Health And Wellness In The WorkplaceHealth And Wellness In The Workplace

Advantages of Prenatal Care and Breastfeeding

The old proverb “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is particularly relevant to when applied to preventive measures taken during pregnancy, when a few additional ounces of birth weight can save a child’s life.

During pregnancy, simple precautions can help avoid catastrophic results; giving up tobacco use, for instance, drastically reduces the risk of miscarriage and pre-term labor.

The March of Dimes reports that when all women took adequate folic acid before conception and during pregnancy, the number of babies born with a neural tube defect could drop by as much as 70%.

The physical and emotional advantages of proper prenatal care to a mother and child are underscored by a strong company case for offering prenatal wellness benefits. Nationwide’s Chief Medical Director, Dr. Michael Moore, estimates costs to care for one baby delivered prematurely could approach $500,000.

First steps in fostering a prenatal program –  

• Invite the March of Dimes to present information about prenatal health at an worker brownbag lunch or breakfast meeting.

• Hold prenatal care information classes for interested staff members at lunchtime.

• Give educational materials about the effects of alcohol, drugs and tobacco use on an unborn child.

• Offer incentives for adopting healthful lifestyles during pregnancy.

• Offer prenatal programs and education as part of the company health care package.

Advantages of Smoking Cessation Programs

Instances of respiratory illnesses, cancer and other illnesses may be lowered through tobacco use cessation efforts. Smoking cessation programs can provide gigantic opportunities for improved health.

The American Cancer Society reports that smoking staff members cost businesses an average of $1,429 per smoker per year in increased health care costs over non-smoking staff members.

Beginning a smoking cessation program costs an average of $45 per employee per year, saving corporations an average of $1,383 per year for each employee who quits smoking. Also, the American Cancer Society reports that smokers are absent from work 50 percent more often than nonsmokers.

They’re also 50% more likely to be hospitalized and have 15% higher disability rates. Use of tobacco lowers onthe- job productivity as well. Workers who take four 10- minute use of tobacco breaks a day work more than a month less per year than employees who do not take smoke breaks.

Places to start with smoking cessation programs –  

• Develop a “buddy” program to provide encouragement for those who commit to stop smoking.

• Offer lung capacity tests at corporation health fairs.

• Consider reimbursement for smoking cessation tools –  nicotine gum, patches and inhalers.

• Limit use of tobacco areas in the workplace.

• Present on-site tobacco use cessation sessions.

Benefits of Nutrition Programs

Nutrition directly impacts nearly every aspect of physical and mental health. A healthful diet can help protect against such conditions as heart illness, diabetes, arthritis, stroke, certain cancers and depression. Obesity, which is one of the most common conditions linked to diet, affects a record number of Americans.

The American Journal of Wellness estimates the cost of obesity to USA  corporation to exceed $12.5 billion in health care, sick time, and life and disability insurance.

Furthermore, one study reports that obesity raises healthcare costs by 36 percent and medication costs by 77 percent. to offset the health risks of obesity and poor diet, many corporations have committed to assisting workers ensure proper nutrition and undertake weight control programs.

Well-liked nutrition programs –  

• Give workers with educational materials or classes on proper nutrition provided by a registered dietitian.

• Offer onsite Weight Watchers meetings or other weight management programs.

• Give nutritious and health conscience meal choices in the cafeteria and vending machines.

• Clearly post nutrition information for all cafeteria and vending machine items.

• Offer low cost, healthful, take-home dinner options for staff members and their families.

• Draw attention to healthy eating habits by providing token incentives, like pencils or ID holders, for achieving five fruits or vegetable servings a day for a week.

Nutrition programs in action

While many businesses address weight management through fitness initiatives, businesses are increasingly focusing on nutrition through separate programming. Recognizing the productivity improve and lowered medical expenditures that come with maintaining a healthy weight, many businesses might help pay for obesity treatments for employees.

For  instance, to improve the health of dangerously obese employees, drug maker Wyeth reportedly pays for stomach-shrinking surgeries that carry price tags of up to $40,000.

A 2003 Society of Human Resource (HR) Management study shows that 24% of employers offer weight loss programs. In Ohio, Honda offers an onsite, registered dietitian who provides individual or group consultations on weight management. Body fat analysis and Body Mass Index  measurements are available to employees at any time.

At Grange Insurance’s Columbus headquarters, the cafeteria chef investigates meals and provides employees basic nutrition information, including Weight Watchers points.

Many companies partner with the American Cancer Society to offer nutrition information through the “5-ADay” program, which provides employers free signage and educational materials about the importance of eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

The program also offers a fruit and vegetable “frequency card” that gives workers a free portion of fruit or vegetables after he or she has purchased a preset number.

Benefits of Exercise Programs

Exercise decreases weight, decreases risks of heart attack and stroke, helps to control blood pressure (BP) and diabetes, and improves mood. Studies increasingly show that exercise might also help reduce the occurrence of certain types of cancer.

Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Avoidance (CDC) lately documented another major advantage –  exercise improves the health of the nation’s medical care expenditures.3 According to the CDC, physically active person incur $865 less per year in medical costs than inactive people .

Dr. Michael Moore, vice president and chief medical director at Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, maintains that exercise is the most effective tool in health maintenance. “When you might prescribe exercise in a pill, it would be the number-one prescribed treatment in the world,” he said.

In step with Dr. Moore’s prescription, nearly one-third of USA  companies help staff members pay for fitness club memberships, according to an Associated Press report. Subsidizing fitness club memberships is just one way companies encourage active lifestyles.

Well-liked fitness-forward initiatives –  

• Begin a corporation softball or volleyball league.

• Compile and distribute information about opportunities to join athletic groups in your community.

• Offer partial or complete reimbursement for exercise facility memberships.

• Hold aerobics, karate, yoga or other kinds of fitness courses onsite.

• Give extended lunch hours for staff members who commit to lunchtime exercise plans.

• Introduce an onsite fitness facility that is free, or available at a nominal cost, to staff members and their families.

• Conduct on-site health fairs that include fitness demonstrations and promote fitness activities and resources.

Wellness program means different things to different companies. Effective wellness programs could be as simple as bringing bushel baskets of fresh fruit into break rooms to encourage better eating. They could be as comprehensive as building fitness facilities on-site or compensating for obesity treatments.

A driving factor behind the push toward wellness spans organizations of all kinds, sizes and cultures –  that is, health care expenses are spilling over the corporate belt buckle.

The annual cost of medical services in the USA is rising at seven times the rate of inflation. and the rise in health care costs is one boom pundits expect our economy to sustain.1

This trend makes it increasingly difficult for businesss to maintain current levels of insurance coverage. In 2003, healthcare inflation forced 65 percent of businesses to elevate employees’ share of health care costs.

Seventy-nine percent of big firms said they will increase workers’ share of health care costs in 2004.2 But with lost benefits and increased financial burdens come lost morale and productivity.

Companys are searching for another way. While businesses cannot control many of the supply-side elements contributing to rising health care costs-malpractice insurance rates, the nursing shortage-they can help curb demand. That’s why efforts are being redirected from disease to wellness.

The case for wellness is supported by an ever growing body of evidence demonstrating the high costs associated with controllable health risks –

• One study reports that obesity raises health care costs by 36% and medication costs by 77%.  

• Michigan officials estimate lack of exercise cost the state almost $8.9 billion in 2002, a cost estimated to be largely borne by corporations through insurance premiums and lost productivity.

• the not-for-profit National Committee for Quality Assurance reports that the estimated typical cost for postnatal care for women who did not receive prenatal care was $2,341 more than for women who had. and the indirect costs of unhealthy behavior may be just as high.

Data shows that healthier employees are more productive, spending more time at work and showing increased “presenteeism,” or productivity, while there. Further, healthier employees use fewer medical services.

The five leading causes of death in the USA – heart illness, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary illness and diabetes –  are directly linked to unhealthful lifestyles. Obviously, encouraging healthful habits presents an opportunity to improve employees’ well being, reduce the need for health care services and help control costs.

Offering employee wellness benefits – big or small – represents an intersection between corporate social responsibility and responsibility to stakeholders. Between employee health and corporate health. It’s often the right thing to do for workers and companys.

Research by Traveler’s Corp. shows a $3.40 return for every dollar invested in Wellness Programs. for a lot of companies, the option to offer staff member wellness benefits is easy-one where conscience and pragmatism align.

The challenge arises in selecting  the programs that will deliver the most impact based on trends in your employees’ health risks and medical claims costs.

From big corporations to the corner deli, company owners welcome ways to improve productivity, reduce rates of absenteeism and cut costs. In like manner, wellness programs can range from modest to elaborate.

In deciding where to focus a corporation’s limited resources, looking at costs, benefits and best practices is a good starting point. This section profiles six aspects of wellness and explores their benefits to staff members and companys.

When it comes to working wellness into your workforce, you want someone who knows the ins and outs of wellness, and who can counsel employees and provide main care – all within the context of the current regulatory and legal environment.

AAOHN’s survey announced that more than half of staff members (61 percent) want to receive wellness information from a healthcare expert, like a consultant or an onsite occupational health nurse (OHN), compared to  pamphlets or  pamphlets (18 percent) or human resources (HR) staff (15 percent).

OHNs can develop, implement and evaluate components of work site wellness programs such as screening programs, exercise/fitness courses, stress management, smoking cessation, nutrition and weight control programs, as well as chronic illness management programs.

Plus, OHNs can help employees navigate through complicated health plans and might even serve as a triage point between employees and their personal healthcare providers.

Staff Members might refrain from seeing their health care provider when it means time away from work, inconvenient parking, waiting time in the office and co-pays.

In situations where staff members are under treatment for chronic illnesss like heart illness, on-site nurses can routinely monitor risk factors like blood pressure or cholesterol on a regular basis.

It’s often easier for an worker to ask an onsite nurse for information about signs or prescription medication than it is to schedule a follow-up visit to an individual healthcare provider.

Benefits realized by companys include enhanced staff member morale and retention, a recruitment advantage, increased productivity and decreased time away from work.

In companies with a safety department, the OHN can evaluate and address work-related health issues, including participation in workstation analysiss to correct potential ergonomic problems, and proactively addressing muscle strains by developing stretching programs and involving employees in leading stretches.

Wellness Programs are excellent for waistlines and your bottom line

In today’s hectic world, most of us are spending more time at work, and have increasingly less time to look after our health. for a long time, corporations have understood the benefits associated with keeping workers well – increased productivity from lowered absenteeism and lowered disability claims.

For these reasons, coupled with the fact that many businesses realized double-digit health care costs last year, businesses should consider Wellness Programs as a way to keep staff members healthy.

But just how important are these programs to employees? How often are they willing to participate in programs designed to positively impact their wellness? Who do employees trust to provide them with important information about their health?

Answers to these questions and more were recently garnered from a study  commissioned by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Inc. (AAOHN).

The AAOHN survey questioned 500 employees nationwide about their perceptions of Wellness Programs. More than three-quarters of all participants indicated these programs are a good way to improve their overall health, and nearly 60 percent consider these offerings an incentive to remain with their current business.

Worker retention and turnover impact the bottom line, so building wellness programs into the work site culture is a valuable way to help retain talented staff members also to enhancing personal health and workplace productivity.

Wellness wish list

Employees appear to have their own agenda when it comes to their health. With new pressures resulting from an unstable economy, national security threats and work/balance issues, it’s not surprising that 85 percent of survey respondents cited stress management as a priority topic for work site wellness.

In addition to stress, other preferred topic areas include screening programs (84 percent), exercise/fitness programs (84 percent), medical insurance education (81 percent) and disease management seminars (80 percent).

In addition to lifestyle and personal health issues, those asked expressed concern about work-related health issues, including strains and injuries resulting from lifting or task-oriented muscle repetition, exposure to harmful substances, personal injury, vision changes due to computer work and workplace violence.

Beginning a Wellness Program

With such a wide range of health concerns, a key goal for businesss is finding a way to proactively address the health needs of the largest number of workers, and effectively change unhealthful behaviors, promote wellness and ward off illness and illness.

Printed materials such as  brochures, posters, fliers or  brochures present an easy solution. But it’s important to remember that different individuals  require different formats for learning.

A good rule of thumb –  provide information in a variety of learning formats like videos,  pamphlets, health-related quizzes, display boards, lunch and learn presentations and reimbursement or incentive programs.

This assumes you’ve overcome the first hurdle – getting individuals  to sign on to a wellness program. While survey respondents indicated wellness programs are important, just six out of 10 (60 percent) announced that they participated in the wellness programs at their corporations. the other 40 percent cited lack of interest and lack of time as deterrents.

This points to the need for a comprehensive, structured wellness program using a creative approach, with an incentive for participation and effective program advertising.

By investing in an organized wellness program headed by a licensed healthcare professional like an on-site nurse, corporations can give employees the access to the health information they want, and increase participation and generate interest at the same time.

The result –  staff members become savvier healthcare consumers who feel more in charge of their personal health. and healthier staff members make for a healthier bottom line.

Wellness programs are designed to help improve the overall health and awareness of health related issues of workers in the workplace.

Although these programs are set up to help person set, work toward and maintain healthful lifestyle options, they sometimes fail.

There are five primary reasons wellness programs are unsuccessful. the first reason is because of lack of staff member interest. It’s imperative when presenting a new wellness program to staff members that every effort is made to communicate the all encompassing benefits of the program to the organization and to the individual.

Next, wellness programs can fail because of lack of staff resources. When a wellness program is introduced but there are few resources to offer with the program, it will be difficult for an staff member to want to take advantage of it.

As part of the previous reason for failure of a wellness program, inadequate funding also can set a program up for failure. With little money to promote a wellness program, it can be difficult to spread the word about the benefits of a wellness program.

An all too frequent reason that wellness programs don’t reach optimal success is because the program and its coordinators fail to engage high risk employees. If high risk employees have the majority of the health issues in a workplace, they must be the most targeted person for a wellness program.

To see 100 percent participation is the optimal goal, but to engage those with the most severe health concerns is a gigantic priority.

Finally, the inability to enlist the support of higher management is a significant reason why wellness programs may not be successful. Without the endorsement, support and flexibility that management can offer a wellness program, it’s far less likely that it’ll actually succeed.

Wellness programs succeed for just as many reasons as they fail. With engaged and motivated workers, obtaining wellness goals is attainable and promising.

Corporate wellness involves many aspects of the workplace and can look dramatically different based upon the shared wellness vision.

Wellness efforts can also be uniquely tailored to women and men, old and young or to special health needs. Wellness in the workplace should be a top priority regardless of gender, age or special needs.

Living healthy requires time and attention and often special wellness activities designed by a wellness committee can help reach certain health goals.

Most wellness programs allow for each worker to dictate the goals and activities that will make up their wellness goals.

Often, the business will jump in with wellness programs or incentives. as if sponsoring a competition, some businesss will pay staff members for reaching weight loss goals.

Other wellness ideas may include special benefits or compensation for reaching health objectives. It can be challenging to gage what will motivate some workers, but knowing that most workers don’t want to pay more for healthcare is a good begin.

A solid wellness program is a surefire way to lower healthcare costs, lost vacation time, and other miscellaneous medical testing.

With a unified wellness committee taking workers opinions into account, there must be objectives set up across the board that will help focus and monitor health care objectives for all involved workers.

Some staff members may pick to focus on specific health concerns while others may want to improve their overall health through diet, exercise and stress relief techniques.

If some staff members seem adamant about admitting health concerns, it could be helpful to reaffirm confidentiality with each employee.

Other employees may find it helpful to join a group or a partner in working toward health care objectives. Studies have proven that working on any kind of goal with another individual increases the percentage of completion and success.

Corporate wellness can come in any shape, form or timeframe. It’s more important to have resources in place for workers to ensure a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Wellness programs encourage people  to begin taking steps toward healthcare prevention by teaching healthful decision making. These programs are designed to decrease healthcare costs, reduce absenteeism, and increase productivity.

It’s believed that many diseases in America are preventable by proper medical screenings and small changes toward a healthier lifestyle. the most valuable resource a company has is its workers.

By investing time and money into them, the corporation would reap the advantages of having more focused and healthier workers.

For an worker, wellness programs can lead you towards living a healthier lifestyle and becoming a much healthier individuals. Depending on what a company offers you can learn how to reduce stress, keep your sugar levels in control, and even lose weight.

The support you’ll receive from your colleagues will help you reachyour health objectives. From consuming a healthful lunch together to forming a racquetball tournament, you’ll develop a feeling of friendship between colleagues.

Social influences are a major part of a healthy life style. You’ll be getting encouragement from peers in addition to encouraging others around you to live healthy.

For companys, these wellness programs proved to have a considerable return on the investment put into them.

The small amount of funds it costs to start these programs and continue with them is insurmountable compared to what they save with increased productivity and reduced costs spent on sick leave and insurance premiums.

Having corporation support is a good start to living a healthier lifestyle. Whatever the approach, Wellness programs can help make a positive change in your job, life and the community.

Implementing these programs is just one way employers around the country are creating a healthier and more productive workforce.