Workplace Wellness Programs

Introduction to Workplace Wellness Programs 

Risky health behaviors by workers cost a company. Changing those behaviors can save the employer money and increase the worker’s productivity. 

Because work gives an worker a stable environment and support system, Workplace Wellness Programs can have a great impact on decreasing high-risk behaviors. This impact results in decrease health claims cost, less rates of absenteeism, and less short-term disability. 

Workplace Wellness Programs can include: 

Awareness Rasing Activities: Health and wellness newsletters, health topics covered in payroll stuffers, healthy emails. 

Health Risk Assessment: Employee health screenings, health and wellness fairs, health risk appraisals. 

Educational Programs: Lunch and Learn wellness presentations, guest speakers at staff meetings. 

Skill Building: Healthy cooking demostrations, activity challenges, CPR instruction opportunites, stress management classes, weight management classes. 

Interventions: Massage, tobacco cessation, and skills to help you get the most out of your doctor visit. 

Physical environment: Healthy items in the vending machines and cafeterias, clean air practices, ergonomics, bike racks, flex time, welllit stairways. 

Assessment: Worker needs assessment, baseline Workplace Wellness Program evaluation measures, ongoing Workplace Wellness Program evaluation of overall effectiveness. 

Why Make available Workplace Wellness Programs 

The typical employer spends about $8,000 a year on an employee’s medical care. This includes health insurance, disability and worker’s compensation. As these costs climb, health insurance is expected to rise at least 10 percent per year. 

A 1999 study showed that businesses using Workplace Wellness Programs had a ROI from $1.49 – $13 in benefits per dollar spent. The amount depended on the nature of the Workplace Wellness Programs used. (S. Aldana, American Journal of Wellness, 2001; 15:296-320) 

One study showed that a “stop smoking” component to Workplace Wellness Programs can save between $404 -$40,829 per employee, depending on the age and sex of the worker. 

The Workplace Wellness Programs at Traveler’s Company included a self-care book, a newsletter, single-topic brochures, and videotapes. The Workplace Wellness Programs saved the company $7.8 million in employee benefi t costs, decreased doctor visits, and it lowered rates of absenteeism by 1.2 days per worker per year. The estimated Workplace Wellness Programs ROI was $3.40 per dollar spent. 

In 1998, the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) reported a study of 46,026 workers from six large companies for three years. Workers with an inactive lifestyle had 10 percent higher costs; workers with depression had 70 percent higher costs. 

Benefits of Workplace Wellness Programs 

Improved Productivity – The Canada Life Assurance Company realized a 4 percent rise in productivity after establishing an employee fitness program. 

Improved Job Satisfaction – According to employee opinion surveys conducted by the Silverstone Group about thier Workplace Wellness Programs, workers’ morale increased, which helped support a more creative work environment. 

Improved Recruitment & Retention – In the midst of a tight labor market, Workplace Wellness Programs could be a vital tool to draw new recruits. 

Decreased Absenteeism – Canada Life Assurance Company’s rates of absenteeism dropped 42 percent among workers in the Workplace Wellness Programs. 

Decreased Workers Comp & Disability – In one year, Boeing Company’s number of back injuries decreased by 34 percent. Six million dollars was saved by tracking injuries as they occurred. 

Managed Health Care Costs – Golden, Colorado Adolf Coors Company’s Workplace Wellness Programs returned $6.19 for every dollar spent.

Why have Workplace Wellness Program goals? 

Workplace Wellness Program goals take your business’s priorities for employee health improvement and make them specific and measurable. Well-defined Workplace Wellness Program goals provide direction for determining Procedures and a basis for which to measure progress. 

Writing Workplace Wellness Program goals 

Writing Workplace Wellness Program goals is not complicated or difficult. It does require some thought, about your business’s Workplace Wellness Program vision for a culture of health and they should be:     

 

      Specific Workplace Wellness Program Goals

      Measurable Workplace Wellness Program Goals

      Attainable Workplace Wellness Program Goals

      Realistic Workplace Wellness Program Goals

      Timely Workplace Wellness Program Goals 

Specific Workplace Wellness Program Goals: What is the specific outcome your business is looking for? “Reduce tobacco use among workers” is more specific than “Improve the health of workers.” You may wish to write some goals about specific outcomes (reducing smoking among workers) and other goals about specific progress (implementing a tobacco-free campus policy or decreasing the price of fresh fruit in the cafeteria to 25 cents a piece). 

Measurable Workplace Wellness Program Goals: Making your goals measurable provides a means of evaluating your progress and success. There is an adage: “what gets measured, gets done.” Measurable goals can be effective motivators for your business. “Provide more time for workers to be physically active” is much less measurable than “implement a daily 15-minute walking break into the schedule of all workers.” “Increase the number of workers who want to quit smoking” is less measurable than “increase enrollments in the stop-using tobacco program to 120 workers per year.” 

Attainable Workplace Wellness Program Goals: Determine goals that challenge your business to change and that will demonstrate a real commitment to the health of the employees. At the same time, set goals that are achievable. Goals that are set too far out of reach can be overwhelming and may become a barrier rather than a motivator. 

Realistic Workplace Wellness Program Goals: Write goals that are do-able, given the skills, time, finances and overall strategy of the business. A realistic project may push the skills and knowledge of the people working on it but it shouldn’t break them. 

Timely Workplace Wellness Program Goals: When do you hope to achieve the goal? Next week? Next year? Without a timeframe, the goal is still not clear and is much less likely to galvanize resources and energy within your business. 

“Reduce the percent of workers who use tobacco from 20 percent to 10 percent” is much less of a challenge than “By the end of 2010, reduce the percent of workers who use tobacco from 20 percent to 15 percent”.

If your business is interested in measuring the impact of your Workplace Wellness Program efforts in future years, you’ll want to gather relevant baseline data on the health and health behaviors of your worker population. 

Workplace Wellness Program Data on your worker population 

Health Risk Assessments / Health Risk Appraisals 

Some health plans offer companies free web-based Health Risk Assessments / Health Risk Appraisals, complete with summary aggregate reports. If your medical plan does not offer a free HRA, you could pay for an HRA either through your medical plan or through a third party vendor. 

To encourage participating in an HRA, assure workers of confidentiality and consider providing rewards for completing the assessment. The higher the participation rate, the more likely that the aggregate data will accurately represent the behaviors and risks of your worker population. 

Workplace Wellness Program Health Surveys 

You can get a general sense of workers’ health-related attitudes and behaviors using a “lowtech” paper survey. As with a health risk assessment, workers will be more likely to respond to a survey if there is an incentive and if they are confident that their responses are confidential. Remember that without widespread participation you’ll only get a “feel” for worker behaviors rather than a statistically accurate picture. 

Workplace Wellness Program Focus Groups and Informational Interviews 

The information you can collect from focus groups or informational interviews with workers is an important supplement to the anonymous survey or HRA data. Listening to workers discuss their attitudes, values, receptivity and obstacles related to health provides a wealth of information on which to base decisions on how to improve your business’s Workplace Wellness Program. Workplace Wellness Program focus groups are especially useful for securing information from hard-to-reach worker populations, such as those for whom English is a learned language. 

Keep Workplace Wellness Program focus groups small (8-19 workers, ideally all of a similar job class). If possible, offer rewards such as movie tickets or lunch, to recruit participants. Develop a list of open-ended questions in advance and allow 60-90 minutes for the discussion. 

Informational interviews are an alternative to Workplace Wellness Program focus groups. The Workplace Wellness Program coordinator of your health improvement Procedures or selected members of the Health and Wellness Committee can conduct one-on-one interviews with workers in a variety of positions to better understand their attitudes, interests and obstacles related to a) health behaviors and b) the worksite policies, environments and practices. 

Population data 

If data on the employee population are not available, you can use state or national data to estimate the prevalence of risk behaviors among workers. 

In addition to looking at the health behaviors of workers, take a good look at your business. The following questions can help you establish opportunities for your business to support and encourage healthy behaviors among workers. 

A strong foundation for employee health improvement 

1. To what extent does the senior management in your business actively and visibly support the Workplace Wellness Program? 

__ No support for the Workplace Wellness Program

__ Support, but not at senior level

__ Support at senior level, but not visible to workers

__ Strong and visible Workplace Wellness Program support

Comments: 

2. Is the Workplace Wellness Program tied to your business’s mission statement? 

__ No

__ Yes, the Workplace Wellness Program is tied to business plan OR mission statement

__ Yes, the Workplace Wellness Program is tied to both business plan and mission statement

Comments: 

3. Is there an worker within your business whose job responsibilities include Workplace Wellness Program coordination?

__ No

 

__ Yes, but has little time available to dedicate to Workplace Wellness Program

__ Yes, and has at least part of the job dedicated to Workplace Wellness Program

__ Yes, and has at least one full-time position dedicated to Workplace Wellness Program

__ Yes, and has at least part of the job dedicated to wellness AND has a background that includes Workplace Wellness Program qualifications

__ Yes, our business has at least one full-time position dedicated to health improvement AND the worker’s background includes Workplace Wellness Program qualifications

Comments: 

4. Does your business have an active wellness committee with diverse representation? 

__ No (does not have a Health and Wellness Committee, or has a committee that doesn’t meet)

__ Yes, we have a Health and Wellness Committee, but with limited representation

__ Yes, we have a Health and Wellness Committee with widespread representation

__ Yes, we have a Health and Wellness Committee with widespread representation AND committee involvement is a component of each representative’s job responsibilities

Comments: 

5. Does your business have an annual budget for Workplace Wellness Program expenses? (Workplace Wellness Program expenses may be associated with providing a health assessment, paying for behavior change programs/coaching programs, covering rewards that encourage healthy behaviors, subsidizing healthy food options, communications and activities around specific health topics, fitness centers/walking paths, etc). 

__ No

__ Yes, but funds are earmarked for Workplace Wellness Programs (e.g. only for Weight Watchers or fitness discounts) and do not meet all existing Workplace Wellness Program needs

__ Yes, funds are available to meet current Workplace Wellness Program needs

Comments: 

6. Does your business have a plan for engaging workers in the Workplace Wellness Program? 

__ No

__ Yes, we have a communications plan for our Workplace Wellness Program

__ Yes, we have a communication plan AND we offer meaningful incentives or rewards (such as premium discounts or debit cards) for the Workplace Wellness Program to engage in healthy behaviors.

Comments: 

A data-based approach to the Workplace Wellness Program 

7. Does your business have clearly stated Workplace Wellness Program goals and priorities for employee health improvement? 

__ No

__ Yes

__ Yes, data (e.g. HRA, claims, productivity) are the basis for defining Workplace Wellness Program goals or priorities

__ Yes, data AND evidence-based best practices are a basis for defining Workplace Wellness Program goals or priorities

__ Yes, data and best practices are basis for defining Workplace Wellness Program goals or priorities as well as measuring Workplace Wellness Program progress (evaluation)

Comments: 

8. Has your business completed a Health Risk Assessment? 

__ No

__ Yes, but more than 2 years ago

__ Yes, within the last two years, and achieved a participation rate of less than 50 percent

__ Yes, within the last two years, and achieved a 50 percent – 79 percent participation rate

__ Yes, within the last two years, and achieved an 80 percent or greater participation rate

Comments: 

A worksite environment that supports healthy behaviors 

9. Does your business’s tobacco reduction strategy reflect best practices? 

(Check all that apply)

__ A no-tobacco use policy that includes both buildings AND grounds

__ 100 percent coverage for the cost of over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapy

__ Worker access to – and strong promotion of — a tailored stop-smoking program

Comments: 

10. Does your business provide opportunities (time and places) for physical activity during the work day? 

__ No

__ Yes, indoor places for physical activity (on-site fitness center) OR outdoor places for physical activity (walking paths)

__ Yes, both indoor AND outdoor places for physical activity

__ Yes, indoor and outdoor opportunities AND staff members can use work time for physical activity

Comments: 

11. Does your business promote healthy eating by providing access to fruits and vegetables? 

__ No

__ Yes, fruits and vegetables are available at the worksite (in vending machines, break areas, or cafeterias)

__ Yes, fruits and vegetables are available and discounted at the worksite

Comments: 

Benefits that support employee health improvement 

12. Does your business provide workers with self-care resources? 

(Check all that apply)

__ Distribution of self-care books

__ web-based access to health information

__ Nurse advice line

Comments: 

13. Which of the following preventive services are covered at 100 percent by your business’s health benefits? 

(Check all that apply)

__ Vision screening

__ Hearing

__ Immunizations (per CDC/ACIP recommendations)

__ Radiology

__ Laboratory services

__ STD screening

__ Preventive health examination for adults

__ Cancer screen (includes: colon, cervical, breast, prostate and ovarian cancers)

__ Contraceptive management

Comments: 

14. Which of the following are included in your business’s pharmacy benefit? 

(Check all that apply)

__ Mail order or other 90-day supply option for medications

__ Specialty pharmacy network

__ Incentive-based tiered formulary design

Comments: 

15. Do your business’s health benefits provide coverage for behavioral health (such as depression, mental illness, counseling, stress management, and chemical dependency)? 

__ Yes, at the same level as health benefits

__ Yes, but at a lower level (less coverage) than health benefits

__ No coverage for mental or behavioral health

Comments:

Why it’s important and how to do it 

The Workplace Wellness Program Vision

A Workplace Wellness Program vision statement is a concise statement that summarizes the purpose and goals of your business’s commitment to establishing a Workplace Wellness Program. Taking the time to clarify and describe your business’s Workplace Wellness Program vision can provide a focus and a consistent direction for your Procedures for years to come. The vision statement reminds leaders and workers of the link between worker health and the business’s ability to achieve its overall mission. 

Answer the following questions and you’ll have the components needed to build a simple and effective Workplace Wellness Program vision for your business’s culture of health: 

      • What do you want your Workplace Wellness Program to accomplish?

      • How do you plan to accomplish it?

      • How does this Workplace Wellness Program mission support or further the business’s mission? 

A sample Workplace Wellness Program vision statement might be . . . 

      To have workers who perform at their best and who enable XYZ Corporation to be an industry leader in printing quality and customer service (business’s mission), XYZ Corporation is committed to providing opportunities for healthy behaviors during the workday (how) in order to encourage workers not to smoke, to be active, and to eat healthfully (what). 

The Workplace Wellness Program Brand 

In the same way that your business’s name and brand image provide visibility for your business, your Procedures toward establishing a Workplace Wellness Program will benefit from being easily recognizable to workers: 

      • A consistently used Workplace Wellness Program brand on all communications conveys to workers that the commitment to a culture of health is here to stay.

      • A Workplace Wellness Program brand institutionalizes the culture and makes it more likely to withstand changes in staff and budget. 

Do what you can to engage workers in establishing the identity (brand) for your business’s Workplace Wellness Program. Not only are they more likely to accept the name, it’s also a great way to announce to workers the business’s Workplace Wellness Program commitment. Here are two possible approaches to involving workers: 

Option 1: Have a Workplace Wellness Program contest 

      1. Announce the Workplace Wellness Program contest guidelines and deadline.

      2. Have the Health and Wellness Committee review the ideas submitted, and choose a name. 

            If, for example, your company, Premier Building and Design, is in the commercial construction business, you might receive the following Workplace Wellness Program ideas from workers: 

            • Cornerstone: Feeling well is what it’s all about

            • Premier Elements: Building healthier workers

            • Custom Build: Building health builds wealth

            • Building Health: Designing better worker health 

            After reviewing the entries, your Health and Wellness Committee determines that it likes the name “Premier Elements” and the subtitle “Building health builds wealth”. Your committee awards the “name the Workplace Wellness Program contest” prize to the two workers, those who submitted the pieces of the name that represent the final product. 

      Premier Elements: Building health builds wealth 

      3. Select a Workplace Wellness Program logo to go with the name. 

            The Workplace Wellness Program logo is an important piece of the branding 

            • Review any ideas submitted for Workplace Wellness Program logos.

            • If you’re fortunate enough to have a graphic design professional at your company, enlist her or his help with developing the Workplace Wellness Program logo!

            • As an alternative, choose a piece of clip-art that fits with the Workplace Wellness Program name you’ve selected. For example, the company referenced above might look for a symbol that conveys building, health and wealth. 

Option 2: Health and Wellness Committee determines the name and brand 

      1. Have your Health and Wellness Committee brainstorm Workplace Wellness Program names.

            • To get ideas flowing, ask members to write down all health-related words and words associated with your business or industry.

            • Try clustering words together as in the construction company example above.

      2. Once your Health and Wellness Committee has narrowed down the possibilities to about three ideas, have committee members vote to select a name for your culture of health.

      3. Select a Workplace Wellness Program logo to go with the winning name.

      4. Announce the business’s Workplace Wellness Program and the corresponding Workplace Wellness Program name. Explain that staff members on the advisory committee chose the name.

Sample Workplace Wellness Program meeting agendas and topics for discussion 

Is your business’s Workplace Wellness Program Health and Wellness Committee new?  Has it existed on paper but been inactive for a while?  In either case, some of the following may be appropriate agenda items for your first Workplace Wellness Program meetings.   You may also want to revisit these topics each year. 

•     Clarify roles of Health and Wellness Committee members  

      ­     Are members accountable for implementing changes or recommending changes?

      ­     How long are members’ terms on the Health and Wellness Committee?

      ­     How will new members be selected? 

•     Determine Health and Wellness Committee meeting frequency and processes 

      ­     Determine dates, times, and locations.

      ­     Determine how agendas will be set.

      ­     Plan for recording and distributing meeting notes. 

•     Plan Workplace Wellness Program communication with leadership  

      ­     Does a leader sit on the group or does the coordinator report on progress (and to whom)?

      ­     How frequently do leaders want reports on Workplace Wellness Program progress? 

•     Select a name and brand for your business’s Workplace Wellness Program 

•     Create a vision statement for your business’s Workplace Wellness Program 

•     Identify existing allies Workplace Wellness Program for promoting worker health within your business

      ­     Who do Health and Wellness Committee members know who could be relied on to support worksite changes necessary to establish a culture that encourages health? 

•     Brainstorm challenges your business may face in working to establish facilities, policies and Workplace Wellness Program practices that promote worker health      ­     What do committee members regard as opportunities? How about potential Workplace Wellness Program obstacles? 

•     History of past Workplace Wellness Program efforts        ­     If relevant, summarize past Workplace Wellness Program efforts. Discuss what your business learned from those efforts.

 

?     What has the business tried over the last few years?

?     What has worked well?

?     What hasn’t worked well?

?     How, if at all, was success of previous Workplace Wellness Program efforts measured?

 

A representative Health and Wellness Committee is a cornerstone of a successful Workplace Wellness Program, regardless of the size of the business. 

Membership of your Health and Wellness Committee 

Aim for a committee of a manageable size (no more than 15 members, depending on your business’s size). Your Health and Wellness Committee should represent all employee groups (e.g., full-time and part-time workers, managers and front-line staff, salary and hourly employees, union representation, HR, marketing or communications, legal, and occupational health/safety). 

Here are some additional considerations: 

      • Health and Wellness Committee members can be selected by leadership or can be selected from among volunteers.

      • Determine in advance how long Health and Wellness Committee members will support and how new members will be selected. Balance the need for continuity with the need to bring fresh ideas and energy to your business’s Workplace Wellness Program.

      • It’s not important, or even desirable, to have your healthiest workers on the Health and Wellness Committee. Ideal Health and Wellness Committee members are those who best can represent their peers, motivate others and support the implementation of the Workplace Wellness Program.

      • Consider providing an incentive or recognition to Health and Wellness Committee members. It legitimizes their positions and encourages participation. Some businesss that have implemented stipends have generated enough worker interest that the selection of Health and Wellness Committee membership becomes a competitive process. The Health and Wellness Committee responsibilities become a formal part of the member’s job accountabilities. 

Role of your Health and Wellness Committee 

In some businesss the Health and Wellness Committee is accountable for the implementation of the Workplace Wellness Program. In other businesss, the Health and Wellness Committee plays an advisory role. In either case, the group members can be asked to: 

      • Attend regular meetings of the Health and Wellness Committee.

      • Help develop a vision and name for the business’s Workplace Wellness Program.

      • Represent their peers by sharing ideas, needs, concerns and feedback from their work areas and colleagues about proposed Workplace Wellness Program Procedures, policies, and programs.

      • Make available feedback on the possible obstacles to proposed Workplace Wellness Program Procedures and offer suggestions for addressing those obstacles (e.g., how does a proposed policy fit with the schedules of workers?).

      • Suggest effective Workplace Wellness Program communication Procedures and solutions to challenges. For example, what is the best way to communicate with workers who work the third shift? How will workers react to a proposed message from leadership?

      • Be a voice of support for a culture of health, carrying the message from the Health and Wellness Committee to their work areas and colleagues. 

Functioning of your Health and Wellness Committee 

Meet. Schedule regular Health and Wellness Committee meetings on paid work time. Your Health and Wellness Committee may want to meet frequently at first, then slightly less frequently as your health improvement strategy is more established. If your Health and Wellness Committee is new, it might be useful to ask members to provide information about themselves and their interests. 

Communicate. Set up frequent channels of communication with Health and Wellness Committee members so they are up to date and engaged. An email list is frequently the easiest way to do this. Encourage communication to flow both ways: from Workplace Wellness Program coordinator to members and from members to coordinator. 

Check-in. At least once a year, determine how effectively the Health and Wellness Committee is functioning. Is the Health and Wellness Committee serving its original purpose? Ask committee members for their feedback. Do they feel like their work is making a difference? Do they feel like their input is valued and taken into account when planning and implementing initiatives? Do they understand their expected Workplace Wellness Program roles and responsibilities? Are there members who want to rotate off of the committee? How will new members be selected?

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program need not be costly, but will require the commitment of some financial resources. If possible, include the Workplace Wellness Program in your business’s annual business plan and budget as you do for other efforts important to your business’s success. 

How much to budget for the Workplace Wellness Program? 

There is no one-size-fits-all formula for establishing a Workplace Wellness Program that results in enhanced employee health. Organizations differ in how much money they need and how much they can make available for the Workplace Wellness Program. Consider the following common expenses in developing an adequate Workplace Wellness Program budget: 

      • Workplace Wellness Program staffing costs (either internal salaries or consultant fees)

      • Workplace Wellness Program data collection costs (including health risk assessment costs, if relevant)

      • Workplace Wellness Program rewards for healthy behaviors (such as discounts on premiums for non-smokers)

      • Costs of Workplace Wellness Program Procedures to be implemented (such as costs of covering tobacco quit medications or costs of subsidizing healthy foods in the cafeteria or vending machines)

      • Workplace Wellness Program administrative and communications expenses 

In times of tight finances, be prepared to justify your requested Workplace Wellness Program budget. Arm yourself with data on potential short- and long-term outcomes of the proposed Workplace Wellness Program Procedures. Itemize the Workplace Wellness Program expenses of past initiatives and share projected expenses for initiatives planned for the upcoming year. 

Sustaining Workplace Wellness Program Funding 

A dedicated Workplace Wellness Program line item in your business’s budget makes it more likely to be regarded as a need, rather than as a “nice-to-have” amenity that could be cut when funds run low. 

One of the best Procedures for ensuring continued financial support for the Workplace Wellness Program is frequent communication to leadership, including: 

      • How many workers have you reached through the Workplace Wellness Program? Has morale increased? Have health risks decreased, e.g., fewer workers using tobacco, more workers active?

      • How well are you managing the Workplace Wellness Program resources you’ve been given? Where and how has your budget been spent? Keep track of the staff time necessary for each initiative and be able to present the numbers at any time.

      • Anecdotal Workplace Wellness Program success stories from workers. Don’t underestimate the power of a good story to put a human face on your success. 

Supplemental sources of Workplace Wellness Program Funding 

If necessary, have the individuals accountable for establishing a Workplace Wellness Program look for ways to supplement available internal funds. Are there grants or other funding available that can help support your Workplace Wellness Program ? What community Workplace Wellness Program resources could you use to meet some of your needs?

Finding an individual to guide your business in establishing a Workplace Wellness Program 

Without a qualified Workplace Wellness Program coordinator to guide and manage your business’s creation of a culture of health, efforts can be scattered and momentum can stall. While it’s vital that the creation of a culture of health be someone’s priority, not all businesss need a full-time coordinator.  There are a number of ways to secure the time of a qualified coordinator. 

Be careful not to confuse Workplace Wellness Program skills with fitness skills. You are not looking for a personal trainer or a nutritionist to run your Workplace Wellness Program. The following are good indications that an individual may be qualified to be a Workplace Wellness Program coordinator: 

      • knowledge of community health, population health and worksite Workplace Wellness Programs

      • experience working with and understanding aggregate data, preferably Workplace Wellness Program data

      • experience managing projects, including developing timelines and facilitating meetings

      • experience in strategic planning, including defining goals and related objectives

      • ability to understand, and use the findings of, journal articles on effective Workplace Wellness Program Procedures. 

What will a Workplace Wellness Program coordinator do? 

The Workplace Wellness Program coordinator is accountable for guiding a process that establishes worksite facilities, policies and practices that promote health. The individual may do some of all of the following for your Workplace Wellness Program:

      • act as a liaison between leadership and the Workplace Wellness Program employee advisory workgroup

 

      • interpret health-related data on your Workplace Wellness Program

      • establishe and manage work plans and budgets for implementation of selected Workplace Wellness Program Procedures

      • facilitate Health and Wellness Committee meetings

      • guide your business in setting measurable goals for the Workplace Wellness Program

      • recommend effective Workplace Wellness Program Procedures, using the evidence in the health behavior literature and national and/or recommended best practices

      • document and report short-term and long-term progress on Workplace Wellness Program Procedures and goals. 

Where can we find a qualified Workplace Wellness Program coordinator? 

Consider the following when looking for a Workplace Wellness Program coordinator: 

      • Existing staff: Are there individuals on staff who have the background, or are interested in gaining the skills, to support as a Workplace Wellness Program coordinator? Is it possible to dedicate a portion of someone’s time (e.g., .5 FTE) to the position of coordinating your business’s Workplace Wellness Program Procedures? If possible, budget enough to cover not only salary but also continued learning, journal subscriptions and membership fees for this Workplace Wellness Program position.

      • New staff – Can you hire an individual to be your business’s Workplace Wellness Program coordinator? Would it need to be a full-time position, or would part-time be sufficient?

      • Workplace Wellness Program Consultation – Various businesss (e.g., health plans, benefit consultants and public health departments) provide Workplace Wellness Program consultation on building a culture of health within a worksite. 

An outside Workplace Wellness Program consultant can advise an internal Workplace Wellness Program coordinator and your Health and Wellness Committee on setting priorities and determining Procedures. Or, you can contract with a Workplace Wellness Program consultant to be your coordinator. If you select the latter approach, you’ll want to contract with the individual for sufficient hours to carry out all of the responsibilities associated with coordinating an effective strategy.

Health Screening:

• Blood pressure

• Breast cancer Screening

• Skin cancer Screening

• Diabetes Screening

• Cholesterol Screening

• Eye exams

• Body-fat Screening

• Influenza (Flu) shots

• Posture screening, spinal assessment

• On-Site child immunizations

• Prostate cancer screenings

• Fitness Screening

• Depression Screening 

Physical Fitness Ideas:

• On-Site excercise room or fitness center

• Walking and/or running club (during lunch hour or breaks)

• On-Site bike rake

• Mind/body classes (yoga, tai chi) initiatives

• Team sports (basketball, volleyball softball)

• Host an exercise equipment swap 

Lifestyle Change or Behavior Change Programs:

• Tobacco cessation

• Weight management initiatives

• Substance abuse initiatives

• Physical Fitness activity

• Stress management initiatives 

Prevention and Safety Programs:

• Back-injury prevention and training

• Education about Ergonomics

• Hand-tool safety initiatives

• Fire safety initiatives 

Health Education, Awareness, and Support Programs:

• Lunch-and-learn or brown-bag wellness seminars (see your EAP for a list)

• Nutrition and diet information, plus provide healthy food alternatives in your vending machines and cafeteria, and provide food storage and preparation facilities to encourage healthier eating

• Prenatal care initiatives

• Work-Life Balance initiatives

• Elder care initiatives

• Cancer survivor support groups

• Financial education 

Stress-Reliever Programs:

• Laughter bulletin board where staff members can post jokes and cartoons (in good taste)

• Visiting massage therapist

• Stretch breaks

• Group lunches or celebrations 

Disease Management Programs:

• Back pain

• Asthma

• Diabetes

• Depression

• Cancer

• Obesity

• Hypertension