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Archive: December 2006

Why your company should consider a worksite wellness strategy in 2007

by Beth Spyke

First, let’s start with the bad news—50-70 percent of disease in America today is directly related to poor lifestyle choices (smoking, high fat diet, lack of activity).

Now, the good news: With education, motivation and support, people can change health habits and dramatically improve their health!

Health Promotion or “Wellness” programs as they are commonly called are designed to assist individuals:

Identify potential health problems like high blood pressure or heart disease in early stages when treatment is most successful
Assess lifestyle-related risks for disease
Gain knowledge, skills and support needed to create more positive health habits.

Why Target Worksites?

While wellness programs are also offered through faith communities, schools and community centers, the majority of American adults spend eight to 10 hours a day at work, making the worksite a natural target for communicating the wellness message. Additionally, it is often the employer who pays the price for employees’ poor health choices.

Employers are embracing worksite wellness as one component of a comprehensive plan for managing rising health care costs. A growing body of research documents the benefits of worksite health promotion, including:

Management of health care costs
Decreased absenteeism due to preventable sickness/injury
Increased productivity
Increased employee morale.

Depending on the unique needs of your group and financial resources available, a wellness program may include any or all of the following:

Assessment

Computerized Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) to help employees understand how their habits may affect their current and future health
Health Screenings (cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, body fat assessment)
Fitness evaluations (flexibility, strength, cardiovascular fitness)
Environment/Cultural assessment to identify ways in which your business can support employees in practicing healthy habits.

Education

Nutrition/ weight management
Stress management
Tobacco cessation
Exercise/Activity
Back and Joint care

Motivation and Support

Programs/games designed to motivate your employees and keep them on track as they practice healthier habits. An incentive program that rewards participation and behavior change.

Getting Started

First steps:

Contact a local worksite wellness consultant. A qualified, experienced professional can save you a great deal of time.
Gather baseline information including Health Risk Appraisal (HRA), employee interest survey, health claims data (if available).
Put your plan on paper (vision, goals and yearly objectives)
Focus on one or two initial areas for intervention.
Check with your health insurance carrier(s). Many have programs to assist you.
Investigate free or low cost programs available through the American Heart Association, American Cancer Association, etc.
Check these helpful web resources like Sparrow Health System’s Worksite Wellness at www.sparrowhealth.net, The State of Michigan’s worksite wellness tools - michiganstepsup.org, Wellness Councils of American at www.welcoa.org. Organizations, like employees, make New Year’s Resolutions. Set your 2007 sites on joining the mid-Michigan employers who have discovered that worksite wellness is a worthwhile investment!