater return on investment.  In general, the more focused and intensive the health promotion program, the greater benefit realized.

To enhance their effectiveness federal government employee wellness programs may  be able to incorporate some of the features described. Employee wellness programs shown to have positive returns on investment often include the following features -    

1   Health and productivity management model

Programs characterized by this model focus attention on identification and reduction of specific risks or behaviors such as smoking, lack of physical activity, excess weight, unhealthful diet, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, stress, depression, and so on.     

High-risk personnel are particularly targeted for intervention, although the most successful wellness programs also direct efforts towards healthy personnel in order to maintain their low-risk status.  This model emphasizes outcomes as opposed to simply offering wellness activities for their own sake.     

2   Health risk assessment

Use of a computerized health risk assessment  instrument with individualized feedback and recommendations is almost universal in successful wellness programs. Staff Members take the questionnaire yearly in many cases.     

The Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) serves to increase awareness, provide direction, and motivate individuals to improve specific behaviors.  In some cases, the customized report is directly linked to appropriate resources related to identified risks.     

Research indicates that the use of an HRA is effective when it is followed by some type of educational or therapeutic intervention for identified risks.  It often serves as the entry point into wellness programs.   

3   Biometric analysis

A lot of health promotion programs combine the results of the health risk assessment with measurement of each employee’s biometrics, including weight and Body Mass Index , blood pressure, cholesterol, fasting glucose, and assorted other metrics.     

Combining the results of the HRA with biological measures leads to a more exact risk profile.   Computerized health risk assessments often incorporate biometric data in their risk analysis.   

4   Wellness Program Incentives

Employees are frequently given monetary or other significant rewards for completing an HRA, participation in a health promotion program or class, specific accomplishments like stopping smoking, losing weight, or exercising, and for maintaining healthful status and/or behaviors.     

In many cases the monetary incentives are associated with reductions in medical insurance premiums.  Some health promotion programs use disincentives in addition to incentives, such as charging personnel who smoke higher rates for their medical insurance contribution.   

5   High wellness program participation rates

Successful wellness programs use incentives to drive participation rates up.  They also market their wellness programs extensively, and may use contest or challenge strategies to heighten enthusiasm and encourage participation.   

6   Wellness coaching

Workers with identified risks or desire to improve their health habits could  be periodically coached via telephone by trained wellness Coaches.     

Coaching helps staff set and achieve realistic lifestyle-related goals including those addressing stress, work life balance, tobacco use, weight, exercise, and various behavior modifications.     

Three or more sessions are normally offered.  In some intensive wellness programs, the coaching extends to actual disease management (DM) intervention for staff members with identified high-risk illnesses.    

7   Multiple formats

Programs may offer wellness content in online, paper, and seminar formats to provide stimulating variety and alternatives for accommodate the needs of all staff.     

In addition to on-site physical activity and healthful consuming events, on-line wellness programs, e-mail reminders and notices, printed newsletters and materials, and worksite classes and seminars are common dissemination strategies.   

8   Upper-level management support

Enthusiastic and frequent endorsement by upper management is crucial to achieving high rates of participation.  When senior executives are wellness role models themselves the effects of endorsement are enhanced.   

9   Frequent contact

Successful health promotion programs have frequent contact of some sort with every employee.  This could  be through marketing efforts (e.g., posters, e-mail notices, reminders, or messages, etc.), bulletin boards, newsletters, staff meeting presentations, discussion in new employee orientation, supervisory sessions, etc.      

The key is to enhance worker awareness of wellness opportunities and reinforce the corporate emphasis on wellness through frequent and multiple “touches”.   

10   Open enrollment

To encourage high participation rates workforce must have easy access to the health promotion programs and activities.  Open and uncomplicated enrollment processes achieve this.     

Many businesses automatically enroll all staff members and then allow those who do not wish to participate to “opt-out”.  This practice has been proven to boost enrollment rates in some establishings.   

11   Family involvement

Many health promotion programs encourage spouses and other family members to participate in the business wellness activities and to adopt a healthy lifestyle along with the designated employee. It’s far easier for the employee to have a healthy lifestyle if his/her family does so as well.   

12   Use of tobacco cessation

Because tobacco use and other tobacco use is the number one threat to health it’s critical to offer staff members effective and convenient assistance with quitting.     

Access to smoking cessation pharmaceuticals is usually part of such wellness programs.  In-house wellness programs provide the most convenient access to these services, although on-line or telephone-based wellness programs could  be available as well.     

13   Exercise

Regular physical activity is a core component of every health promotion program. Employees must be strongly encouraged to engage in regular physical activity.     

Most health promotion programs provide either periodic or continuous onsite opportunities, and some locations have onsite fitness clubs, swimming pools, walking trails, etc.  Discounted or compensated memberships to community exercise facilities is a common alternative to onsite facilities.   

14   Weight management

Because obesity is a major threat to health it’s imperative that programs offer effective assistance with weight control. Comprehensive encouragement from senior level management to shed excess weight is important.     

Web-Based wellness programs, worksite programs, or discounted access to weight control programs in the community may all be available.  Long-term follow-up is vital for maintenance of weight reduction.   

15   Stress management

Worksite stress is perhaps the most common complaint among staff and a major contributor to absenteeism, presenteeism (reduced productivity), and low morale.     

Nearly all successful wellness programs offer assistance with personal and workplace stress.  Some programs refer personnel to outside resources for more serious conditions like depression and anxiety disorders, but most offer internet based or frequent on-site general stress reduction programs.     

A lot of organizations endeavor to structure the work environment to minimize stress, both physically and operationally.   

16   Medical testings/immunizations

Staff Members are actively encouraged to complete advised biometric testings for blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI, colorectal and breast cancer, and others.     

Annual influenza immunizations are also encouraged.  Some sites provide these services at the workplace.  Incentives are often awarded for completion of these screenings/immunizations.    

17   On-Site health care

Actual provision of on-site main care medical services is a growing trend.  The quickly escalating costs of medical care insurance for staff has stimulated this trend.     

Many corporations have found that it’s less expensive to provide main care services themselves than to fund those services through medical insurance.     

Onsite care also reduces the amount of time employees would otherwise spend away from the worksite getting such services.    

References   

1   Aldana, Steven G.  (2001)   Financial Impact of Health Promotion Programs -   A Comprehensive Review of the Literature.   Am J Health Promotion 15(5) - 296-320.

2   Chapman, Larry.  (1998)   the Role of Incentives in Wellness.  The Art of Health Promotion  2(3) - 1-8.

3   Chapman, Larry.   (2003)   Biometric Screening in Health Promotion -   is it Really as Important as We Think?  the Art of Health Promotion  7(2) - 1-12.

4   Chapman, Larry.  (2005)   Meta-Investigation of Employee Health Promotion Economic Return Studies -  2005 Update.  The Art of Wellness, July/August, 1-15.

5   Chapman, Larry.   (2006)  Employee Participation in Corporate Health Promotion and Health Promotion Programs -  Exactly how Important are Incentives, and Which Ones work Best?   North Carolina Medical Journal   67(6) -   431-432.

6   Chapman, Larry, Lesch, Nancy, and Passas Baun, Mary Beth.   (2007)   the Role of Health Promotion Coaching in Corporate Health Promotion.   the Art of Wellness, July/August, 1-12.

7   Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   Proof Positive -   an Analysis of the cost-Effectiveness of Company Wellness.  Northwest Health Management Publishing, Seattle, WA.

8   Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   an In-Depth Look at the Economic Evidence for Rewarding Health Behavior Change.   Workshop presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthful Behaviors for Health Plans and Companys” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.

9   Edington, Dee.   (2001)   Emerging Research -   A View from One Research Center.  American Journal of Health Promotion 15(5) -  341-349.

10   Edington, Dee W.  (2007)   Health Management as a Serious Company Strategy.  Presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthy Behaviors for Health Plans and Corporations” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.

11   Pelletier, Barbara, Boles, Myde, and Lunch, Wendy.  (2004)  Changes in Health Risks and Be sure to work Productivity.   Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 46(7) -  746-754.

12   Pelletier, Kenneth R.  (2005)   A Review and Analysis of the Clinical and Cost-Effectiveness Studies of robust Health and Illness ManagementPrograms at the Worksite -  Update VI 2000-2004.  JOEM 47(10)1051-1058.

13   DeVol, Ross, Bedroussian, Armen, et.  Al.  (2007)  an Unhealthy America -   the Economic Burden of Chronic Condition.  Report released by the Milken Institute.   www.milkeninstitute.org.

14   Partnership for Prevention.  (2008) Investing in Health -   Proven Health Promotion Practices for Worksites.   http - //www.prevent.org/images/stories/2008/investinginhealth_finalfinal.pdf.

Analysiss determine the outcome of a Wellness Program. They help you determine if your objectives were met. It’s a good idea to add an examination component to your Wellness Program.

Evaluations may conclude that some interventions didn’t work well. You may find that a popular Wellness Program costs too much and didn’t really affect employees’ health.

While these might not be the outcomes you hoped for, without this information you may continue ineffective interventions. Having this information will help you develop better solutions.

When your results are excellent, it is magnificent! You can spread the word to personnel and senior level management that your health promotion program is achieving its objectives.

Three major areas of an examination

o  Wellness Program structure - the basic framework of the program

o  Wellness Program process - Precisely how well the program is run

o  Wellness Program outcomes - Regardless of whether the health promotion program met the set goals

Common questions used to evaluate a Health Promotion Program

Structure Questions

o  What’s included in the Health Promotion Program? What’s the intervention?

o  Where does the Health Promotion Program take place?

o  How’s the Wellness Program delivered? What content is included?

o  Who manages the Wellness Program?

Process Questions

o  Exactly how many people  participate?

o  Do participants complete the Wellness Program?

o  Are participants satisfied?

o  Which aspects of the Health Promotion Program are best attended?

Outcome Questions

o  Does the Health Promotion Program improve understanding of health issues?

o  Does the Health Promotion Program change behavior?

o  Does the Wellness Program save the business money?

o  What’s the ROI?

Download a sample health promotion program (http - //www.ibx.com/pdfs/custom/wellness_partners/services/turnkey_programs/walking/participant_eval.pdf) investigation from IBC’s Walking Towards Health Promotion program.

o  Identify through an worker survey what incentives they value.

o  Identify what incentives the corporation can provide in addition to what the budget will allow.

o  Ensure that every participant who achieves a goal receives some recognition.

o  Avoid offering incentives for the “best” or the “most.”

o  Avoid using food as a reward.

o  Use incentives to promote your health promotion program, through logos and branding.

Incentives encourage employees to adopt positive behaviors or maintain an existing positive behavior that may potentially help the employee stay healthy and live longer. Adopting positive health behavior is fundamentally what wellness is about.

Incentives could be used to elevate participation rates, help individuals complete a Health Promotion Program, or help individuals change or adhere to healthful behaviors.

Providing incentives and rewards will send an important message to the workforce that your corporation is committed to helping them with improving their health. It also plays a significant role in exciting individuals to participate.

Tips on how to pick appropriate incentives -

o  Identify through an staff member survey what incentives they value.

o  Identify what incentives the business can provide in addition to what the budget will allow.

o  Ensure that every participant who achieves a goal receives some recognition.

o  Avoid offering incentives for the “best” or the “most.”

o  Avoid using food as a reward.

o  Use incentives to promote your Wellness Program, through logos and branding.

When developing a comprehensive Health Promotion Program, be certain that it consists of a selection of awareness, lifestyle change, supportive environment programs, policies and activities that target risk behaviors, and the needs and interests of the employees.

It will be crucial that you review and revise existing policies governing such areas as use of tobacco sections and the staff cafeteria.

Tips on designing a Wellness Program -

o  Develop activities based on your plan objectives addressing the specific needs of your personnel. Focus on those topics that are of greatest interest to your personnel and the greatest needs of your company, in that order. Avoid topics with narrow appeal.

o  Keep it simple. Design the Health Promotion Program so it is easy for the participants to understand and track.

o  Integrate a combination of activities to include awareness, educational, and behavior elements.

o  Select activities in which every worker can participate.

Suggestions for your Wellness Program -

o  Challenges. Activities that focus on practicing a desired behavior that continues for 4-8 weeks and focuses on specific topics (such as physical activity, nutrition, or stress management).

o  Learning experiences. This includes seminars, videos, and classes.

o  Behavior changes (such as tobacco use cessation). You may or may not offer interventions at the workplace. Nevertheless, you should encourage person to make lifestyle changes that they want to make even without an external incentive.

o  Education on illness management. for  instance, support and education groups for diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.

o  Learing new skills. for  instance, CPR and first aid.

o  Preventive screenings like blood pressure, cholesterol, and vision.

Create objectives and objectives

Goals are general guidelines that explain what you want to achieve. Goals define strategies or steps to take to attain the identified goal.

A health promotion program should have a “destination”. Use the results of your surveys and your wellness committee’s mission statement as guides. Consider these ideas -

o  Focus on making health information and learning resources readily available to personnel

o  Focus on group activities so personnel can work together to support and encourage healthier lifestyles

o  Develop a health promotion program that is visible to both staff members and to your patrons

o  Focus on written policies and guidelines

o  Make sure to set goals for your health promotion program.

Review Guidelines for Writing Objectives.

Health Promotion Program Objectives Should be

Specific - A goal is specific when it provides a description of what’ll be accomplished. It’ll state exactly what the company intends to accomplish.

It should be written so that it may be easily and obviously communicated. A specific goal will make it easier for those writing goals and action plans to address the following questions -

o  Who’s to be involved?

o  What is to be accomplished?

o  Where is it to be done?

o  When’s it to be done?

Measurable - A goal is measurable when it’s quantifiable.  To determine when your goal is measurable, ask questions such as - Exactly how much? Exactly how many? How’ll I know when it’s accomplished?

Attainable - You can attain most any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that authorizes you to carry out those steps. Objectives that might have seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable.

Realistic - Realistic, means “do-able.” the goal needs to be realistic for your business and where the business is at the moment.

A goal to take out all the high fat items in the vending machine may not be realistic for your corporation right now; a better goal would be to substitute some chips, candy bars and pies for pretzels, yogurt and dried fruit.

Timely - Finally, a goal must have a timeframe -  for next week, in three months, by age 35. It must have a starting and ending point. It should also have some intermediate points at which progress can be evaluated.

Limiting the time in which a goal should be accomplished helps to focus effort toward its achievement. If you do not set a time, the commitment is too vague. It tends not to happen because you feel you can start at any time. Without a time limit, there’s no urgency to start taking action now.