Health And Wellness In The WorkplaceHealth And Wellness In The Workplace

Walking Club

Walking clubs or “trekking” can either be done in real time (by scheduling walking groups), or clubs can be set it up so people do their walking on their own and keep a shared log at work. Following a certain number of miles or steps are logged, employees are eligible for membership into the walking “club” and receive something like a prize (a walking pin, similar to the ones that volkswalkers get, or a certificate of membership). Ways to continue interest in walking groups include:

• Regualr announcements about neighborhood walking events. Keep abreast of events in the neighborhood, Parks & Recreation programs, available tracks, inside walking options, volkswalking events, etc.
• Periodic information specific to walkers; such as what to look for when buying a pair of walking shoes.
• Consider a worksite team to take part in a local fundraiser walk, such as the March of Dimes walk.
• A walking club can be the kind of “club” that never really meets, or it can be the kind that does support the option for those who are interested in group walks and activities.

Health Awareness Video Programming

Many wonderful health related videos and DVDs are available through loan programs either at no or low costs. Choose video programming based on employee interests and needs.

• Provide periodic health video viewings at lunchtime brown bag sessions.
• The videos can be related to health or other related wellness topics like financial planning, caring for aging parents, or even humor as a “break” from the work routine.
• Preview videos before showing them to insure they are appropriate, not too long, etc.
• Have a Worksite Health Promotion Program Committee Host moderate the viewing, greet individuals, and lead a brief discussion after the video. Create one or two questions for discussion after previewing the video and use these to lead the discussion. Many health videos come with group discussion questions.
• Supply a pertinent educational brochures for participants to take with them for more information on the topic.
• If possible, support popcorn or fruit as a snack.
• Offer a prize drawing (or points if you are doing that kind of incentive program) for those attending the video program and discussion.

Wellness Mentors

Every workplace generally has at least a couple of staff members who have successfully made changes in their health. Often, other staff members will relate to one of their peers. Peer support can go a long ways in encouraging healthy changes.

• Seek volunteers from the work force who have experienced a disease resulting from an unhealthy behavior, or survived or recovered from a disease that just happens like breast cancer, and who have successfully made beneficial changes.
• Connect these success story staff members with staff members struggling with similar health problems.
• Both workers participating in the mentoring process are doing so on a voluntary basis. Respect the privacy of this very special relationship.
• A Worksite Health Promotion Program Committee person can be involved from a peripheral standpoint, and be available to share other resources that might be valuable to both workers.

Create and offer “free” health information resources as part of the overriding workplace wellness strategy. Reliable information is available no cost, or at very low cost, through many resource areas. Ideas and resources will be suggested here. Also review the Resource and Website listings at the end of this guide for more ideas and resources.

Wellness Bulletin Board Ideas

Most workplaces have at least one employee bulletin board located in a central area. Obtain permission to use part of that bulletin board as the “Wellness Corner”, or get senior staff approval to set up a bulletin board dedicated to wellness. Wellness bulletin board recommendations include:

• White 8 1/2″ x 11″ flyers will be ignored. Use color or nonstandard size and shape when possible.
• Change your bulletin boards often. If they remain the same too long, they become “white noise.”
• Play “Dialing for Dollars” to broaden bulletin board attention. Make a random phone call and ask an employee to name the health fact of the day as listed on the health bulletin board. Award nominal prizes to winners. Use an “activities calendar” with targeted advertisements, football schedules, recipes, etc. that will advocate keeping the calendar updated and utilized.

Wellness Library

Establish a wellness program library in a central area that has simple employee access. Resources and ideas for the wellness library might include:

• A local health resources guide with referral lists to help staff members hook up with resources if workplace resources cannot be offered. Keep referral lists in a 3-ring binder and update monthly.
• A brief, periodic wellness newsletter or update flyer distributed to staff members via their paycheck or department gatherings.
• A variety of consumer books, magazines, videos, and articles related to great health. Solicit employee donations of current titles and recyclable items. Encourage staff members to checkout materials for loan. Update resources regularly.
• Healthy resources are available at local libraries. Publicize those resources within your onsite wellness library.
• Health magazines can be kept in the employee break area.
• Create a consumer health information bin that is updated with articles and pertinent information regarding consumerism and medical. Check the resource listings at the end of this guide for more ideas.
• Free brochures materials can be obtained from local non-profit agencies (American Red Cross, Heart Association, Cancer Society, Lung Association), and made available in employee areas. See website listings and other resources in the back of this guide for more ideas regarding no cost health resources.

New Year’s Resolution Bulletin Board

• Have workers voluntarily write down their health-related New Year’s resolutions on 3″ x 5″ index cards with their names on the back.
• Post the cards in the form of a collage on the wellness bulletin board.
• Leave the cards up for about two weeks, and then store them in a secure wellness file.
• Post the cards near the end of February to remind staff members of their goals and self-commitments.
• Take the cards down again after another week and again store in a secure file.
• Mail the cards back to the individuals along with wellness program promotions or other information announcements at the end of March.
• During the year, continue to provide wellness opportunities, reinforcement groups, or related activities.

The feasibility of workplace based wellness classes hinges upon the size of the workforce. Job Site programs really should be supported with an adequate number of interested staff members to keep a class going. Generally a certain level of employee involvement is also crucial to ensure availability of facilities such as a room and equipment. There are wide ranges of ongoing classes which can be offered in the workplace, including aerobics, yoga, tai chi, stretching, weight management, stress management, smoking cessation, and self defense.

Depending on results from an interest survey, offering an “introductory” mini class series regarding a topic of high interest might be a wonderful starting idea. For example, offer a series of 5 beginning yoga classes to acquaint workers with the postural and relaxation benefits of yoga. Following an introductory series, workers may want to pursue something on their own in the area. Or, possibly an employee interest group could develop where interested workers would pursue the chosen exercise as a group.

Who Pays for What When? (Employee Subsidies and Discounts)

Many staff members and wellness teams are under the impression that the corporation must pay for all wellness activities. Remember the corporation is paying the bulk of the employee’s health and benefits package. When vacation time, insurance costs, and sick costs are all factored in, the average America corporation spends very close to $10,000 per year per employee on related health, time off, and lost productivity costs. Health is a personal responsibility and a gift we can all give to ourselves. Help staff members broaden their understanding and appreciation of self-care for their health by encouraging their share of accountability for healthy and safe living and working.

Other ways of financing workplace based wellness activities and to also “internally” arouse workers are included here:

Subsidies

If there is a budget but not proper space or employee to offer workplace classes that are available elsewhere (like Weight Watchers, health clubs exercise classes, Jazzercise, hospital community ed programs, etc.), a subsidy could be provided to those who take advantage of these neighborhood resources. Establish ground rules ahead of time about eligibility and maximum reimbursement, conditions for reimbursement, whether proof of participation is needed and what form it should take (receipts, log forms, etc). The wellness policy also needs to address whether someone is eligible one time only, once a year, every five years, etc. for reimbursements.
• Subsidies work best when the employee puts out the money and effort first, and then gets a partial reimbursement or completion gift based on some sort of attendance or participation completion.
• The reimbursement must be big enough to be worth the trouble of implementing the program, but ought to not cover the entire expense of the program.
• It’s simple to get carried away with requiring “proof” in these kinds of programs. Do not make it too bureaucratic or no one will use it. It is valuable to remember no matter how well your policies are set up, there will be individuals, usually very few, who cheat-that’s unavoidable and shouldn’t become the primary focus of documentation requirements.
• Consider appropriate participation gifts in place of monetary reimbursement. For example, if an employee meets attendance criteria for a stretching class, support a stretching strap or yoga mat as the completion gift.
• Be sure to check with the upper management group regarding policy for subsidies, tax reporting, etc.

Discounts and Donations

Employee discounts and donations can be sensitive areas for public employers and workers. In many jurisdictions, public workers are not allowed to receive any kind of special consideration, including discounts, from local employers, vendors, or providers. Be sure to check company ethics and procurement policies before asking for discounts.

If management policy does allow for discounts and donations, the whole solicitation process needs to be conducted fairly and spelled out in writing. All interested, qualified vendors, and service providers ought to have a fair unbiased opportunity to participate if they so choose. No inappropriate advantages are given to one provider over another in terms of access to staff members, publicity, etc. No vendor or service provider ought to be promised or guaranteed additional revenue, business, or anything else if they choose to voluntarily offer a donation or discount to staff members.

Follow the same donation and/or solicitation policies when offering vendor door prizes or gifts at a organization-sponsored health and wellness fair.

Hollywood Stars or American Celebrities

This is another fun exercise focusing on healthy weight loss or maintenance.

• Members choose a secret code name (the name of a Hollywood star or other celebrity).
• Participants weigh in with a “trusted” confident privately – at which time a healthy weight goal is set for the course of the contest.
• Post a chart with everyone’s secret name assigning each a starting weight of zero.
• Participants weigh themselves weekly and submit the weight with their code name on the sheet.
• Weight is given in relation to an initial weight of zero. For example +4 would mean a weight gain of four pounds; while -2 would indicate a weight loss of two pounds.
• Future weigh-ins ought to be in relation to the starting weight, not the previous week’s weight.
• The chart is kept up to date and put up publicly by the Corporate Wellness Program Committee.
• Post a “weight control hint of the week” next to the tracking chart.
• Provide “take one” handouts on weight management education or motivational tips by the chart.
• Celebrate employee progress at the end of the activity.

Wellness Book/Journal Club and/or Book Exchange

Similar to any other book discussion group, the readings and focus of this group is health. With a broad “health” definition, countless topics might be appropriate including communication, self-improvement, relationships, money management, environment, ecology, recreation, cooking, etc. Let the group choose the subject matters and books. Another suggested idea is to establish a book swap area where readers can trade the book(s) for those that others have left for trade.

Pre-Work Stretching Group

A couple of minutes of gentle stretching is a great way to safely start the workday. A professional fitness instructor may be brought in to teach proper stretching techniques. Following this, most often an internal group is able to meet and run independently. Provide periodic refresher sessions with the trainer or instructor to change up the routine and help keep participants motivated.

Considerations for worksite stretching:
• See that you work with your Upper Management Team for stretching endorsement.
• Stretches ought to be taught by a knowledgeable and qualified person.
• Although pre-work stretches are performed on an employee’s personal time, the question of business liability will probably arise, especially if someone reports an associated muscular injury. Check with your employer’s legal counsel and/or contact your business workers’ compensation authority to assist in design of an employee release of liability waiver.

Job Site Chair Massage

Bring in a professional massage therapist to provide chair massage at the employees’ expense. These massages are done totally clothed with the recipient seated in a chair. The therapist brings in a special chair that totally supports the neck and shoulders while an upper body massage is given. Sessions are generally fifteen minutes, with an average cost between $12.00 – $15.00 for each session. Put a sign up sheet with appointments at intervals recommended by the therapist. Be sure the therapist is licensed. It will be crucial to provide a private space. A group of “regulars” may evolve which might establish a regular massage schedule. Obtain an agreement with upper management so workers can trade massage time for coffee or personal break time.  Note: upper management may want the therapist to supply proof of liability insurance.

Art at Work

Art can be a great way to nurture employees’ creative side and allow them to manage stress at the same time. Bring in various art and craft supplies once a month and let the creative juices flow. If participants are willing, have a temporary “art show” later on. Or, feature employee art during certain months or times of the year. Urge workers to display their art in their personal work areas.

Healthy Email-a-Week

Develop an email list of coworkers who wish to receive an inspirational, funny or educational health quote, thought, tip or idea once a week by email. Ask participants of the Worksite Wellness Program Committee to collect ideas initially, and then ask the participants of the email list to offer ideas and information as time goes on. Follow all employer rules concerning work time and email protocols.

Hobby Show or Demonstrations

Hobbies are wonderful stress management tools. Urge employees to display their talents by sponsoring a “hobby fair” or demonstration. Distribute a sign up sheet. See who would be willing to bring in samples of their hobby, and maybe even do a live demonstration. Fairs or demonstrations can be scheduled as a group activity or brown bag that allows interested employees to interact. Or, hobby sharing can be done in groupings by topic over a scheduled period of time, allowing for a brief presentation and/or demonstration on the part of the hobbyist.

Brown bag presentations are a good way to foster awareness about selected health subject matters. Community health professionals will frequently offer presentations of a half hour or less at no charge. Use employee interest surveys to follow up on employee interests that are expressed. The definition of health is broad, so brown bag presentations may also cover a wide variety of subject matters. Topics may include physical, mental, emotional, women’s health, men’s health, financial health, etc.

Considerations for brown bag presentations:
• Brown bag sessions are good for awareness building. This seed planting process can help workers become more proactive about healthy choices.
• Don’t schedule the program for the full hour – usually 40 minutes or so works best. This will allow folks a chance to come and go, grab a quick bite, ask questions, etc.
• If the subject matter is of a sensitive nature, such as domestic violence, substance abuse, etc., it is possible people will be reluctant to attend for fear of being associated publicly with the issue. They will, however, attend if the focus is on supporting family members, coworkers, etc.
• Ensure that employees hear important information and will leave with tools and resources to carry out the message. Work with the presenter on information strategies that work for your employee group.
• Promotional materials should publicize the program with a name that speaks to the brown bag focus. Include all other pertinent information such as where, who, when, etc.
• Some subject matters that can’t be covered in one session should be offered in a short series. It will work best to schedule one session each week instead of several sessions in one week. By way of example, you might offer a 3-week series on healthy eating instead of trying to cram all the information into one session.
• A catchy title can attract visitors to the event. An example of this would be calling lunchtime presentations “Noonlighting”
• If possible, offer a no cost healthy snack for employees who attend.
• To maintain momentum, try setting up a regular monthly time and day for lunchtime seminars.
• If workers work in shift or are in work groups in different geographical areas, establish a plan that offers equal attendance opportunity to all.

Resources:

1. Check the idea list at the end of this guide which offers a variety of resource topics of interest to staff members.
2. Every neighborhood has many professionals, experts, or specialists from voluntary groups (heart, cancer, lung associations), special interest groups (Y’s, Red Cross, Weight Watcher’s, Safety Council, Alcoholics Anonymous), or the local health department as possibilities to present workplace sessions at no cost or at a low cost. Many of these contacts will also offer inexpensive materials.
3. Topic videos can be utilized for a brown bag session.

Often people avoid low fat foods because they think these foods do not taste good. To help inform employees, purchase a variety of low fat foods and put them out in a conference room for an hour or so for a drop-in tasting session. Or, arrange for low-fat potlucks encouraging employees to bring and share their favorite low fat or healthy dishes.

Considerations:
• Make sure the selections actually taste great.
• Give a “fact sheet” with the names and price of the various products to help participants if they want to buy these products from the supermarket.
• Offer other written information on good nutrition for any interested participants to take. Make use of websites and other resources listed in the Resource Section at the end of this guide.
• Provide small tasting spoons or wooden ice cream tasters.
• It doesn’t take much of each item to give participants a taste of the food or dish. It is not necessary to buy enough, or bring enough, food to offer a meal.
• Plan the tasting room after lunch so participants can go in on their own and sample.
• Watch for overly sugary items…sometimes low fat means elevated sugar – so be sure to read the label.
• Examples of purchases for a worksite sampling might include: 2 boxes of healthy crackers, a package of low fat cheese, a box of low fat cookies, two or three low fat spreads such as hummus, low fat cream cheese, a package of honey nut or other flavored rice crackers, and one or two other low fat items.
• Position signs on the table gently reminding participants that the idea is to sample, not have a meal.
• Provide a beverage such as a new kind of fruit juice or herbal tea.

Group support and encouragement can be very helpful in assisting workers make healthy changes. Create situations, peer groups, or information avenues where the expertise and experiences of coworkers can be shared with others. Some ideas for offering worksite support for healthy changes include:

• Staff Members can be asked to voluntarily submit ideas, advice, and strategies related to particular healthy practices they have successfully implemented in their lives. For example, ex-tobacco users can be asked to submit ideas about what worked for them when they quit; then those ideas can be shared in newsletters, brochures, classes, etc.
• Topics like weight control, stress management, managing change, increasing exercise, etc. lend themselves to this development of collective wisdom sharing.
• Behavior change backing groups, created based on employee interest in making healthy change, can meet on a regular basis to share ideas, resources, support, etc. Employee Wellness Programs can offer some help and facilitation in getting a group started. The group then itself takes charge of keeping the group going. Periodically the wellness program can offer to bring in a speaker on a topic relevant to the group. Be sure to help the group set ground rules that everyone agrees to before the group is left to itself.

A health fair is an opportune way to familiarize workers with health problems and related wellness programs. During a health fair workers might be able to obtain resource materials; take part in offered wellness screenings (vision, hearing, blood, blood lipids, cancer, dental, etc.); observe demonstrations on the use of fitness equipment; catch mini-sessions on various health issues; get free promotional materials from local employers; sample healthy foods; and gather information about their health benefit plan.

Some corporations hold a “health & benefit fair” which includes vendors representing the various employee benefit plans (long-term disability, retirement, etc.) available to workers through their corporation.

Considerations when coordinating a health and wellbeing fair:

• Setting up a successful health & wellness fair takes extensive time. Time concerns must be taken into account in planning and organizing such an event. The most time consuming part is generally contacting potential participants, making arrangements for their participation, confirming their participation, and setting up the day of the event.
• Sufficient space, tables and chairs must be available to allow for the number of vendors involved. Some vendors may have portable displays or materials that will require additional space, access to electrical outlets, or other logistical considerations that must be discussed prior to the health fair.
• Vendors will be hoping to make contact with as many persons as possible during the event. Securing their responsibility to future health fairs requires that every effort be made to encourage participation by publicizing the event, selecting the proper venue, and offering incentives and rewards.
• If possible, locate the health & wellness fair in an area with heavy foot traffic.
• Ask vendors to supply no cost materials at their table and to make a donation to a prize drawing. Adhere to all business policies when seeking donations.
• As an idea to increase employee participation and to maintain high interest levels, each attendee could be given a “passport”, similar to a bingo card, to be signed by each vendor. The signed passport serves as the ticket for the prize drawings. Such drawings should take place every 15 or 30 minutes.
• Consider teaming up with neighboring employers to stage a wellness fair. A team effort will spread out the work and maximize participation.

Ideas for a Benefits Fair:

Include representatives from each of your employee benefits provider groups. Ask each vendor to be ready to answer employee questions regarding their program. Representatives might include:

• Retirement plan representative.
• Long-term disability plan representative.
• Health plan representative.
• Health Benefits representative.
• Contract cell phone representative (if applicable).
• Local savings and loan or credit union representative.
• Workers’ compensation representative.

Limited Space for a Health Fair: If space is limited hold the fair at lunch time. Place stations in organization hallways or in individual small conference or office rooms located throughout the building. Offer a map with all the stations listed. Hold a no cost drawing awarding a prize for anyone who goes to 75 percent of the stations. Use a punch card or similar method to verify.

Resources for health & benefit fairs coordination:

Assume a broad definition of “health” and reflect that by involving a wide array of vendors and services involved with physical, mental, financial and social health; for example, health agencies, safety employers, benefits providers, local medical care facilities, recreational facilities, parks, financial planners, childcare referrals, EAP, health clubs, health food stores, library, alternative and complementary medicine providers, etc.

Worksite wellness screenings can take a variety of forms. Common evaluation components may include:

• Blood Pressure and heart rate.
• Cholesterol (typically a finger-stick total cholesterol test, either fasting or non-fasting).
• Blood glucose (diabetes screening).
• Height and weight.
• Percent body fat and/or BMI (body mass index).
• Fitness level.
• Bone Mineral Density(BMD).
• Posture assessment.

Considerations when offering worksite screenings:

• Wellness screenings must be conducted by qualified, and at times, licensed individuals.
• Wellness screenings must be conducted in a location that allows for privacy and confidentiality.
• Time for discussion and explanation screening results must be given as part of the assessment process.
• A process must be in place for referral for participants whose results are indicative of a need for further medical assessment.
• Screenings can be very costly to the central wellness budget OR there may be no expense to the program if participants are willing to cover the expense of the assessment themselves. By way of example, blood lipid and glucose testing usually costs twenty to twenty-five dollars per person, per exam. Employees may be willing to pay for assessment in exchange for the convenience of having the assessment at work.
• It generally works best to have scheduled appointments at intervals sufficient to allow time for the assessment and a brief discussion of results. Therefore, a registration and scheduling process must be devised.
• Some types of screening, such as fitness testing, require participants to bring casual clothes in which to do the testing. Staff Members should be notified of the need to dress in a specific manner for the screening.
• To ensure high attendance at screening activities, it is advisable to begin promotion of the event with reminders to staff members.
• Supply staff members with “screening preparation” instructions to remind them how to prepare for the most accurate evaluation results.

Resources for workplace screenings:

1. Consult with a wellness consultant or health screening employer.
2. If employee participation is meager for on-Site health screenings, or if offering additional workplace assessment is an option, check with the neighborhood health or outreach department of your local hospital, health education department, occupational health department or worksite health department as to screenings they might offer.
3. Local health clubs may also offer qualified employee for some types of screenings, such as fitness testing or body fat measurement.

Points to Consider

Using Certified Professionals

Hire professionally certified instructors to lead fitness classes (whether on or offsite) or to run workplace lunch and learn meetings.  It’s also a good idea to ask the instructor for references.

When you hire instructors, make sure that your insurance protects both the instructor and your company.

Risk Management

Whether we like it or not, liability is a concern nowadays.

Risk management plans do not have to be complicated or pricey. For example, part of the plan may require that employees complete fitness appraisals and sign statements accepting the possible risks involved in physical activity. It pays to be prepared. Safety and emergency policies and procedures decrease the risk of loss both to individuals and to your organization.

Ask workers to fill out a waiver when participating in both onsite and offsite activities. For liability reasons, workers must know the risks involved in participating in the activity and be aware that they are waiving their right to sue.

The employee ought to not be asked to sign the waiver just before the activity. The waiver may be invalid if employees claim that they didn’t completely know the risks.

Other Safety Tips

Here’s a list of some other safety tips to keep in mind when creating physical activity.

Look at the environment where staff members are active:

• Sidewalks should be clear of ice and snow, away from falling debris or snow, and have clearly marked curbs and safe crosswalks.
• Stairwells should be well-lit and in great condition and have handrails and safety features, so that staff members are not locked out of floors.
• Fitness facilities ought to have proper flooring, great ventilation, and access to water and an emergency telephone.

Offer medical evaluation for employees participating in activities:

• PAR-Q
• PAR-MEDX for Pregnancy

Below are some other valuable safety factors:

• First-aid kit and automated external defibrillator on site.
• Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place and practised.
• Commercial grade fitness equipment (not donated, “hand me down” equipment).
• Documented equipment inspection and maintenance schedule.
• Orientation of equipment and programs done by certified professional with a physical exercise background.