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.

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

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 habit that’ll last a lifetime.

Nonetheless, it is crucial to practice wellness year-round. This section provides a robust list of Wellness Program ideas that have been implemented within wellness programs.

All ideas presented in this section have been successful for one or both of the entities. Each activity/idea can be used as a stand-alone event, even if you do not conduct a fitness contest, or can be held coupled with your Staff Member Fitness Contest.

You might want to pick some of the ideas you think will work for your staff or think of others and start your program to create a better state of health.

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 provide evidence of lower medical and insurance costs for participants in wellness programs, specifically wellness programs involving exercise.

For $30 per person, the Bank of America conducted a wellness program for retirees using a risk assessment questionnaire, self-care books and other mailed materials. Insurance claims were reduced an typical of $164 annually in this group while they increased $15 for the control group.

Since they were able to document meaningful changes in risk behavior, they anticipate greater savings in future years.

Pacific Bell’s FitWorks participants claim $300 less per case for a one-year savings of $700,000. Savings for conditions related to a sedentary lifestyle are $722 per case.

Coca Cola announced a reduction in healthcare claims with a workout program alone, saving $500 per worker per year for the staff (60%) who joined their HealthWorks fitness program.

Prudential Insurance Corporation reports that the corporation’s major health care costs dropped from $574 to $312 for each participant in its health promotion program.

Decreased Absenteeism

Absenteeism has been shown to be impacted by company health promotion and health promotion programs.  The evidence indicates a significant reduction in absenteeism and resultant dollars saved thus of employee exercise plans.

Pacific Bell’s FitWorks health promotion program lowered absent days .8 percent to save $2 million in one year. FitWorks members also spent 3.3 days less on short-term disability for an additional savings of $4.7 million.

Focusing wellness efforts on high-risk workers can lead to better results. A national manufacturing company reports a decrease of 12.2% in disease days for these workers.

A two-year study by the DuPont Corporation of the effect of its robust wellness program on absences among workforce reports that blue-collar workforce at intervention sites had a 14 percent decline in disability days versus 5.8 percent decline for controls. There were a total of 11,726 fewer net disability days.

Increased Performance, Productivity and Morale

A number of employers with wellness programs report documented betterment in job attitude, work performance, energy level, and/or overall morale among wellness program participants–all crucial factors in enhancing productivity.

A Johnson and Johnson study found that staff member attitude changes were greater at wellness intervention sites with significant positive attitude changes noted in the categories of organizational commitment, supervision, working conditions, job competence/security, and pay/benefits.

In a Canadian government study, the Canada Life Assurance Company experimental group realized a 4 percent increase in productivity after beginning an employee fitness program, compared to the control group.

Moreover, 47 percent of wellness program participants announced that they felt more alert, had better rapport with their peers, and ordinarily enjoyed their work more.

Swedish investigators found that mental performance was significantly better in physically fit workers than in non-fit staff members. Fit workers committed 27 percent fewer errors on tasks involving concentration and short-term memory, as compared with the performance of non-fit staff members.

The Bottom Line

The following sample of corporate wellness wellness program results have been reported by individual companys –

Company –  Dollars Saved/Dollars Spent

• Bank of America (Fries) –  $5.96/$1

• PacBell –  $3.10/$1

• Wisconsin School District Insurance Group –  $4.47/$1

• Prudential Insurance –  $2.90/$1

• Bank of America (Leigh) –  $4.73/$1

• General Mills –  $3.50/$1

Summary

There is compelling evidence that a sizable portion of the billions of dollars currently spent by employers on health-related costs is avoidable by means of wellness programming.

Well-planned, comprehensive wellness programs (wellness programs and worksite wellness programs) have been proven to be cost-effective, namely when the wellness programming is matched to the health problems of the specific employee

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 from wellness providers but also from businesses trying to start their own health promotion programs. There are a number of things to do to start a successful health promotion program at work.

Suggestions for Beginning a Free or Cheap Health Promotion Program

Before starting a affordable or free health promotion program for your company, learn more about what personnel want. Survey personnel to learn more about their wellness concerns.

Keep the survey confidential to protect employees’ identities. Usually the most well-liked company health promotion topics are use of tobacco cessation, weight reduction concerns and heart and cholesterol health.

Look for Worksite Wellness Freebies

Find out who’ll come in for free to speak to workers and explore partnerships with outside agents related to company wellness.

For example, contact a local branch of a well-known losing weight business and ask if someone can come in and speak to workers. Look for agencies that are willing to come in and talk about topics related to wellness at no cost to workers, in exchange for something from you.

Find Worksite Wellness Partnerships

Working with a losing weight corporation to set up a speaking engagement for workers is the perfect opportunity to explore a potential wellness partnership.

The weight reduction business might say that when 10 workers join the health promotion program, they will hold weekly meetings at business headquarters for the individuals  who joined.  The weight reduction group also might offer business workers a discount when a few individuals  join the health promotion program.

Nonprofits an Untapped Health Management Resource

There are also plenty of nonprofit agencies who would be thrilled to visit a company to discuss health management. But it is up to you to offer them something in return.

For  instance, if the MS Society came in and talked about the signs of MS, the organization could offer to organize an MS walk (in keeping with organization health management goals, right?), or an auction with staff member and company-donated items where the proceeds go to MS.

The individuals  at the nonprofit agencies would be happy to open a dialog with your corporation and to talk about what they’d want in return for a speaking engagement. In many cases, they won’t need anything at all for a first meeting.

Collecting Data and Evaluating Wellness Program Results

Collecting data and reviewing  results of a wellness program can be tricky because of HIPPA laws. Notwithstanding, if at least 10 workers joined the weight reduction program, or 20 people  participate daily in the all-new “Let us Walk a Mile at Lunch” program, that sort of progress can speak strongly to senior-level management.

And, business successes will potentially give management more incentive to provide money for more health management and wellness programs in the future.

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 promotion program are minimal compared to the benefits.

Employee health is a major concern for small company owners. In a small shop, even a few sick workforce can disrupt the flow of the worksite and bring the operation to a standstill.

Instead of sitting back and hoping for the best, some owners are taking the matter of employee health into their own hands by starting worksite wellness programs. Here is how they work . . .

Overview of staff member wellness programs

Staff Member wellness programs are programs initiated by the business to improve the overall health of their labor force and to help individual staff overcome specific health-related hurdles.

These health promotion programs may be offered in a variety of formats –  In mandatory staff training sessions, as voluntary seminars, or through a third-party provider offering a wide-range of worker assistance programs.

In every case, however, the business foots the bill for the wellness programs because an investment in employee health is a organization investment that directly impacts the company’s bottom line.

Why offer worker health promotion programs?

Apart from the apparent concern for the health of your employees, there are a few other reasons why employee health promotion programs make sense for small corporations. Right off the bat, your business will benefit from the decreased level of absenteeism that goes hand in hand with a healthy workforce.

Health promotion programs will also reduce the number of injuries that occur in the workplace, not just from accidents, but also from repetitive motion and other recurring sources.

Since even a minor blip in staff member attendance can have a large impact on a small business, a more reliable workforce will inevitably translate into a smoother work cycle and a more comprehensive bottom line.

Wellness Program Features

Health promotion programs can cover a wide range of health-related topics. Based on your employees’ needs, it’s entirely up to you to determine the type of wellness programming you want to offer.

However, most employee health promotion programs offer some at least some health promotion programs in the following areas –

• Nutrition. Diet can significantly impact an staff member’s ability to do their job effectively. Nutritional programs educate staff about food options and equip them to make healthful dietary options.

• Fitness. In addition to diet, exercise is an important factor in a healthful lifestyle. Health promotion programs frequently provide personnel with opportunities to incorporate exercise into their daily lives.

• Tobacco use Cessation. Statistics prove that smokers tend to fall ill more frequently than their non-use of tobacco peers. Since sick personnel disrupt the worksite, use of tobacco cessation programs are a no-brainer for both businesss and personnel.

• Physiological Testing. A lot of businesss offer physiological as a regular part of their health promotion programs. Cholesterol tests, blood pressure (BP) screenings, and other simple exams can provide early warning signs for more serious problems.

• Stress Management. Stress itself takes a toll on staff. Nonetheless, stress is also linked to other medical problems like depression, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. Health promotion programs that help staff deal with stress improve not only the psychological health of your staff, but their physical health as well.

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 employees dash outside during lunch for a smoke break?
• Would a use of tobacco cessation program help?
• How often do the junk food-laden vending machines have to be replenished?
• Is whoever exercising or taking benefit of local walking trails as part of their healthful living goals?

The answers to these questions will give companies a better idea of the worker wellness program that is right for them.

2. Survey staff members to determine their healthful lifestyle habits.

• Are they exercising regularly?
• Eat three square meals a day?
Have regular physicals? Really? Then what planet are they on?

Because we’d love to visit! A health promotion program benefits most companies because staff members don’t have the time or energy to stay on top of wellness concerns at work or when they leave the office to go home.

3. Provide health promotion programs a big kick-off with a healthful living “fair.” Offer workforce free flu shots, blood pressure (BP) checks, cholesterol screenings, body/fat ratio assessments, smoking cessation programs and free mammograms- and contact the local hospital, because there’s plenty more where this came from.

Corporations keep their personnel hopping during the week. Provide personnel a chance to amp up their healthful lifestyle on the business dime. A wellness program is an added benefit that personnel get for working for the company!

4. Incent to live- offer money for staff to lose weight, commit to a tobacco use cessation program and typically enjoy a healthier lifestyle.

Make certain to encourage humankind’s innate competitive nature by offering prizes for wellness worker “winners.” And, encourage a healthier lifestyle by sponsoring workers who want to enter a local 5K for charity race, run a marathon or play a sport.

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 contain costs are changing the ways in which purchasers of healthcare plans are viewing their own efforts toward provision of workplace healthcare programs and facilities.

Projections for the next decade indicate that health promotion programs will continue to become important factors in the provision of healthcare, including avoidance activities, for both government and private industry.

In corporations with existing wellness programs, administrative rationale for sponsoring these activities ranged from improving employee health (28%) to improving employee morale (9.7%).

Programs include interventions associated with safety, health risk appraisal, use of tobacco cessation, blood pressure (BP) control, nutrition programs and stress management. Benefits cited range from improved health and productivity to lowering health care costs.

Demographics of the U.S.  Workforce

• 110 million Americans were in the civilian labor force in 1981; by the year 2000 the civilian labor force is expected to be almost 140 million.

• 44 percent of the 1984 labor force was female; 10 percent was Black.

• The median age of the workforce is 32 years and is expected to raise to 32 years by 2030.

• 57.9 percent of all staff work in businesses with between 2 and 500 employees; 45 percent work in businesses with fewer than 100 staff.  An additional 7.5 million American Citizens are self-employed and 3 million are farmers.

• 18% of all wage and salaried workers in 1985 were union members.            

• 45% of all employees are employed in offices.            

Prevalence of Worksite Wellness Activities            

Based on a 1985 survey, almost 66% of workplaces with 50 or more staff had company health promotion activities in 1985.  The frequency of workplace-based activities by selected categories in 1985 was –             

Wellness Program Activities            

Tobacco use Control          35.60%   

Health Risk Appraisal (HRA)    29.50%         

Back Care             28.60%

Stress Management       26.60%      

Exercise             22.10%

Off the Job Accidents    19.80%         

Nutrition             16.80%

Blood Pressure (BP) Control    16.50%         

Weight Control          14.70%   

Workplace size is the strongest indicator of health promotion program prevalence.            

Most employees believe the advantages of their company wellness activities outweigh the costs, even though few formal evaluations exist.            

The most frequently cited reason for beginning wellness programs and perceived benefit from programs is improved worker health.

At most worksites with activities (85.4%), all workforce are eligible to participate. 30 percent of worksites with activities offer them to corporation dependents, and an equal percent offer them to retirees.

When worksites seek outside wellness program assistance, they turn to voluntary, not-for-profit corporations (57.1%), private for-profit providers-consultants (50%), local hospitals (44%), and insurance corporations (43%).

Use of tobacco Cessation Programs

Tobacco use related health problems cost U.S. companies $26 billion annually in lost productivity and $7 to $8 billion in use of tobacco-related healthcare costs.

Workers who smoke are 50% more likely to be hospitalized than nonsmokers, have 2 times as many job-related accidents as nonsmokers and have absenteeism rates approximately 50% higher than nonsmokers.

People  who smoked an average of one or more packs of cigarettes per day had 118% higher health care expenditures than nonsmokers.

76% of current smokers and 80% of former smokers and nonsmokers feel that organizations should restrict tobacco use to certain areas.

In 1985, 65% of smokers, 85% of nonsmokers and 78% of former smokers, felt that smokers should refrain from tobacco use in the presence of nonsmokers.

In 1986, 17 states had laws regulating smoking in offices or worksites either in government-controlled offices or offices of private workforce.

Examples of use of tobacco cessation intervention program used by organizations include –

• offering nonsmokers a discount of health and life insurance;

• compensating full or partial fees for smoking cessation programs;

• providing cessation programs on organization or shared time;

• offering cash payments to quitters after 6 of 12 tobacco-free months;

• participating in national quit use of tobacco days; and

• Adopting a smoke free business policy and setting deadlines for beginning the policy.

Fitness Programs

An active 55-year-old man can lead as vigorous a lifestyle as a sedentary 35-year-old.

Differences in work-related activity has been shown to yield a two- to three-fold difference in cardiovascular deaths between active employees and their more sedentary counterparts.

In addition to improving strength, balance, and flexibility, exercise programs could reduce  the probability of back injuries among certain occupational groups.

93 million workdays in the United States are lost annually as the result of back problems.

Research findings support the notion that worksite fitness plans improve fitness and help reduce other health risks, although results related to improved productivity are weak due to lack of methods for accurately measuring productivity.

A very small proportion of worksites have onsite fitness facilities.

The majority of workforce sponsored fitness programs involve skills training like aerobic dance, low impact aerobics, weight training, preand post-natal exercise classes, and walking/jogging groups.

Some corporations subsidize worker participation in community “Ys,” fitness clubs or other community programs when no onsite facilities are available.

Workplace physical fitness programs could reduce costs to employers by lowering employee health care claims and expenditures.

People  whose weekly exercise was equivalent to climbing less than five flights of stairs or walking less than a half mile, spent 114 percent more on health claims than those who ascended at least 15 flights of stairs or walked 1 1/2 miles weekly.

Health care costs for obese individuals  are roughly 11 percent higher than those for thin individuals .

Nutrition and Weight Control

One-third of the USA  population is obese to the extent of reducing their life expectancy.

Improvements in eating habits could reduce  the risk of serious medical problems like high blood pressure (BP) and cholesterol levels and is instrumental in the control of non-insulin-dependent diabetes.

The workplace offers several advantages for nutrition education; support and influence of peers and management, availability of a daily consuming situation, and opportunities for follow-up and monitoring.

Worksite nutrition programs can be grouped in 6 wide categories –

• cafeteria programs;

• multi-component programs;

• weight control programs;

• cholesterol reduction programs;

• programs for pregnant and lactating women; and

• other nutrition education topics.

Men are less likely to participate in weight-loss programs than are female workforce.

Stress Management

Estimates suggest that 50% to 80% of doctor visits may be attributed to psychosomatic or stress-related origins.

Business compensates many of the costs related to staff member stress, both directly in the form of health care costs and in lower productivity.

Job factors which are associated with stress include –

• not authorizing personnel to take part in decisions about the work process;

• positions which require more or less skill than the staff member has;

• changes in work demands;

• lack of clarity about expectations and standards; and

• conflict with colleagues or supervisors.

Most workplace stress management programs are implemented then of requests from personnel.

Stress management programs focus on three types of skills –  relaxation skills, coping skills, and interpersonal skills.

Worksite stress management programs are often delivered in one of three formats –

• workshops conducted by trained professionals;

• self-learning tools; and

• personal teaching to assist with self-assessment, planning for changes, learning new skills and responding to life crises.

The two major techniques used in worksite stress management programs are –

• Teaching individuals  to reduce the negative physical effects of stress; and

• Teaching individuals  to recognize and control sources of stress at work and in personal life.

Seat Belt Usage

Motor car accidents are the biggest single cause of lost work time and on-the-job fatalities of U.S. company.

Motor automobile accidents account for 27 percent of all work-related deaths and 45 million days of lost work yearly.

Greater than 36 percent of the 11,300 accidental work deaths in 1983 involved cars.

Employees who routinely fail to use seat belts may spend up to 54% more days in the hospital.

Traffic accidents caused about 3 times as many days of restricted activity as any other type of disability.

Motor automobile crashes cost $15.2 billion in lost productivity, 88% of which is attributed to losses from workforce activities and future earnings.

In corporate settings where safety belt policies, requiring use of belts by anyone riding in a corporation car or using a private car on corporation corporation, have been enforced, 60% to 90% use has been reported.

Incentive programs, accompanied by education and use requirement restrictions have resulted in 40% to 70% initial usage rates.

Factors influencing the sources of worksite safety belt programs include –

• Active commitment on the part of management;

• obviously defined and well enforced policy of required belt use on the job;

• positive incentives; and

• ongoing education and training programs.

Case Studies of Wellness Programs

Based on an extensive investigation of its extensive staff member wellness program, LIVE FOR LIFE, Johnson and Johnson announced the break-even point for the program occurs in year 3 and by year 5 they have a net benefit of $316 per staff member. Their year 9 projected benefit is $677 per staff member.

Workers at four Johnson and Johnson companies who were exposed to the wellness program increased their daily energy expenditure in vigorous activity by 104 percent compared to an increase of 33 percent among employees at companies that were offered only an annual medical test.

Participants in the United Methodist Publishing House’s wellness program submitted more claims (1.14 per participating staff member and .82 for the control in 1984, 1.44 and 1.3 respectively in 1985), but the typical cost per claim was less for participants ($316 for participants and $567 for control, in 1984, $262 and $602 respectively in 1985, $270 and $566 respectively in the first four months of 1986).

The United Methodist Publishing House attributes some of the lower than projected use in healthcare costs for 1985 ($902,116 projected with actual costs $142,884) to the health promotion program even though the results are not conclusive.

In 1985, the Adolph Coors Corporation conducted a telephone interview of a random sample of its 10,000 staff to determine changes in health practices since the introduction of an staff member wellness program 4 years earlier.

The sample of 495 workforce was stratified to match the business profile for age, sex and job description.

The survey stated that 65% of respondents began exercising in the last 4 years, 37% had improved their diets, 20% were regular users of the wellness center, 9% had stopped tobacco use as the result of the company’s tobacco use cessation program and regular participants of the wellness center miss an typical of 1.96 workdays each year because of illness or injury compared to 3.08 days for non-participating workers.

The Coors Company also achieved a cost savings from a cardiac rehabilitation program that was implemented in 1981. In 1980 personnel were out of work 7.2 months after a heart attack or bypass operation.

In 1984, cardiac patients were out an typical 1.9 months saving $152,000 in lost work time and in 1985 cardiac patients missed an typical of 2.6 months, saving $125,000 that year.

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 promotion program can save companies $300 to $450 for each worker every year, according to Ron Goetzel, Director, Cornell University Institute for Health and Productivity Studies.

The savings can take several years to actualize, says Goetzel, and are seen in reduced health expenditures.

• The Health Promotion Councils of America announced a $24 return for every $1 spent on a corporation wellness program for small companies.

• As reported by a 2005 survey by the Art of Wellness, organizations who instituted staff member wellness programs realized a 30 percent reduction in medical and absenteeism costs in less than four years.

A successful health promotion program starts with business leaders. Corporation owners ought to lead by example, taking part in their corporation’s staff exercise program and working closely with a wellness coach.

Corporation leaders should be certain workforce are well aware about their wellness efforts, posting weight loss results or tobacco use cessation results on organization intranet or bulletin boards for everybody to see.

Employee Health Promotion Programs that Really Work

• Be sure to encourage workers to kick start their own wellness programs by visiting their physician. A complete physical should include information about blood sugar, cholesterol levels and general health.

• Target specific health-related concerns in a staff fitness initiative. Information about how to fight obesity, use of tobacco, alcoholism and drug abuse ought to be at the forefront of an staff member health promotion program, along with related conditions.

• Hire a wellness coach to instruct staff on how to lead a healthful lifestyle.

• Reward staff for participating in corporation wellness programs. Let staff accrue wellness points that they can redeem for prizes.

Make the prizes healthy, too- a free massage, private training session with the organization’s wellness coach or health food gift certificate encourages even healthier lifestyle choices.

• Acknowledge staff member health promotion leaders in corporation newsletters, in posted bulletins and on the corporation intranet.

Company Health Promotion Programs Yield Big Results

For company owners who want to elevate staff member participation in a company wellness program, consider Johnson and Johnson’s approach.

Faced with only 26 percent of personnel participating in their staff member wellness program, Johnson and Johnson offered personnel a $500 discount on medical insurance costs when they completed a health risk profile.

The number of staff participating in the Johnson and Johnson corporate fitness initiative jumped after they offered the incentive — to more than 93 percent.

Ron Goetzel encourages those looking to pitch a corporate exercise initiative to business leaders to use basic facts about the advantages of employee health promotion programs as part of their argument.

Keep it simple, and share results from other company’s worker wellness program success stories.

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

• Tobacco and alcohol are leading causes of death   

• As much as 70 percent of the cost of health care is driven by avoidable illness   

3   Health Care costs continue to rise

• Healthcare premiums continue to rise and to be passed on to the employee   

• Health Care cost are ordinarily the number one benefit cost to most employers    

4   The worksite is an ideal establishing to address health and well being

• Most American Citizens work   

• Poor health habits take a toll on American business   

• Companys have a vested interest in health related issues.   

5   Research validates that wellness programs can improve health, save money, and even produce a Return On Investment.

• Aldana,S.G. (1998). Financial impact of company health promotion and methodological quality of the evidence.  The Art of Wellness. Vol 2, Number 1.   

• Wilson, M.G. (1996). A comprehensive review of the effects of worksite wellness on health related outcomes –  an update.  The American Journal of wellness. Vol 10, Number 6.   

• Wilson, M.G. (1996). A extensive review of the effects of corporate wellness on health related outcomes –  an update.  The American Journal of wellness. Vol 11, Number 2.   

• Chapman, L.S. Proof Positive –  an analysis of the cost-effectiveness of corporate wellness. 3rd ed. Seattle –  Summex Company, 1996.   

• Pelletier, K.R. A review of the health and cost-effective outcomes studies of robust wellness and disease prevention programs at the workplace –  1993-1995 Update.  The American Journal of Health and Promotion. Vol. 10, Number 5.   

Key Components of a Wellness Program   

Physical Health Promotion – Focuses on the development, maintenance, or betterment of one’s fitness   

Sample Physical Wellness Programs / Workshops

• Annual biometric screening

• Regular physical activity

• Good safety habits

Emotional Health Promotion – Focuses on all aspects of mental fitness

Sample Emotional Wellness Programs / Workshops

• Stress management workshops

• Dealing with aging

• Addictive behaviors

• Parenting

Financial Health Promotion – Focuses on bettering the quality of life of workforce by assisting families and individuals in becoming financially stable

Sample Financial Wellness Programs / Seminars

• Financial management

• Savings and Investing

• Credit and Purchasing

• Insurance and Estate Planning

Spiritual Health Promotion – Focuses on promoting a healthy inner self

Sample Spiritual Health Promotion Programs / Seminars

• Be sure to encourage daily devotional readings

• Give regular service opportunities

• Provide a daily/weekly/monthly chapel (meditation) time during work hours

Nutritional Health Promotion – Will meet the needs of the staff through group and individual nutritional services

Sample Nutritional Wellness Programs / Seminars

• Individual nutritional Assessment

• Individual and group counseling

• Educational classes

• Weight loss health promotion programs