Worksite Wellness : Wellness Emails.

by Worksite Wellness on January 14, 2011

These are short informational “Health Tips” in an e-mail format on many different health-related topics. You can appoint someone within your corporation to find specific topics on the Internet from sites that are in the public domain or topics can be purchased from organizations.

Some qualified sources include –

• Hope Health

• Sound Ideas, Inc.

• Centers for Illness Control and Prevention

• National Institutes of Health

These e-mails can be sent daily, weekly or monthly. Our experience indicates weekly is the best frequency.

If the majority of your workforce don’t have e-mail, consider providing the information to them through –

• Bulletin boards

• Check stuffers

• Mailbox stuffers

• Newsletters

SAMPLE #1 Worksite Wellness E-mail Messages

From – Wellness Program

To – Health Promotion Team

Subject –  Layering for Exercise

One way to help ensure enjoyment of a winter walk (or run) is to make sure you’re dressed properly for the weather.  And the secret to that, for a winter workout, is to dress in layers.

Layer 1 — Prevent 100% cotton in the first layer, next to your skin. Cotton holds perspiration. Wear underwear made from manmade fabrics to wick perspiration away from skin.

Layer 2 — A zippered sweatshirt and sweatpants will keep you warm. Just open the zipper if you get too warm.

Layer 3 — If needed, over the sweatsuit, you can add a waterproof and windproof jacket. If it is very cold, you could want to wear a jacket made with goose down.

Hands — Mittens will keep your hands warmer than gloves.

Feet — Wear socks made from wool or manmade fabrics that keep your feet dry and warm. Prevent 100 percent cotton socks. Don’t wear sneakers or boots that fit too tightly …  This will restrict blood flow and your feet will end up feeling colder.

Head — About 40 percent of your body heat is lost through your head. Wear a hat and cover your ears.

Lips — Do not forget lip balm with sunscreen … even in winter!

SAMPLE #2 Worksite Wellness E-mail Messages

From – Health Promotion Program

To – Health Promotion Team

Subject –  Energy Increases

Need an energy improve? Here are some ideas for tapping into your own energy sources — and most require little effort.

• Get an additional hour of sleep. No surprise here — it may make a large difference in your energy level the next day.

• Eat less more often. Have small, balanced meals or snacks throughout your day for a steady supply of fuel and energy. Make note of which foods seem to improve your energy level.

• Drink plenty of water. Dehydration contributes to fatigue, which you can offset by drinking water throughout the day.

• Avoid alcohol and caffeine. Both may contribute  to dehydration and fatigue. They also tend to disrupt sleep patterns.

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Worksite Wellness : Health Promotion Seminars.

by Worksite Wellness on January 13, 2011

Wellness Seminars are learning sessions planned and organized by you to meet specific objectives. Decide on a topic and select a speaker. Choose a site for the “Lunch and Learn” session, typically a lunchroom or break room.

Depending on your budget and objectives, employees can brown bag the lunch or you might provide the meal. Meetings could be mandatory or elective, your option.

Experience tells us the most success will be achieved when these Wellness Seminars are elective and when the corporation provides lunch.

Objectives for Wellness Seminars

Education on a specific medical problem. You might want to select one of your group’s top diagnoses. Examples are –

• Diabetes – diabetes prevention and care by a certified diabetic educator

• Heart illness – cardiovascular health (individual counseling sessions with a nutritionist)

• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol

• Flu and pneumonia

• Breast cancer – breast health or breast self-exam sessions can be taught by a trained instructor

Education on medical insurance benefits –

• Diabetes – what are the covered benefits, where to purchase diabetic supplies, support groups for personnel with diabetes.

• Wellness Program Benefits

• Well baby/child care.

Education on the importance of enrolling in your medical plan or local health department’s health education programs or disease management programs. Example programs –

• Diabetes

• Respiratory

• Low-Back Pain

• Cardiovascular

• Tobacco use

Community Resource Speakers for Wellness Seminars

• Local health plan office

• Local heart association

• Local cancer society

• Pharmacies – many pharmacists are available to speak on pharmacy-related issues.

• Pharmaceutical Organizations – many companies have standard presentations developed for businesss that are provided free of charge to use at your own direction. Some examples are –

• Know Your Numbers (high cholesterol) – Pfizer

• Respiratory Health Promotion (flu and pneumonia) – Pfizer

• Men’s and Women’s Health – Pfizer

• Local gyms/personal trainers/YMCA – can discuss walking safety, advantages of walking, swimming and aerobics.

• Yoga and/or Pilates instructors

• Running, cycling club representatives

• Local hospital nutritionists

• Stamp Out Use of tobacco – Tobacco Coalition representatives

Topics for Wellness Seminars

• Biking – benefits and opportunities for cycling

• Nutrition and health (Heart Healthy lunch for all attendees)

• Cardiovascular health

• Women’s health issues

• Just how to recognize the signs and signs of heart attack and stroke

• National Worker Fitness Day within the office setting – Governor’s Council on Fitness representatives can promote event

• Exercise tolerance and healthful heart issues

• Beginning a fitness program – include the importance of seeing the doctor before the beginning of any new exercise program

• Self-defense

• Domestic abuse

• Safety in general

• Exercise safety

• Walking/running benefits and safety tips Tobacco dangers and avoidance

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Worksite Wellness : Health Promotion Program Ideas.

January 12, 2011

Conducting an Employee Fitness Challenge at your workplace is a fun and motivating way to raise awareness among personnel about the importance of starting and sustaining an exercise program.
It is a concentrated effort in which to engage them in physical activity for a specific time period that, hopefully, will help them begin a healthy [...]

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Worksite Wellness : Are Health Promotion Programs Cost-Effective?

January 11, 2011

Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that comprehensive wellness programs, or Wellness Programs, can lower healthcare and insurance costs, lower absenteeism, and improve performance and productivity.
Other benefits demonstrated in studies include improved ability to attract and retain key personnel, greater staff member allegiance, and improved public image of the company.
Healthcare and Insurance Costs
A number of studies [...]

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Worksite Wellness : Wellness Programs on a Budget.

January 10, 2011

Free Health Promotion Programs and Affordable Health Management Alternatives
Begin a free health promotion program or run a successful health promotion program in the office for little or no cost to your business.  The advantages of employee health promotion at work are many.
The articles on health promotion program have generated a selection of questions, mainly [...]

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Worksite Wellness : Health Promotion Programs.

January 9, 2011

Small company health promotion programs are catching on. A well-designed health promotion program can increase productivity, increase morale and vitality, reduce stress, decrease rates of absenteeism, and control preventable healthcare costs within an organization.
The beauty of it is that you’re simply helping employees to make smart choices so the costs of implementing a health [...]

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Worksite Wellness : Worksite Wellness.

January 8, 2011

Start a Wellness Program for Your Workers Today
The benefits to beginning a health promotion program are many.
Several company health promotion tips to get workers started on the path to a healthier lifestyle –
1. Look around, and determine when employees lead a healthful lifestyle before beginning an staff member wellness program.
• Precisely how many [...]

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Worksite Wellness : Health Promotion Program Facts.

January 7, 2011

Wellness Program Introduction
The last ten years has brought major changes in employer attitudes toward health promotion programs. Interest in self-help and self-care programs has increased as growth in healthcare costs have encroached substantially into profits.
Changes in the organizational structures of healthcare facilities, particularly the growth of the for-profit healthcare sector, and the need to [...]

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Worksite Wellness : Health Promotion Programs.

January 6, 2011

Corporate Exercise Programs Improve Staff Member Wellness
Instituting a health promotion program improves the health of staff, reduces worker absenteeism and saves the corporation money, too. Learn more about beginning an worker health promotion program in the office.
Advantages of Wellness Programs
• A corporation investment of $100-$150 per worker annually to take part in an worker health [...]

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Worksite Wellness : Designing a Wellness Program.

January 5, 2011

Five reasons to have a health promotion program   
1   The USA spends more dollars on healthcare than any other nation yet we aren’t the world’s healthiest
• Largely sedentary   
• Tobacco use is still popular   
• Stress is at epidemic levels (WHO)   
• Alcohol continues to take its toll on American Citizens   
2   Much of the disease in the United States is preventable
• [...]

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