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Business Exercise Programs and Wellness – A Clear Message

Employer culture varies from business to business. Some corporations are strict and formal while others are more laid back. But one thing most have learned is that the health of their staff members impacts the health of the business itself.

Because of this, many organizations have started organization health and Corporate Wellness Programs. By doing so, the company’s owners send a clear message to their employees that health is a priority and should be taken seriously.

Just by the fact that the organization is willing to spend money to create and maintain a Company Health Promotion Program indicates by itself that fitness equates to dollars and Company Health Promotion Program equates to healthy workers.

No Smoking

A corporate health and Workplace Wellness Program can be as simple as a ‘no smoking’ policy to a menu of health and fitness services. Usually, the programs fall right in the middle. There are many health centers that offer Workplace Wellness Programs. A company has a variety of choices when it comes to deciding on how to deliver a Wellness plan.

• Hire an outside health expert to deliver an employee program to an existing facility
• Utilize a professional in the original design of a new facility
• Design a Workplace Health Promotion Program manager responsible for coordinating the employer fitness program
• Use an online fitness professional as a consultant

The first step in starting any corporation fitness and Worksite Health Promotion Program is to evaluate the condition of the workers. The kind of work a corporation does will guide the focus of the program.

For example, a warehouse operation may be interested in starting employee strength to avert back and neck injuries. A building of office workers with sedentary jobs will need aerobic conditioning. A company program is customized to meet the needs of its workers.

Internet based fitness trainers are experts at beginning programs for different sized groups. They can adapt exercises and diets to any postion. They can also save a business money by starting a plan that is streamlined yet effective.

Result Oriented

A business fitness and Company Wellness Program has direct adavantages, not just for the employees, but for the business as well.

• Decreased Healthcare claims as employee health progresses
• Less cases of obesity
• Less use of sick leave
• Workers able to deal with stress better
• Stronger employees less likely to be injured

It is not unusual to find a health club in an office building anymore. Easy access to workout equipment and a fitness professional encourages employees to follow a program. By using an professional, a employer can offer something for everyone – pregnant women, older employees, walkers, active adults, mothers, overweight people, fathers and others.

Business Fitness Programs – A Merger

Company fitness sounds like buzz words, but it has become an important concept in the work place. Staff Members in the corporation culture are willing to work long and difficult hours.

In exchange they expect the corporation to be willing to make accommodations. A corporation fitness plan is a comprehensive program that mergers corporation and employee health needs.

Taking Stock

Organizations have a social responsibility. They take care of the environment, donate money to worthy causes and take part in school programs. But for many employers, the social awareness begins with their very own employees.

The workers who are fit make better workers. Studies have shown that up to 75% of illness is related to lifestyle. So for a organization physical activity program to work it must teach workers fitness as a comprehensive lifelong plan. Since we spend at least 1/3 of our day on the job, it only makes sense to make fitness available at the workplace.

• Test for problems that could lead to primary health issues in the future, such as Blood Pressure (BP) and glucose levels
• Inform employees on diet
• Investigate stress levels as a function of work
• Make exercise equipment or seminars available
• Make adequate time for involvement in fitness programs
• Provide disease prevention programs such as immunization
• Offer incentive programs for program participation

On A Mission

There are many ways a company can create a company fitness plan. A professional company can be hired to write a complete fitness plan. Or a professional can advocate a company start a plan the company developed. The professional assistance can be internet based, at the worksite, or at a health center.

When a professional fitness business is hired, staff members are evaluated based on their workload. Individual exercise plans are put into place and progress is monitored. Some organizations hire a fitness trainer to work directly with staff members on an ongoing basis at the worksite.

Other companies pay for the services of a trainer at the nearest health center. To read what personal fitness can do for your employer visit this page.

There are many options a company can choose from. Employers often establish fitness plans that comprise of employee families. For example, if the company purchased a company health club membership, families of employees are given use of the facilities also.

This promotes family unity in addition to fitness. Some employers pay for fitness plans in their entirety. Others only pay part and the employee pays the balance. There are elaborate plans that offer classes and group exercises and seminars. There are simpler plans that offer access to basic fitness facilities.

But no matter what form the organization fitness plan takes, as a minimum, the program will instruct on nutrition and supply opportunity for exercises that tone, strengthen and enhance flexibility. A organization that takes care of its employees finds that the employees will take care of the organization.

Growing a Corporation Exercise Team From Nine-To-Five

People spend a lot of time at their place of employment, and work environments are full of stress. Downsizing, mergers, increasing manufacturing specifications and extended hours take their toll on employee health.

It can be gauged in rising absenteeism and increasing health costs. It is time to reverse the trend. Growing a corporation exercise group could be the perfect solution. Driving each other to start a physical activity program will reap big outcomes for the workers and the corporation.

Working Overtime

It is simple to find excuses to skip exercising. One of them is always ‘not sufficient time’. But 2 walks for 15 minutes each has the same health benefit as 1 walk for 30 minutes. This fact makes building employer exercise team programs simple.

Most companies hire a fitness professional. The fitness professional can develop a plan the organization can manage itself or let the fitness professional create and monitor. Either way, there are lots of ways for employees to exercise during the day.

• Take walks outside during breaks or lunch
• Frequent sponsored exercise seminars at an in-house fitness center or a local fitness center before or after work
• Use the stairs rather than taking the elevators, measuring the number of stairs each week
• Do stretching exercises every hour to remain refreshed and alert

But it works even better when teamwork is added to the mix. A business is as good as its staff members. Every business operates on the concept of good teamwork to fulfill its mission and provide great customer service. What better way to begin that process than by building a business exercise team?

The rapport that is created among workers working out together will carry over into the worksite itself. It is a well-known fact that group exercise promote cooperation and exercise offers the perfect common activity.

All humans need to exercise to maintain fitness. With a company exercise program, the company can convey its belief in team spirit, cooperative objectives and strategy development.

A local personal trainer can be hired to come onsite or the company can hire a online trainer. Either way, documenting the progress of each employee’s fitness level as they take part in the exercise team projects will encourage participation.

Moonlighting

There are numerous types of fitness programs that can be available to profit a worksite.

• A mixture of aerobics exercises followed by strength movements
• Circuit training at the health club
• Tai Chi Ch’uan for relaxation and stress control
• Step classes
• Body sculpting
• A series of progressive exercise classes offering steady fitness improvement
• Specialty seminars for people over 55 or for pregnant women

On this page you can find a personal trainer who can show how building a business exercise team programs works.

A corporation will find that once employees begin to feel fit, the exercise program will carry over into their own life. Now that is healthy moonlighting!

Employers are expected to be responsible in every way. They protect the environment, contribute to local area projects and pay taxes. They also care about the health of their staff members.

One of the benefits of wellness programs is they give workers every opportunity to improve their quality of life both at work and after work.

Wellness is not just about performing a few exercises. It is a complete service-oriented program that considers diet, overall fitness and job fitness.

Advantages of Company Wellness Programs

The Benefits of Worksite Wellness Programs form a long list.

• Betteremployee work rate
• Greateremployee concentration
• Better morale
• Lower absenteeism

The benefits of wellness programs can’t be miscalculated. With one-on-one consultation and group programs, employees learn to control stress in a productive demeanor.

This not only betters life on the job, it betters customer service and the quality of life with family and friends. Everyone who works has had those days when work goes home with you because of the significance stress has on general wellbeing.

Stress generates a chemical that improves fat generation in bodies.

A wellness program allows staff members to deal with stress in such a manner they 1. decrease stress caused sickness and 2. do not carry the stress of work with them throughout non-job activities.

The benefits of a wellness program are the result of the use of exercise and nutrition planning to teach workers how to stay physically in-shape.

It is much easier for the body to manage stress when the whole body is in-shape. employees who are not healthy indisputably cost the business an abundance of money in absenteeism, better medical care costs and lost productivity.

Employee relations can also deteriorate as a result of employees who feel daily stress of the job.

Benefits of Employee Wellness Programs – Satisfaction Guaranteed

The Advantages of wellness programs are both tangible and intangible.

• Existing chronic ailments are discussed to prohibit further physical deterioration
• Preventive Company Wellness Programs keep healthcare costs reduced over time
• Employees experience improved energy which enhances productiveness
• Unhealthy snacking in the worksite is addressed
• Ergonomics are studied to decrease employee injury potential
• Employee flexibility is greater
• Self-image of employees is improved
• Employee cooperation developed through recreational programs
• Resolutions to health and fitness problems are given

The benefits of business exercise program include onsite and off-site services customized to match business goals/objectives. Even if a program is in place, it can be adapted or expanded to match the needs of the business and its workers.

Regular evaluations, health education, health management and health consulting services are some of the many advantages of wellness programs monitored by Workplace Health Promotion Program experts. Among the many options available, a organization program normally will provide the following as a minimum.

• Aerobics
• Core muscle building
• Muscle strengthening
• Improved flexibility
• Dietary examination and changes

Wellness programs vary depending on the size of the business, availability to fitness equipment and budget. But no matter what shape the Corporate Wellness Program takes, the Advantages of Corporate Wellness Programs will improve overall employee satisfaction. This reaps big rewards for the business.

Help your employees be the very best they can be mentally and personally, by realizing the Benefits of Workplace Wellness Programs.

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Rewards of Corporate Health Promotion Programs – Life on Loan

It is simple for workers to ignore the facts about their health when they are involved in just getting the job done. One of the primary advantages of Corporate Wellness Programs is they bring health to the forefront of corporation awareness.

Obesity is a big problem and getting worse every day. But it is just one problem among many. Employee health maintenance has become so expensive that it is the fastest increasing component of many corporate budgets.

An effective Corporate Health Promotion Program can slow down the rate of increase and help workers realize they have a responsibility to themselves and their families to care for their own Wellness. Each person is given a gift of life and it is imperative that life be cared for carefully.

Rewards of Worksite Health Promotion Programs

The benefits of wellness programs comprise of the following:

• Better awareness of detrimental actions such as smoking
• Decline in employee weight and subsequent issues
• Convenience of programs for organization and workers
• Tracing of employee exercise program outcomes
• Availability of a fitness consultant

Workers are assessed one-on-one at the organization or where there is organization membership. Professional Worksite Wellness Program instructors create a custom fitted plan that insures the employee will have a physical activity program that fits their current physical condition and lifestyle.

One of the primary reasons that physical activity programs fail is because people set unrealistic expectations. They are always ‘in debt’ to their program, unable to meet the specifications. A company personal trainer can endorse each person set realizable goal and design a program that is progressive.

The benefits of wellness programs are well documented in reports and can be seen in reduced healthcare costs and higher work rate.

Benefits of Worksite Health Promotion Programs

Occasionally a high interest rate can be a good thing for a company – like when there is high employee interest in a Employee Health Promotion Program.

The advantages of Workplace Wellness Programs apply to the business and the workers.

• Reducedhealthcare claims as employee health progresses
• Reduced cases of obesity
• Reduced cholesterol rates
• Improved cardiovascular health
• Fewer incidences of high Blood Pressure (BP)
• Less use of sick leave
• Enhanced stress management
• Active staff members are less likely to be injured
• Reduced disability claims

Today, you can usually discover a exercise room at the office for employee convenience. That is an indication of the level of effectiveness of a exercise program.

The rewards of wellness programs cover deterence of common healthcare conditions that once were considered rare.

The increase in employee health nets the business a reduction in medical care costs and that savings flows directly to the bottom line of the monetary report. There are really no negatives to a Wellness program.

The benefits of wellness programs are so outstanding; it is difficult to know why any corporation would choose not to include a fitness plan for their workers. Look on the internet-based and see for yourself the world of opportunity to improve the health of your workers and your corporation.

Information to evaluate your program comes from routinely collected screening and follow-up data of your program that look at process and outcomes of your program.

The Worker Health Program has available a computerized case-management system which includes queries that allow easy assessment of process and outcome results at any point in time.

Process Evaluation

Process evaluation looks at the  Employee Wellness Program’s impact as seen at various points in time.

Information that is gathered from the various forms that wellness staff members fill out must supply you with the following:

• How many workers were screened?
• How many workers who were referred to a doctor went?
• How many workers who expressed interest in health improvement programs went?
• How many employees who were referred to health improvement programs went?
• How many employees who went to health improvement programs completed them?
• How many workers are in follow-up caseload?

You can use this type of process evaluation to evaluate and learn about the health of your program.

Outcome Assessment

A central objective of the program is to better the health of employees. Information on how to judge how well your program is meeting this objective is called “outcome assessment” because you are evaluating the end results or outcome of your program.

In wellness programs, objectives are gauged by specific (outcomes) behavior changes and reductions in health risk levels. Have staff members lowered their Blood Pressure (BP)? Have they lost weight? Are they working out more? Is alcohol consumption at a safe level? For example these are the types of questions you can ask to find out if you are reaching your objectives:

• For employees with high Blood Pressure (140 / 90 or higher or on medication) at screening, what percentage have it under control (below 140 / 90) a year later?
• What is the shift in average Blood Pressure (BP) levels among all staff members with high Blood Pressure (BP) 1 year after evaluation? Two years later?
• For employees with elevated blood cholesterol levels (above 240) at screening, what percentage has reduced their cholesterol to borderline-high levels (200-239)?
• For employees with borderline-high blood cholesterol levels, what percentages have reduced their cholesterol to the desirable range (below 200)?
• What is the change in average cholesterol levels among all employees with high and borderline-high blood cholesterol levels 1 year after evaluation? Two years later?
• For workers who were overweight at evaluation, what percentage have lost 20 pounds or more a year later? Ten pounds or more? What is the average weight loss?
• For employees who were tobacco users at assessment, what percentages have quit smoking? For at least a year?
• For employees whose level of alcohol consumption put them at-risk at evaluation, what percentage have quit drinking alcohol? Are consuming alcohol at levels considered safe by CDC standard procedures? Have reduced their drinking, but are still at-risk?
• For employees, what percentages are exercising at least three times a week for at least 20 minutes?
• If fitness levels were measured, what percentages have improved fitness?

Set a regular time such as every 6 months to look at which employees your program is reaching and how effective it is at assisting them decrease their health risks. Use this information to make new decisions about how to direct your program efforts. Then make the modification you need to better your program.

Some may feel that evaluation is an extravagance; it is not. Assessment is a crucial part of a wellness program. You will need to be aware of what is working and what is not. Decision-makers who fund the program need to be updated on the effectiveness of the program. Evaluation will provide you with crucial data to maintain and expand the program and convince management to continue to support the program.

Counselors ought to follow up on workers at least every 6 months throughout the career of the employee at the worksite. The goals of follow-up are to:

• Involve staff members who have health risks in treatment and risk reduction programs.
• Involve all employees in health improvement programs and workplace-wide wellness activities.
• Support employees in carrying out the risk reduction or health improvement activities they have chosen.
• Help staff members comply with their treatment regimens.
• Prevent relapse.
• Prevent staff members from dropping out.
• Help employees maintain behavior changes.

Follow-up can be conducted in person, by phone, mail, and via computer if the technology is available. Most preferable is an in-person contact. Computer programs which can do case load management are available to help counselors track information and perform follow-up.

Priorities for Follow-Up

People with multiple health risks must be at the top of the list. People in key positions such as union leaders or department heads with health risks must also be contacted early so that they learn what the program is about and can share the information with others.

People who need a healthcare assessment for high Blood Pressure (BP) or blood lipids ought to also be targeted early. Many workers will have seen their doctors as a result of the assessment, but some will need more encouragement to do so. Those with no health risks can be followed up annually.

A follow-up counseling session can take 20 to 45 minutes. At minimum, follow-up must include those who were told to seek health care assessment for elevated Blood Pressure (BP) readings, elevated blood lipid readings, or borderline elevated blood cholesterol readings with 2 or more other risk factors.

It may include those who were identified as at-risk for one or more of the other primary risk factors: at-risk levels of alcohol consumption, being overweight, and having low HDL.

Follow-Up With Physicians

A letter (see forms) should be sent to the physician or clinic of each employee who has elevated Blood Pressure (BP), elevated cholesterol, or is under a physician’s care.

The letter must explain the program and must include the employee’s relevant, current health measurements.

Along with the letter, send a self-addressed return envelope. Follow-up with the physician ought to be repeated every 6 months until it is determined that the employee is under satisfactory control.

Contacting the physician is valuable for three reasons:

• The doctors receive workers’ health measurements taken at the worksite.
• You receive the Blood Pressure (BP) and blood lipid readings the doctor takes and information on the treatment the doctor prescribes. Many times the employee does not have this information or does not remember it. The information can be used when counseling the employee.
• Follow-up encourages physicians to pay closer attention to heart disease risk factors among their patients.

The menu approach offers staff members a range of options to support lifestyle changes. It allows people to choose the kind of help that suits their schedules and preferences.

The four basic types of programs include:
• Classes
• Minigroups
• Guided self help
• Individual counseling

Classes

Classes (8 or more) can be an effective means of providing education and social support for behavior modification. The length of a class can vary depending on topic requirements. It is not sufficient to offer only classes at a workplace.

Many workers are under time constraints with after work commitments and although they may be interested they simply can’t take part because of their schedules.

employees may be very eager to begin a program but because of lack of participants to meet class quotas, the program is canceled. Many national corporations such as the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Weight Watchers, etc. offer classes; you should have little trouble in identifying a provider for class sort programs.

You may want to contact your local hospital, health department, or YMCA for possible options. For selecting a vendor to support a program you may want to review the section on program structure.

Minigroups

When there is not sufficient interest to create a class, those who are interested in a given health topic can be formed into a minigroup (2 to 7).

The minigroup can cover the same content as a class but do so in a less formal manner. Presentation of information and discussion is the primary format of the minigroup.

Guided Self-Help

Most workers do not want formal help in making health changes; they prefer to do it on their own. In guided self-help, the wellness counselors provide backing, materials, and encouragement.

Meeting times can be arranged and contact can be made either in person, by phone, or computer. Materials can be made available at the worksite, or mailed to the individual. Some worksites now make information available via intranets or the Internet.

Individual Counseling

One of the most successful ways to help individuals change and better their health status is counseling (or coaching) on a one-on-one basis.

In published research studies, wellness programs which incorporated individual counseling as part of the program process achieved significantly higher participation rates and achieved greater risk reduction/risk elimination than standard group programs. Studies have demonstrated that individual counseling is both cost effective and cost constructive.

A wellness counselor should be trained in assessment techniques, for in certain situations, they may be required to both screen people and counsel them. They should know how to do the following:

• Review employee health risks
• Contact employees who have health risks.
• Counsel staff members on a one-on-one basis, helping them set goals and objectives, solve concerns, and get professional help when they need it.
• Help employees follow their treatment recommendations and make lifestyle and health behavior changes.
• Recruit staff members into health improvement programs, such as weight loss and tobacco cessation.
• Work with workers on a one-on-one basis using guided self-help.
• Conduct classes and minigroups if necessary.
• Work with Employee Health Promotion Program Committee participants to plan and conduct worksite-wide wellness activities.

Wellness counselors are health generalists; they must have basic knowledge about a wide range of health issues and health risks.

Counselors must be able to talk with employees about their medical concerns and the treatments prescribed by their doctors. They ought to have a good overview of diet, exercise physiology, pathophysiology of disease, pharmacology, psychology, and behavior modification skills.

The educational program must include approaches to stress awareness/reduction at the environmental level and at the individual level.

Social, physical, and employer stressors must be explained and methods to ease or elevate stressors must be presented. At the individual level how changes in attitudes and behaviors help one to cope with stressors; learning techniques to minimize stress response, such as meditation, relaxation response, and exercise.

Content of the program ought to support the following:
• Identifying sources of stress
• Relationship of stress to health
• How the individual experiences stress, personal, family, work
• Solutions for coping and managing stress
• Techniques for reducing stress
• Value of stress, both negative and beneficial
• Practical steps of incorporating stress reduction into lifestyle

Personnel conducting stress management programs must have training in psychology, behavioral sciences, or related disciplines such as mental health professionals, counselors, health educators, psychologists, and psychiatrists. Training in a reputable program on how to teach the stress management course including group process skills is a must.

A diet education program should include a nutritional needs assessment, education counseling, and referral as essential.

Educational sessions and materials should include the following information:

• The relationship of diet and chronic diseases
• Improving eating patterns
• Relationship of nutrition and proper weight maintenance
• Exercise
• Stress
• Blood Pressure
• Cholesterol
• Diabetes and other chronic diseases.
• Nutritionally accurate information regarding the relationship of health to diet, including cholesterol, fats, fiber, alcohol, carbohydrates, salt, sugar, and vitamin/mineral supplementation.

Methods for identifying healthier foods and incorporating low-calorie, high nutrient foods into eating habits. Guidelines for working on eating habits ought to be based on or consistent with national recommendations such as The Food Guide Pyramid.

Instructor ought to be a registered dietitian, registered nurse, or have a baccalaureate degree or higher in health education with training in nutrition. If an allied health professional instructs the program, a consultation and review of the program design by a registered dietitian is recommended.

It is recommended that smoking cessation programs subscribe to the Code Of Practice for Smoking Cessation Programs.

Smoking cessation programs must be multi-component with a focus on skills to build positive voluntary behavior change practices. Useful techniques include instituting reasons for stopping, understanding the smoking habit, various techniques for stopping and remaining a non-smoker, overcoming the concerns of stopping, short-term intention setting, weight control, stress management, importance of exercise, relationship of alcohol consumption to urges to use tobacco. Use no aversive or scare tactics.

In programs that use aids such as the “patch” or medications such as “Zyban” appropriate consultation must be available on the usage of these aids.

The instructor ought to have formal training in tobacco cessation from a nationally recognized employer such as American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, or a nationally recognized commercial program such as Smoke Enders.

Evaluation of success is at times very dubious in tobacco cessation programs. Measurement of success should include participation rate, including the number implementing the program, the number completing the program, and the average number per session. Also included, number and percent who stopped smoking at the end of the program, and the number and percent who had not resumed smoking by the end of one year.