Health Wellness ProgramHealth and Wellness Programs and Wellness Program Consulting

Often individuals avoid low fat foods because they think these foods do not taste great. To help inform staff members, 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 staff members to bring and share their favorite low fat or healthy dishes.

Considerations:
• Make sure the selections actually taste good.
• Provide a “fact sheet” with the names and price of the various products to help participants if they want to buy these products from the grocery store.
• Offer other written information on good nutrition for any interested participants to take. Utilize 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 require 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 support a meal.
• Plan the tasting room after lunch so participants can go in on their own and sample.
• Keep an eye out for overly sweet items…sometimes low fat means elevated sugar – so be sure to check the label.
• Typical purchases for a worksite sampling might include: two boxes of low fat 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 politely reminding participants that the idea is to sample, not have a meal.
• Offer a beverage such as a new kind of fruit juice or herbal tea.

Group reinforcement and encouragement can be very beneficial in helping employees 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 workplace reinforcement for healthy changes include:

• Employees can be asked to voluntarily submit ideas, advice, and strategies related to particular healthy practices they have successfully implemented in their lives. By way of example, ex-smokers 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 support groups, created based on employee interest in making healthy change, can meet on regularly to share ideas, resources, support, etc. Employee Wellness Programs can offer some assistance 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 presenter 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 wellness and health fair is a fantastic way to familiarize workers with health concerns and related wellness programs. During a wellness and health fair workers might be able to obtain resource materials; participate in offered wellness screenings (vision, hearing, blood, cholesterol, cancer, dental, etc.); observe demonstrations on the use of fitness equipment; attend mini-seminars on various health subject matters; get no cost promotional items from local organizations; sample healthy foods; and obtain 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 organization.

Considerations when coordinating a health & wellness fair:

• Setting up a thriving health & wellness fair takes extensive time. Time concerns ought to 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 on hand 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 & wellness fair.
• Vendors will be hoping to make contact with as many persons as possible during the event. Securing their commitment to future wellness and health fairs requires that every effort be made to promote participation by publicizing the event, selecting the proper venue, and offering incentives/rewards.
• If possible, locate the wellness fair in a location with heavy foot traffic.
• Ask vendors to provide 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 improve employee participation and to keep interest high, 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 ought to take place every 15 or 30 minutes.
• Consider teaming up with neighboring businesses to hold a wellness and health fair. A team effort will distribute 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 prepared to answer employee questions concerning 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 conduct the fair at lunchtime 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. Have a free 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 including a wide array of vendors and services involved with physical, mental, financial and social health; for example, health agencies, safety companies, benefits providers, local healthcare 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 screening components may include:

• Blood Pressure and pulse 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 density.
• 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 allowed 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 evaluation.
• Screenings can be very costly to the central wellness budget OR there may be no cost to the program if participants are willing to cover the cost of the assessment themselves. For example, cholesterol and glucose testing usually costs twenty to twenty-five dollars per person, per exam. Staff Members 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 evaluation, 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 evaluation.
• To ensure high attendance at screening events, it is advisable to start promotion of the event with reminders to staff members.
• Supply employees with “screening preparation” guidelines to remind them how to prepare for the most accurate assessment results.

Resources for worksite screenings:

1. Consult with a wellness consultant or health screening employer.
2. If employee participation is low for onsite health screenings, or if offering additional worksite evaluation 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 have qualified employee for some types of screenings, such as fitness testing or body fat measuring.

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 sessions.  It’s also a good idea to ask the instructor for references.

When you hire instructors, be sure that your insurance protects both the instructor and your organization.

Risk Management

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

Risk management plans need not be complicated or pricey. By way of example, part of the plan might require that staff members complete fitness appraisals and sign statements accepting the possible risks involved in physical exercise. It pays to be prepared. Safety and emergency policies and procedures reduce the risk of loss both to individuals and to your organization.

Ask workers to sign a waiver when participating in both onsite and offsite activities. For liability reasons, workers must be aware of the risks involved in participating in the exercise and understand that they are waiving their right to sue.

The employee must not be asked to sign the waiver just before the activity. The waiver may be invalid if employees state 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 organizing physical activity.

Look at the environment where employees are active:

• Sidewalks ought to be clear of ice and snow, away from falling debris or snow, and have clearly marked curbs and safe crosswalks.
• Stairwells must 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 must have proper flooring, good ventilation, and access to water and an emergency telephone.

Offer medical evaluation for workers 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 activity background.

To make a difference in the lives of your fellow workers, you first need to see that getting active is not simply a matter of choice. Some things are within our individual control, but others are molded by the people and circumstances in which we live and work.

It’s Easier to Be Active When…

• We know what to do and have the confidence, skills and opportunity to do it.
• It’s fun. “Working out” at the health club does not appeal to everyone. Activities need to reflect what people enjoy.
• Our friends, family or co-workers are active with us (or at least support us).
• We feel safe, thanks to well-lit streets or stairways.
• Sidewalks, walking/biking trails, parks and gyms are nearby.
• We have money to pay for equipment, instruction or memberships.
• We can walk, bike or take public transit to work.
• Active choices such as taking the stairs, having stretch breaks at gatherings and heading outside at lunchtime are “normal” in the worksite.
• Managers support and recognize employee efforts. Better yet, they participate.
• We can juggle our work hours to fit in physical exercise.

Think about how you might establish some of these conditions in your worksite. By taking these steps, you’ll increase the likelihood that staff members both want and are able to be active during the workday.

Workplace physical exercise drives that focus only on individuals have limited success. Research shows that reaching people in multiple ways gives the best chance of long-term success.

A plan directed at multiple levels is also called an “ecological approach.”

The sort of evaluation you choose depends on when you do it and the kind of information you gather.

This section outlines when to use three types: formative, process and summative evaluations.

During the Planning Stage

Use formative evaluations in the planning stages to make sure that your program is based on solid information. These evaluations also help you to foster effective and appropriate materials and procedures.

Examples of formative evaluations include:

• records of upper management commitments to the program
• employee interest surveys
• workplace environmental assessments
• pre-testing of program materials

During Your Initiative

A process evaluation is used when the plan is underway. These evaluations help you:

• track what is going well and what isn’t (and how to revise your program)
• discover if you are reaching the workers you want to reach
• describe the plan to others
• monitor who is participating in the program

During or After Your Initiative

Summative evaluations take place when the plan is already in place or completed. Use this sort of evaluation to measure what workers like about the plan and what could be improved.

All three types of evaluations have their place. The assessment you choose is dependent upon the time and financial resources you have available.

What Do You Seek to Achieve?

Consider why you’re evaluating and what your evaluation is going to measure.

If you’re trying to discover whether program has been efficacious, see if you followed your mission statement and met your objectives.

If you don’t have a mission statement or goals, agree with senior staff and your employee Worksite Health Promotion Program Committee how your organization will measure success.

For example, you can measure success by changes in:

• Physical measures (e.g., strength, flexibility, waist circumference of employees).
• Psychological measures (e.g., employee morale, satisfaction levels, stress levels).
• Productivity measures (e.g., decrease in absenteeism rates, increased employee productiveness).

Thinking About staff members

If you’re considering making improvements to the plan, consider whether the plan is still relevant and appropriate for staff members. See if there are any obstacles to participation in the program or to participation in physical exercise during work.

As employees are the ones participating in the program, it’s important to give them a chance to offer feedback on the physical exercise program.

Choosing an Evaluation Method

Decide on your assessment method. Both measurable results (e.g., absenteeism rates or questionnaire responses) and descriptive results (e.g., one-on-one interviews or focus groups) can be used to evaluate. The method you choose will depend on the time and funding available and what you want to measure.

Deciding How to Do the Evaluation

Decide when and where you will do your assessment (and who will be evaluated). For more information, read the “Types of Evaluations” section on this website.
You may want to pilot test your assessment (e.g., with members of the Company Wellness Program Committee) before sending it out to workers. The employee Company Wellness Program Committee may also want to evaluate the initiative’s planning process.

Doing the Evaluation

• Compare your outcome to baseline information (i.e., evaluation results from before the launch of your plan). If you don’t have this information, save your evaluation outcome to compare with later results. You can also look at other information you may have, such as employee satisfaction survey results.
• Analyze and share meaningful and easy-to-know results with senior staff and employees.
• Evaluation results can be used to improve the current physical exercise program and/or to foster new drives in future.

Before initiating your Workplace Physical Activity Program, summarize the information you’ve gathered and plan your next steps.

At this point, you have

• gained reinforcement from management for the Workplace Physical Activity Program
• formed an Employee Health Promotion Program Committee
• assessed what is possible in your workplace
• found out what employees want and need in a Workplace Physical Activity Program.

Based on this information, you’re now ready to cultivate your action plan to boost physical exercise at your workplace.

With the Workplace Wellness Program Committee, take the following steps.

• Combine the outcome of the employee survey with the workplace environmental assessment, and report to management and staff members.
• Prioritize the possibilities at each of the “levels” (individual, social, company, community, policy) in the workplace listed in “Keys to Success”. By way of example, suppose a big group of staff members show an interest in biking to work. Since these individuals may want to shower and change after their commute each day, you could give showers and changing facilities priority in your workplace. Bike racks could also be important for making employees’ bikes secure during work.
• Consult the list of practical suggestions found this website.
• Establish a mission statement (one which aligns with your organization’s overriding mission statement) to define your purpose and help guide your process. Setting objectives and goals will help you achieve your mission statement.
• Put together a plan or blueprint approaching what you have learned. Make program and activity recommendations with timelines, identify resources and assign responsibilities. Revisit the list of tasks outlined in “Step 2: Forming an Employee Committee.” Seek senior staff approval to move ahead.
• Once your plan is in place, it’s significant to promote it to employees. Organizing a launch is a good way to do this. A formal kick-off also demonstrates management responsibility. If employees don’t know about the plan, they can’t take advantage of it!
• Establish what you need to track to show that you have accomplished your objectives and goals. Measure these factors before you start. This way, when you evaluate later, you will know if there has been a change.

To succeed in encouraging physical activity during the workday, you must find out what workers need and want. They are the individuals whose behavior you are trying to impact, so it’s critical to understand their needs and gain their reinforcement.

The Employee Interest Survey

Ask workers questions that let you assess such key characteristics as age, sex, social relationships, family responsibilities and current physical exercise participation.

It’s important to know this information so that your physical activity initiative meets employees’ needs. Staff Members aren’t going to participate in something they’re not interested in.

Ask workers what they want, and then implement changes that fit with their needs and working conditions. By way of example, workers may not wish to do activities that make them sweat, because they do not want to shower at work.

Ask staff members what the organization might do to make it easier for them to be more physically active during work. If there’s a common behavior throughout your organization, a single change might affect an abundance of people.

For example, suppose a big group shows interest in biking to work. They may want to shower and change after their commute. You might give priority to installing workplace showers and changing facilities. Secure bike storage might be important as well.

If you’re starting a program that requires going outside, start in the spring. By the time winter arrives, participation is already a habit.

Involving workers is key to building physical exercise participation rates. People are more willing to participate in and support physical exercise drives when they are involved in decision making.

The following tips will help you produce your own employee interest survey:

• Keep it short (no longer than ten minutes to complete).
• Let workers know why you are doing the survey.
• Rather than using all open-ended questions, which can be long and difficult to analyze, ask people to choose from a drop-down list of possible responses.
• Ask for comments and ideas in one open-ended question at the end.
• Make it confidential and anonymous. Do not request information that may identify a person.
• If you’re including a list of possible programs or environmental changes, be sure your workplace has the facilities and resources to offer them.