Posts from — April 2009

The feasibility of worksite based wellness classes hinges upon the size of the workforce. Worksite programs must be supported with an adequate number of interested workers to keep a class going. Generally a certain level of employee participation is also necessary to make sure availability of facilities such as a room and equipment. There are wide ranges of ongoing classes which can be offered in the worksite, including aerobics, yoga, tai chi, stretching, weight management, stress management, smoking cessation, and self defense.

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

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

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

Other ways of financing worksite based wellness activities and to also “internally” encourage employees are included here:

Subsidies

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

Discounts and Donations

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

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

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

Hollywood Stars or American Celebrities

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

• Members pick a secret code name (the name of a Hollywood star or other celebrity).
• Participants weigh in with a “trusted” partner privately – at which time a healthy weight intention is set for the period of the contest.
• Post a chart with everyone’s secret name assigning each a initial weight of zero.
• Members weigh themselves every week and submit the weight with their code name on the paper.
• Weight is expressed in relation to a starting weight of zero. By way of example +4 would indicate a weight gain of four pounds; while -2 would indicate a weight loss of two pounds.
• Future weigh-ins should be in relation to the starting weight, not the previous week’s weight.
• The chart is kept up to date and displayed publicly by the Employee Wellness Program Committee.
• Display a “weight management hint of the week” nearby the tracking chart.
• Offer “take one” handouts on weight management education or motivational tips by the chart.
• Celebrate employee progress at the end of the activity.

Wellness Book/Journal Club and/or Book Exchange

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

Pre-Work Stretching Group

A couple of minutes of gentle stretching is an effective way to safely begin work. A professional fitness instructor may be brought in to instruct proper stretching techniques. After this, most often an internal group can meet and run itself. Provide periodic refresher sessions with the trainer or instructor to vary the routine and help keep participants motivated.

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

Worksite Chair Massage

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

Art at Work

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

Healthy Email-a-Week

Set up an email list of coworkers who want to receive an inspirational, humorous or educational health quote, thought, tip or idea once a week by email. Ask participants of the Corporate Health Promotion Program Committee to collect ideas initially, and then ask the participants of the email list to contribute ideas and information as time goes on. Adhere to all organization rules regarding work time and email protocols.

Hobby Show or Demonstrations

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

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

Considerations for brown bag presentations:
• Brown bag sessions are effective for awareness building. This seed planting process can help staff members become more proactive about healthy choices.
• Do not schedule the program for the full hour – usually 40 minutes or so works best. This will give folks an opportunity to come and go, grab a quick bite, ask questions, etc.
• If the subject matter is of a sensitive nature, such as domestic violence, substance abuse, etc., it is possible people will be reluctant to attend for fear of being associated publicly with the issue. They will, however, attend if the focus is on supporting family members, coworkers, etc.
• Make sure that employees hear significant information and will leave with tools and resources to carry out the message. Work with the presenter on information strategies that work for your employee group.
• Promotional materials should publicize the program with a name that indicates the brown bag focus. Include all other pertinent information such as where, who, when, etc.
• Some subject matters that can’t be covered in one session should be available in a short series. It will work best to schedule one session each week rather than several sessions in one week. For example, you might offer a 3-week series on healthy eating rather than trying to cram all the information into one session.
• A catchy title can attract visitors to the event. An example of this might include calling lunchtime presentations “Noonlighting”
• If possible, offer a free healthy snack for staff members who attend.
• To maintain momentum, try setting up a regular monthly time and day for lunchtime courses.
• If staff members work in shift or are in work groups in different geographical areas, establish a plan that offers equal attendance opportunity to all.

Resources:

1. Please see the idea list at the end of this guide which offers a variety of resource subject matters of interest to staff members.
2. Every community has a myriad of individuals, experts, or specialists from voluntary groups (heart, cancer, lung associations), special interest groups (Y’s, Red Cross, Weight Watcher’s, Safety Council, Alcoholics Anonymous), or the local health department as possibilities to lead worksite sessions at no cost or at a low cost. Many of these contacts will also provide inexpensive materials.
3. Topic videos may be utilized for a brown bag session.

Often people 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.
• Offer 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.
• Provide other written information on great diet for any interested participants to take. Make use of websites and other resources specified in the Resource Section at the end of this guide.
• Offer small tasting spoons or wooden ice cream tasters.
• It doesn’t take much of each item to give participants a taste of the food or dish. It is not essential to buy enough, or bring enough, food to offer a meal.
• Plan the tasting room after lunch so participants can go in on their own and sample.
• Keep an eye out for overly sweet items…sometimes low fat means elevated sugar – so be sure to refer to the label.
• Examples of purchases for a worksite sampling could include: two boxes of healthy crackers, a package of low fat cheese, a box of low fat cookies, two or three low fat spreads such as hummus, low fat cream cheese, a package of honey nut or other flavored rice crackers, and one or two other low fat items.
• Position signs on the table politely reminding participants that the idea is to sample, not have a meal.
• Provide a beverage such as a new kind of fruit juice or herbal tea.

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

• Employees can be asked to voluntarily submit recommendations, 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 recommendations about what worked for them when they quit; then those ideas can be shared in newsletters, flyers, classes, etc.
• Topics like weight control, stress management, managing change, increasing exercise, etc. lend themselves to this development of collective wisdom sharing.
• Behavior change backing groups, created based on employee interest in making healthy change, can meet on regularly to share ideas, resources, support, etc. Corporate Wellness Programs can offer some assistance and facilitation in getting a group going. 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 establish ground rules that everyone agrees to before the group is left to itself.

A health fair is a great way to familiarize employees with health concerns and related wellness programs. During a health fair employees might be able to obtain resource materials; take part in offered wellness screenings (vision, hearing, blood, blood lipids, cancer, dental, etc.); observe demonstrations on the use of exercise equipment; catch mini-seminars on various health subject matters; get no cost promotional items from local corporations; sample healthy foods; and obtain information about their health benefit plan.

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

Considerations when coordinating a health fair:

• Setting up a efficacious health fair takes extensive time. Time concerns must be taken into account in planning and organizing such an event. The most time consuming part is generally contacting potential participants, making arrangements for their participation, confirming their participation, and setting up the day of the event.
• Sufficient space, tables and chairs must be 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 fairs requires that every effort be made to reward 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 bring no cost materials at their table and to make a donation to a prize drawing. Adhere to all corporation policies when soliciting donations.
• As an idea to boost 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 becomes the ticket for the prize drawings. Such drawings must take place every 15 or 30 minutes.
• Consider teaming up with area companies to host a health & wellness 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 ready 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 hold the fair at lunchtime time. Place stations in company hallways or in individual small conference or office rooms scattered throughout the building. Offer a map with all the stations listed. Have a no cost drawing awarding a prize for anyone who goes to 75 percent of the stations. Use a punch card or similar method to verify.

Resources for health & benefit fairs coordination:

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

Job Site wellness screenings can take a variety of forms. Common assessment components may include:

• Blood Pressure (BP) 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 workplace screenings:

• Health screenings must be conducted by qualified, and at times, licensed individuals.
• Wellness screenings must be conducted in a location that allows for privacy and confidentiality.
• Time for discussion and explanation screening results must be given as part of the screening process.
• A process must be in place for referral for participants whose results are indicative of a need for further medical assessment.
• Screenings can be very costly to the overriding wellness budget OR there may be no expenditure to the program if participants are willing to cover the expenditure of the assessment themselves. By way of example, blood lipid and glucose testing usually expenditures twenty to twenty-five dollars per person, per exam. Employees may be willing to pay for screening in exchange for the convenience of having the screening 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. Workers ought to be notified of the need to dress in a specific manner for the evaluation.
• To ensure high attendance at assessment activities, it is advisable to begin promotion of the event with reminders to staff members.
• Supply employees with “screening preparation” instructions to remind them how to prepare for the most accurate evaluation results.

Resources for worksite screenings:

1. Consult with a wellness consultant or health evaluation company.
2. If employee participation is meager for on-Site health screenings, or if offering additional workplace evaluation is an option, check with the neighborhood health or outreach department of your local hospital, health education department, occupational health department or workplace 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 measurement.

Points to Consider

Using Certified Professionals

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

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

Risk Management

Whether we like it or not, liability is an issue nowadays.

Risk management plans don’t have to be complex or expensive. By way of example, part of the plan may 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 lower the risk of loss both to individuals and to your organization.

Ask employees to fill out a waiver when participating in both workplace and offsite activities. For liability reasons, employees must understand 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 exercise. The waiver may be invalid if employees claim that they didn’t completely understand the risks.

Other Safety Tips

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

Look at the environment where employees are active:

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

Provide medical screening for employees participating in activities:

• PAR-Q
• PAR-MEDX for Pregnancy

Below are some other significant 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 staff members, you first need to understand 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-employees 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 going outside during lunch are “normal” in the workplace.
• Managers support and recognize employee efforts. Better yet, they take part.
• We can juggle our work hours to fit in physical exercise.

Consider how you might set up 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 working hours.

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

A strategy directed at multiple echelons is also called an “ecological approach.”

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

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

During the Planning Stage

Use formative evaluations in the planning stages to see that your program is built on solid information. These evaluations also help you to advance 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 program is underway. These evaluations help you:

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

During or Following Your Initiative

Summative evaluations happen when the plan is already in place or completed. Use this type of assessment to measure what staff members like about the plan and what might be improved.

All three types of evaluations are useful. The evaluation you choose depends on the time and financial resources you have available.