Posts from — May 2010

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

Some licensed sources include -

• Hope Health

• Sound Ideas, Inc.

• Centers for Illness Control and Prevention

• National Institutes of Health

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

If the majority of your employees do not have e-mail, consider providing the information to them through -

• Bulletin boards

• Check stuffers

• Mailbox stuffers

• Newsletters

SAMPLE #1 Corporate Wellness E-mail Messages

From -  Wellness Program

To -  Wellness Team

Subject -  Layering for Exercise

One way to help ensure enjoyment of a winter walk (or run) is to be sure you are 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 when you get too warm.

Layer 3 — When needed, over the sweatsuit, you are able to add a waterproof and windproof jacket. When it’s very cold, you may 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. Avoid 100% cotton socks. Do not wear sneakers or boots that fit too tightly … this will restrict blood flow and your feet will end up feeling colder.

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

Lips — Don’t forget lip balm with sunscreen … even in winter!

SAMPLE #2 Corporate Wellness E-mail Messages

From -  Wellness Program

To -  Wellness Team

Subject -  Energy Boosts

Need an energy boost? 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 big 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 boost your energy level.

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

• Prevent alcohol and caffeine. Both can 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 pick a speaker. Choose a site for the “Lunch and Learn” session, normally a lunchroom or break room.

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

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

Objectives for Wellness Seminars

Education on a specific health problem. You could want to select one of your group’s top diagnoses. Examples are -

• Diabetes - diabetes avoidance and care by a licensed 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 may be taught by a trained instructor

Education on medical insurance benefits -

• Diabetes - what are the covered benefits, where to buy diabetic supplies, support groups for employees with diabetes.

• Wellness Program Benefits

• Well baby/child care.

Education on the importance of enrolling in your health plan or local health department’s health education programs or disease management (DM) 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 Companies - many businesses have standard presentations created for corporations that are provided free of charge to use at your own direction. Some examples are -

• Know Your Numbers (high cholesterol) - Pfizer

• Respiratory Wellness (flu and pneumonia) - Pfizer

• Men’s and Women’s Health - Pfizer

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

• Yoga and/or Pilates instructors

• Running, cycling club representatives

• Local hospital nutritionists

• Stamp Out Tobacco use - Tobacco Coalition representatives

Topics for Wellness Workshops

• Bicycling - benefits and opportunities for cycling

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

• Cardiovascular health

• Women’s health issues

• How to recognize the signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke

• National Staff Member Fitness Day within the office setting - Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness representatives can promote event

• Exercise tolerance and healthy heart issues

• Beginning a fitness plan- include the importance of seeing the doctor before the starting 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 Staff Member Fitness Challenge at your workplace is a fun and exciting way to elevate awareness among staff members about the importance of starting and sustaining an exercise program.

It’s a concentrated effort in which to engage them in physical activity for a specific period that, hopefully, will help them begin a healthy habit that will last a lifetime.

Nevertheless, it is important 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 may be used as a stand-alone event, even if you don’t conduct a fitness contest, or may be held along with your Worker Fitness Contest.

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

Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that extensive 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 business.

Healthcare and Insurance Costs

A number of studies provide evidence of lower medical and insurance costs for participants in wellness programs, especially 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 decreased an average of $164 per year 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 stated a reduction in healthcare claims with an exercise planalone, saving $500 per employee per year for the staff members (60%) who joined their HealthWorks fitness program.

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

Reduced Absenteeism

Absenteeism has been shown to be impacted by corporate wellness and wellness programs. the evidence indicates a significant reduction in absenteeism and resultant dollars saved as a result of worker fitness programs.

Pacific Bell’s FitWorks program decreased absent days .8% 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 employees can lead to better results. A national manufacturing business reports a decrease of 12.2% in illness days for these employees.

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

Enhanced Performance, Productivity and Morale

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

A Johnson and Johnson study found that worker attitude changes were greater at wellness intervention sites with meaningful 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 Corporation experimental group realized a 4 percent increase in productivity after beginning an employee fitness program, compared to the control group.

Furthermore, 47 percent of program participants reported that they felt more alert, had better rapport with their colleagues, and normally enjoyed their work more.

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

The Bottom Line

The following sample of corporate wellness wellness program results have been stated by individual employers -

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 businesss on health-related costs is avoidable by means of wellness programming.

Well-planned, extensive wellness programs (wellness programs and staff member wellness programs) have been shown to be cost-effective, especially when the wellness programming is matched to the health problems of the specific staff member

Free Wellness Programs and Inexpensive Health Management Alternatives

Start a free wellness program or run a successful health management program in the office for little or no cost to your business. the benefits of corporate wellness and learning how to start a health management program at work are many.

The articles on health management have generated a variety of questions, mainly from wellness providers but also from corporations trying to start their own wellness workplace programs. There are a number of things to do to implement a successful health management program at work.

Suggestions for Starting a Free or Affordable Wellness Program

Before starting a cheap or free wellness program for your business, learn more about what employees want. Survey employees to learn more about their wellness concerns.

Keep the survey confidential to protect employees’ identities. Typically the most well-liked corporate wellness topics are use of tobacco cessation, weight loss concerns and heart and cholesterol health.

Look for Corporate Wellness Freebies

Find out who will come in for free to speak to workers and explore partnerships with outside agents related to corporate wellness.

For  instance, consult a local branch of a well-known weight loss business and ask when 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 Corporate Wellness Partnerships

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

The weight loss corporation may say that when 10 employees join the program, they’ll hold weekly meetings at corporation headquarters for the individuals  who joined. the weight loss group also may offer corporation employees a discount when several individuals  join the 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’s 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 business could offer to organize an MS walk (in keeping with business health management objectives, right?), or an auction with employee and company-donated items where the proceeds go to MS.

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

Accumulating Data and Investigating Wellness Program Results

Gathering data and assessing  results of a wellness program may be tricky because of HIPPA laws. Notwithstanding, when at least 10 staff members joined the weight loss program, or 20 individuals  participate daily in the all-new “Let’s 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 additional health management and wellness programs in the future.

Small business wellness programs are catching on. A well-designed wellness program can increase productivity, improve morale and vitality, reduce stress, lower absenteeism, and control preventable healthcare costs within an organization.

The beauty of it’s that you are simply assisting workers to make smart choices so the costs of beginning a wellness program are minimal compared to the benefits.

Staff Member health is a major concern for small corporation owners. In a small shop, even several sick employees can disrupt the flow of the workplace and bring the operation to a standstill.

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

Overview of worker wellness programs

Employee wellness programs are programs initiated by the company to improve the overall health of their labor force and to help individual employees overcome specific health-related hurdles.

These programs can 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 staff member assistance programs.

In every case, nevertheless, the corporation foots the bill for the programs because an investment in staff member health is a company investment that directly impacts the corporation’s bottom line.

Why offer staff member wellness programs?

Apart from the apparent concern for the health of your employees, there are several other reasons why employee wellness programs make sense for small companies. Right off the bat, your corporation will benefit from the lowered level of absenteeism that goes hand in hand with a healthy workforce.

Wellness 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 corporation, a more reliable workforce will inevitably translate into a smoother work cycle and a more robust bottom line.

Wellness Program Features

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

Notwithstanding, most worker wellness programs offer some at least some programs in the following areas -

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

• Physical Fitness. In addition to diet, exercise is an important factor in a healthy lifestyle. Wellness programs frequently provide workers 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 employees disrupt the workplace, use of tobacco cessation programs are a no-brainer for both businesss and employees.

• Physiological Testing. Many employers offer physiological as a regular part of their wellness programs. Cholesterol tests, blood pressure screenings, and other simple exams can provide early warning signs for more serious problems.

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

Start a Wellness Program for Your Staff Members Today

The benefits to beginning a wellness program are many.

A few corporate wellness tips to get employees began on the path to a healthier lifestyle -

1. Look around, and determine when staff members lead a healthful lifestyle before starting an employee wellness program.

• How many workers dash outside at lunchtime for a smoke break?
• Would a tobacco use cessation program help?
• How often do the junk food-laden vending machines have to be replenished?
• is anybody exercising or taking advantage of local walking trails as part of their healthful living goals?

The answers to these questions will give businesses a better idea of the staff member wellness program that’s right for them.

2. Survey workers to determine their healthy lifestyle habits.

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

Because we would love to visit! A wellness program benefits most companies because employees do not have the time or energy to stay on top of wellness concerns at work or when they leave the office to go home.

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

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

4. Incent to live- offer cash for staff members to lose weight, commit to a tobacco use cessation program and ordinarily 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 staff members 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 company attitudes toward wellness programs. Interest in self-help and self-care programs has increased as growth in health care costs have encroached substantially into profits.

Changes in the organizational structures of healthcare facilities, in particular 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 worksite healthcare programs and facilities.

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

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

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

Demographics of the United States  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% of the 1984 labor force was female; 10% was Black.

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

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

• 18 percent of all wage and salaried staff members in 1985 were union members.            

• 45 percent of all staff members are employed in offices.            

Prevalence of Corporate Wellness Activities            

Based on a 1985 survey, almost 66 percent of worksites with 50 or more workers had corporate wellness activities in 1985.  The frequency of worksite-based activities by selected categories in 1985 was -             

Wellness Program Activities            

Tobacco use Control          35.60%   

Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}    29.50%         

Back Care             28.60%

Stress Management       26.60%      

Exercise             22.10%

Off the Job Accidents    19.80%         

Nutrition             16.80%

Blood Pressure Control    16.50%         

Weight Control          14.70%   

Worksite size is the strongest indicator of program prevalence.            

Most workers believe the advantages of their corporate wellness activities outweigh the costs, even though few formal investigations exist.            

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

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

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

Tobacco use Cessation Programs

Use of tobacco related medical problems cost United States  companies $26 billion per year in lost productivity and $7 to $8 billion in use of tobacco-related health care costs.

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

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

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

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

In 1986, 17 states had laws regulating tobacco use in offices or workplaces either in government-controlled offices or offices of private workers.

Examples of smoking cessation intervention program used by corporations include -

• offering nonsmokers a discount of health and life insurance;

• paying full or partial fees for tobacco use cessation programs;

• providing cessation programs on corporation or shared time;

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

• participating in national quit smoking days; and

• adopting a smoke free corporation policy and setting deadlines for implementing the policy.

Physical 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 proven to yield a two- to three-fold difference in cardiovascular deaths between active workers and their more sedentary counterparts.

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

93 million workdays in the U.S. are lost each year 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 physical fitness facilities.

The majority of staff members sponsored fitness programs involve skills training such as aerobic dance, low impact aerobics, strength training, preand post-natal exercise classes, and walking/jogging groups.

Some businesses subsidize employee participation in community “Ys,” fitness clubs or other community programs if no on-site facilities are available.

Worksite physical fitness programs may reduce costs to companys by reducing worker health care claims and expenditures.

Individuals  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% higher than those for thin individuals .

Nutrition and Weight Control

One-third of the U.S.  population is obese to the extent of lowering their life expectancy.

Improvements in eating habits can 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 a few advantages for nutrition education; support and influence of colleagues and management, availability of a daily eating situation, and opportunities for follow-up and monitoring.

Worksite nutrition programs may 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 staff members.

Stress Management

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

Business compensates many of the costs related to worker stress, both directly in the form of healthcare costs and in lower productivity.

Job factors which are associated with stress include -

• not allowing staff members to participate in decisions about the work process;

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

• changes in work demands;

• lack of clarity about expectations and standards; and

• conflict with peers or supervisors.

Most worksite stress management programs are implemented then of requests from workers.

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 experts;

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

Seat Belt Usage

Motor automobile accidents are the largest 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 annually.

More than 36% of the 11,300 accidental work deaths in 1983 involved automobiles.

Staff Members who routinely fail to use seat belts may spend up to 54 percent more days in the hospital.

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

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

In corporate establishings where safety belt policies, requiring use of belts by whoever riding in a business car or using a private car on business business, have been enforced, 60 percent to 90 percent use has been reported.

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

Factors influencing the sources of worksite safety belt programs include -

• active commitment on the part of management;

• clearly 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 robust analysis of its robust 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 advantage of $316 per staff member. Their year 9 projected benefit is $677 per staff member.

Workers at four Johnson and Johnson corporations 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 corporations that were offered only an annual medical screen.

Participants in the United Methodist Publishing House’s wellness program submitted more claims (1.14 per participating employee and .82 for the control in 1984, 1.44 and 1.3 respectively in 1985), but the average 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 wellness program even though the results aren’t conclusive.

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

The sample of 495 staff members was stratified to match the corporation profile in terms of age, sex and job description.

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

The Coors Corporation also achieved a cost savings from a cardiac rehabilitation program that was implemented in 1981. In 1980 employees 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 Fitness Programs Improve Staff Member Wellness

Instituting a wellness program improves the health of employees, reduces staff member absenteeism and saves the business money, too. Learn more about beginning an staff member wellness program in the office.

Advantages of Wellness Programs

• A company investment of $100-$150 per employee each year to participate in an employee wellness program can save businesses $300 to $450 for each employee every year, as reported by Ron Goetzel, Director, Cornell Univ. Institute for Health and Productivity Studies.

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

• the Wellness Councils of America stated a $24 return for every $1 spent on a business wellness program for small corporations.

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

A successful wellness program starts with business leaders. Company owners ought to lead by example, taking part in their corporation’s corporate fitness program and working closely with a wellness coach.

Company leaders should be sure staff members are well aware of their wellness efforts, posting weight loss results or use of tobacco cessation results on business intranet or bulletin boards for everybody to see.

Worker Wellness Programs that Really Work

• Make sure to encourage staff members to kick begin their own wellness programs by visiting their doctor. A complete physical ought to include information about blood sugar, cholesterol levels and general health.

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

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

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

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

• Acknowledge employee wellness leaders in corporation newsletters, in posted bulletins and on the corporation intranet.

Company Wellness Programs Yield Big Results

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

Faced with only 26% of staff members participating in their worker wellness program, Johnson and Johnson offered staff members a $500 discount on health insurance costs if they completed a health risk profile.

The number of workers participating in the Johnson and Johnson corporate fitness program jumped after they offered the incentive — to more than 93%.

Ron Goetzel encourages those looking to pitch a corporate fitness program to company leaders to use basic facts about the benefits of worker wellness programs as part of their argument.

Keep it simple, and share results from other corporation’s staff member wellness program success stories.

Five reasons to have a wellness program   

1   The USA spends more dollars on health care 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 healthcare is driven by preventable illness   

3   Health Care costs continue to rise

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

• Healthcare cost are usually the number one benefit cost to most businesss    

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 ROI.

• Aldana,S.G. (1998). Financial impact of corporate wellness and methodological quality of the evidence. the Art of Wellness. Vol 2, Number 1.   

• 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 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 Corporation, 1996.   

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

Key Components of a Wellness Program   

Physical Wellness - Focuses on the development, maintenance, or betterment of one’s physical fitness   

Sample Physical Wellness Programs / Seminars

• Annual biometric screening

• Regular physical activity

• Good safety habits

Emotional Wellness - Focuses on all aspects of mental fitness

Sample Emotional Wellness Programs / Workshops

• Stress management workshops

• Dealing with aging

• Addictive behaviors

• Parenting

Financial Wellness - Focuses on improving the quality of life of staff members by helping 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 Wellness - Focuses on promoting a healthful inner self

Sample Spiritual Wellness Programs / Seminars

• Be certain to encourage daily devotional readings

• Give regular service opportunities

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

Nutritional Wellness - Will meet the needs of the workers through group and individual nutritional services

Sample Nutritional Wellness Programs / Workshops

• Individual nutritional Assessment

• Individual and group counseling

• Educational classes

• Weight loss programs