Health And Wellness Programs

Health Testing:
• Blood pressure
• Breast cancer Testing
• Skin cancer Testing
• Diabetes Testing
• Cholesterol Testing
• Eye exams
• Body-fat Testing
• Flu shots
• Posture screening, spinal assessment
• On-Site child immunizations
• Prostate cancer screenings
• Fitness Testing
• Depression Testing

Physical Fitness Activities:
• On-Site fitness center or exercise room
• Walking and/or running club (during lunch hour or breaks)
• On-Site bike rake
• Mind and Body classes (yoga, tai chi) initiatives
• Team sports (volleyball, basketball, softball)
• Host an exercise equipment swap

Lifestyle Change or Behavior Change Strategies:
• Tobacco cessation
• Weight management initiatives
• Substance abuse initiatives
• Physical Fitness activity
• Stress management initiatives

Prevention and Safety Strategies:
• Back-injury training and prevention
• Ergonomic education
• Hand-tool safety initiatives
• Fire safety initiatives

Awareness, Health Education, and Support Strategies:
• Lunch & Learn or brown-bag wellness seminars (see your EAP for a list)
• Diet and Nutrition 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
• Senior care initiatives
• Cancer support groups
• Financial education

Stress-Reliever Strategies:
• Laughter bulletin board where employee can post jokes and cartoons (in good taste)
• Onsite Chair Massage
• Stretch breaks
• Group lunches or celebrations

Disease Management Strategies:
• Back pain
• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Cancer
• Obesity
• Hypertension

Employee Health Services
• worksite medical services
• workplace medical examinations
• health risk screening and counselling:
• blood pressure screening,
• blood cholesterol screening,
• blood glucose screening clinics,
• thyroid screening,
• bone density screening,
• prostrate cancer screening
• encourage self-exams - breasts, testicles
• medical surveillance Strategies
• immunizations and flu vaccinations
• Disability Management
• Active rehab
• Return to work Strategies
• Self-care Strategies
• Disease management information and presentations:
• diabetes,
• stomach disorder,
• arthritis,
• asthma,
• allergy,
• foot and back care Strategies,
• chronic tiredness,
• migraines
• Online health and wellness education with continuous learning/reminders/tips
• Daily/weekly/monthly email tips or news bulletins
• Excercise appraisals
• Safety and health fairs
• Hand-washing tips and reminders
• Visiting your doctor guide - tips to efficiency
• links and information on help lines

Employee Wellness Programs: The Grand Slam

Employee Wellness Plans are as close to a grand slam proposition as you’ll find, according to the majority of researchers and Employer Health and Wellness Program experts.

But if you have skeptics in your business who are questioning the expense of starting an Employee Wellness Program, you may be wary too. Aren’t employee Employee Wellness Plans subject to the adage “There’s no such thing as a free lunch”?

Employee Wellness Plans Don’t Have To Be Costly

Fortunately, employee Employee Wellness Plans don’t require a big investment. Like any other business project, mismanagement and “death by committee” can inflate the cost of Employee Wellness Programs, but it’s hard to spend too much time and money on them. After all, Employee Wellness Plans are mostly informational in nature. Flyers, e-mails, maps, and Employer Health and Wellness Program Wellness Fairs can only cost so much. There’s no expensive, specialized Employer Health and Wellness Program machinery.

Employer Health and Wellness Program statistics on successful programs are particularly persuasive. Unlike many cost-saving measures, Employee Wellness Plans actually add to employee satisfaction - but they also reduce Health Insurance premiums and employee absenteeism.

What are some common Employee Wellness Programs?

Employee Wellness Plans run the gamut, depending on your workplace demographic, from exercise for health patients to nutritional initiatives that encourage workers to replace unhealthy snack foods with healthy fare like dried fruit and shelled nuts.

Here are some examples of Employee Wellness Programs:

ergonomic safety
cardiovascular disease education and testing
employee safety
Health Risk Assessments (HRAs)
walking Employee Wellness Plans
drug testing

• clearly communicated vision and mission
• clear and accurate job descriptions
• supportive appraisal system
• staff member empowerment through decision-making, pace of work and connection to company goals, (on-line tools that connect to goals such

as Baxter Healthcare)
• two-way communication training
• ‘no lunch hour’ meeting rules unless it is a lunch ‘n’ learn
• absenteeism and attendance program
• career tracking, (on-line tools like Pfizer)
• continuing education
• job rotation, special project assignments
• time management
• creative ideas program
• change and complaint process
• email guidelines
• technology courses and assistance
• vacation useage
• shift work rotations and breaks
• conflict management skills
• handling negative attitudes workshops

Occupational Wellness Programs: Management Training

• scheduling
• incentive and recognition Strategies
• workload impact
• communication and feedback skills
• conflict management skills and support skills
• priority setting
• all of which are apart of the four employment relationship factors (trust, commitment, influence, and communication – from Canadian

Policy Research Network)

Occupational Wellness Programs: Remuneration and Benefits

• massage - try an worksite massage therapist or seated massage breaks
• orthotics
• orthodontics
• gym membership subsidies
• education subsidies
• tobacco cessation and weight control partial reimbursement incentives
• safety shoe reimbursement
• out-of-country coverage
• vision care
• alternative therapy coverage

Occupational Wellness Programs: Support Building
• exercise  breaks and stretches
• team challenges
• company sport teams such as soccer, volleyball, and hockey
• use staff members who are in-house experts e.g., gardening, yoga, construction
• celebrate birthdays, anniversaries - other significant dates and achievements
• 5 minute catch-up at beginning of work week
• pot lucks and food for meetings
• green room for time outs and regrouping self
• encouraging face to face communications
• learn names

**The creation of health or harm within an company depends on how work is managed.  Workplace Culture Strategies must address high

demand/low control, high effort/low reward, fairness, purpose and trust.

Maintaining Employer Health and Wellness Program during Cold Season can be a challenge for any business. The average adult can get up to four colds in one year, and hundreds of thousands are hospitalized every year for flu complications. From December to March, there are more workers out of the office due to illness, and others who barely made it to the office and can hardly think over their constant coughing and sneezing.

Employee Wellness Program: Prevention is the Key

Prevention is the key to maintaining good health in the workplace and increasing overall Employee Wellness Program. Fighting infection after the cold and flu epidemics hit is a losing battle and can best be combated with early action, such as implementing a Employer Health and Wellness Program Program at the worksite for good health all year long.

Keeping the Office Germ-free During Cold Season

The typical office is the perfect breeding grounds for influenza or the cold virus. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases says that there are higher chances for the spread of infection during winter because people spend more time indoors. In an office, this risk is increased by cubicles, bringing many people into a close space. Workplace Health Screenings conducted regularly as part of an overall health management program will increase the chances of Employer Health and Wellness Program year round, and especially during Cold Season.

Education Can Increase Employer Health and Wellness Program During Cold Season

Educating workers about various ways to stay healthy during Cold Season may help prevent the spread of any sickness to the entire office. Hand washing is a crucial component in maximizing Employee Wellness Program, as bacteria collects on keyboards, mouses, around the water cooler and next to the community coffee pot. As workers shake hands, infection may be passed, multiplying the chance of getting a cold or coming down with the flu. Hand washing and anti-bacterial cleaners for surfaces can help reduce the spread of sickness.

Employer Health and Wellness Program is possible during Cold Season. With Employee Wellness Program, your office can reach one step closer to immunity from sickness during Cold Season.

• childcare Strategies and information
• family planning information
• parenting classes
• Senior care Strategies and information
• retirement planning
• individual responsibility leave
• alternative work arrangements such as telecommuting, job sharing
• work-family-life transition support
• anger management and family violence
• family counselling initiatives
• budgeting and financial counselling
• understanding credit reports
• money safety tips - ATMS, credit cards
• advertising and promotion of community support groups
• cafeteria take-out program
• tax preparation initiatives
• will, power of attorney, and estate experts
• vacation planning and safe travel
• interpersonal relationship presenters
• motivational presenters
• bereavement information
• shift work and lifestyle Strategies
• limit overtime
• family wellness days - bike rodeos, BBQ, picnics
• swimming pool safety
• charity information - United Way, MADD
• other information sessions on:
• chemical free lawn and garden care,
• menopause,
• infertility,
• poisoning,
• fire safety initiatives
• seat belts and booster seats,
• playground safety,
• internet safety,
• home safety and energy efficiency

Employer Health and Wellness Program Study Shows Millions Lost Due to Illness

Employer Health and Wellness Program was shown to be a huge economic boon for corporations in a recently-released joint report by  the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Nearly three million productive workers in labor markets worldwide add up to a lot of money. The Employer Health and Wellness Program research study estimates that China will lose $558 billion, India $237 billion, and Russia $303 billion in national income from 2005 to 2015 due to only three chronic diseases: heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Lack of Employer Health and Wellness Program A “Huge Expense”

The American Center for Disease Control also reports that chronic disease accounts for approximately 75 percent of yearly employee medical care costs in the American, which constitutes a huge expense for corporations. And the Public Health Foundation of India estimates that its country will lose 18 million potentially productive years of life by 2030, a statistic no nation can afford, let alone a developing one.

Employee Wellness Plans the Answer

A sustainable solution to these challenges cannot be solved by medical benefits alone. Workplace commitments to Employer Health and Wellness Program are also crucial. Companies are advised to implement worksite Health Screenings for their workers, as well as look into a comprehensive health management program. These and other precautions are good secret weapons against the economic pitfall of unhealthy workers.

• violence in the workplace
• equity in the workplace initiatives
• harassment policy and training
• literacy/numeracy Strategies
• professional development and skill enhancing training
• air quality and sick building testing
• smoke-free workplace
• fire safety initiatives
• hazard control and WHIMS Training
• injury prevention, CPR/First Aid, emergency response Strategies
• enhanced signage
• installing guard rails
• work station design, ergonomic and repetitive strain reduction training
• stretching initiatives
• health and safety written and implemented policies
• Safety Audits
• access to bike racks, showers and change areas
• make stairs attractive and post signs to encourage their use
• proper lighting
• monitoring noise levels
• shift work strategies related to lighting, noise, air, breaks etc.

Employee Wellness Plans - Employee Engagement Strategies

Employee Wellness Plans without staff engagement are useless to a business. How do you get workers to enroll in Employee Wellness Plans - and stay engaged in the programs?

The materials for these programs discuss the benefits to workers and businesses. Employer Health and Wellness Program statistics show that there are tangible benefits to a business for offering such programs. Employee Wellness Plans actually do save lives by getting workers to take their health seriously, increase productivity, decrease absenteeism and more.

However, St. Louis, Missouri-based Maritz Inc., the world’s largest incentive business, has applied their own invigorating twist to health management by offering gift rewards to workers who participate in Employee Wellness Programs. The wellness incentive reward program is Maritz’s own Exclusively Yours® plan. Health management participants earn points, which can be then redeemed for merchandise, electronics, restaurant vouchers and travel, much like a frequent-flier program.

Enrollment incentive rewards in Employee Wellness Programs?

Undoubtably corporations that don’t work in the incentive rewards industry will be tempted to cry foul about using such a rich carrot to incentivize health program enrollments. Not every business can throw that kind of money at health management resources - and not every business has the built-in savings as a business that specializes in offering incentive reward programs.

For certain rich incentive rewards like Maritz’s will break through the glaze that appears over many workers’ eyes when they’re encouraged to do something new, different or challenging. For many workers uncomfortable with health management and exercise, “new, different and challenging” would apply to Employee Wellness Programs. So where does that leave businesses who are unwilling or unable to offer incentive rewards for health management program enrollment?

Successful Employee Wellness Plans motivate workers - before and after signup

Employer Health and Wellness Program administrators should keep the long-term view in mind when trying to get workers to take that critical first step. Even the best incentive rewards can fail in the face of faltering organization, badly-designed Employee Wellness Plans and wavering support. Make sure to run good Wellness surveys before you build your Employee Wellness Plans so employee input and needs are being met by your Employee Wellness Programs. The goal is positive outcomes, not high enrollment numbers.

Employee Wellness Plans cannot survive managerial apathy. If executive and managerial participation is widespread and heartfelt, workers will follow their leadership. The potential rewards and Wellness benefits are clearly worth reaping, for both your company and your co-workers.

• Add Stress management and mental health Strategies
• Add substance use and abuse Strategies
• Add smoking cessation and control
• Add nutrition counselling
• Add weight control Strategies and counselling
• Add encourage use of food logs
• Add posting BMI charts
• Add juice dispensing machines
• Add water coolers
• Add vending machines with low-calorie snack choices
• Add vending machines with fruit, vegetable and calcium choices
• Posting nutritional information on vending machines
• Add color-coded cafeteria choices
• Encourage breakfast - suggest choices to start the day
• healthy packed lunch ideas for adults and kids
• partnering with local restaurants for healthy lunch choices
• healthy recipes on-line
• healthy or low-cost cooking Strategies
• healthy shopping instruction
• naturopaths, homeopaths, herbal remedies and vitamins
• Add information sessions on fad diets
• Add disease prevention information
• STD’s
• active living and fitness Strategies such as a aerobics, walking or cycling clubs
• Add self-defense training
• Add relaxation training
• chiropractors
• relaxation and energy specialists
• Add stretching classes such as yoga, tai chi
• Add active living challenges
• walking challenges with pedometers
• stair climbing challenge
• sleep and sleep disorders e.g. snoring
• napping information and sleep rooms
• alertness and driving sessions
• encouraging light breaks
• create a wellness Yellow Pages
• information sessions on
• insect bites,
• memory enhancement,
• motion sickness,
• nose bleeds,
• healthy skin,
• frost bite,
• gingivitis and mouth care,
• hair loss,
• ear infections,
• fever,
• psoriasis,
• TMJ,
• varicose veins,
• shingles,
• defensive driving,
• sun safety,
• avoiding home and vehicle theft,
• food safety
• handwashing

**Healthy Living Strategies should assist in the development of self-efficacy which means that the individual has a senses that they can

influence the course of events in their normal daily life, that they can deal with their normal consequences, that they feel confident and

sure of themselves.