Workplace Health PromotionWorkplace health promotion and workplace wellness program blog

At times Workplace Health Promotion Programs have been instituted as public relations vehicles intended to enhance the corporate image with little concern for improvements in worker health. Companies who are truly committed to enhancing worker health and wellness, are corporations who have worked to include Workplace Health Promotion Programs into the business’s mission statement. With this commitment, policies and procedures can be written to address short and long term goals of increased worker health, productivity, and morale. These policies and procedures are critical to the establishment of supportive organizational cultures conducive to worker health and wellness.

• Active worker involvement in Workplace Health Promotion Program committees and business decision making
• Availability of flextime work schedules
• No smoking policy
• Drug use policy and testing
• Motor vehicle seat restraints and the use of other protective/safety equipment
• Sexual harassment policy
• Family leave initiatives
• Consistent and frequent awards and recognition of worker work efforts

The environmental conditions of the worksite can be divided into both physical and psychosocial domains, both of which influence the culture and climate of a worksite. The cultural norms of a workplace have been identified as powerful determinants of worker health and behavior (Baum, 1995). Ultimately, workers benefit most from a healthy, supportive; eustressful workplace community was they feel valued and respected. Since adults spend approximately one third of their waking hours at work, one would hope that employees view work as less of a necessity and more of an enjoyable experience.

The climate of a workplace is also more conducive to enhancing health and human performance when the environment is safe, clean, aesthetically pleasing and ergonomically engineered. While some occupations maybe inherently dangerous (e.g., fire fighter, military personnel) all broad-based Workplace Health Promotion Programs should control exposure to unhealthy conditions including: hazardous chemicals, noise, temperature, radiation and other risky conditions. Program examples include:

• Workplace Health Promotion Programs grounded in supportive cultural change strategies
• Environmental and safety compliance measures
Lighting
Ventilation
Heating
Control of toxic substances
Noise
Universal precautions
• Ergonomically designed workstations
• Sanitary, clean, well maintained physical environment
• Recycling promoted initiatives
• worker & management training in emergency procedures

An worker’s psychological health can never be neglected in a broad-based model of Workplace Health Promotion Programs. Originating out of a need for alcohol abuse interventions in the workplace, today’s employee assistance programs (EAP) encompass assessment and counseling for substance abuse and dependency, stress related disorders, family conflicts and other personal issues.

Evidence of the need for such initiatives is wide spread. In a national survey conducted by the Northwestern Life Insurance Company (1992) 46 percent of employees reported that their job was very stressful, 34 percent thought about quitting their jobs because of workplace stress, and 14 percent did leave their job because of stress. Alcohol and substance abuse problems and issues of workplace violence and harassment are common areas of concern. For many the only viable treatment solution is the Workplace Health Promotion Program. Exemplary Workplace Health Promotion Programs will include:

• Individualized assessment of worker concerns
• Assistance in treatment choice
• Emphasis on prevention and treatment
• Personal and family counseling initiatives
• Treatment for addictions:
Drugs
Alcohol
Gambling
• Crisis intervention initiatives
• Stress Management Programs
• Ongoing support groups
• Management and worker training to identify individuals at risk.
• After treatment care

Small and large corporations carry a significant proportion of the provision of health care for families in this country by providing health care insurance for their employees. With the escalating increase in health care cost many corporations are attempting to slow the increase of health care insurance premiums by providing innovative cost control initiatives. Greater emphasis is being put on primary prevention to keep employees healthy and secondary prevention to identify and treat health conditions before they can become serious.

At some workplaces, employees are being encouraged to take greater responsibility for their health related behaviors through risk rated incentive packages. Linking wellness to worker benefits of gain sharing and co-payment cost reductions will provide new opportunities requiring efforts of collaboration between the human resource managers and the Workplace Health Promotion Program specialists. These two sets of consultants may also work together for the ongoing evaluation of cost effective Workplace Health Promotion Programs.

In conjunction with the above initiatives most large corporations also have a nurse or physician on staff to dispense worksite medical and preventive care. Some initiatives have also found it cost effective to provide their own physical therapy programming to assist injured and infirm workers in regaining optimal functioning. A broad-based selection of health related worker services and benefits would include the following:

• Free or low cost health screenings provided on site by business clinical personnel or through outside contractors:
Serum cholesterol
Colorectal cancer screen
Blood pressure testing
Mammography
Vision and hearing testing
Diabetes
• Referral and follow-up procedures (e.g., Hypertension, Cholesterol, Cancer)
• Provision of first aid and emergency care
• Disease control and prevention initiatives
• Child and infirm adult care services
• Financial and Pre-Retirement planning
• Ongoing learning/educational opportunities
• Coordination of business picnics and outings
• Parent-child work visitation initiatives
• Workers compensation/rehabilitation

physical fitness and nutrition initiatives have demonstrated effectiveness in delaying the onset of worker morbidity while enhancing self esteem, stress management and general feelings of well being. Although many physical fitness and nutrition initiatives are instructional in nature, they should go beyond educational initiatives by providing enabling supports for the adoption of healthy behaviors.

Quality Workplace Health Promotion Programs promote and facilitate participation in daily physical activity for all employees, and when possible family members and retired workers. This is accomplished through access to fitness facilities, (preferably on site) and properly supervised physical fitness classes. In addition a broad-based program will provide opportunities for Individualized physical fitness and nutrition prescriptions from certified consultants. Commitment to the model is demonstrated through occupational food services and sales consistent with healthy nutrition. Specific initiatives to include:

• Strength training
• Flexibility conditioning initiatives
• Healthy cooking classes
• Aerobic conditioning initiatives
• Diet analysis and planning assistance
• Physical rehabilitative initiatives
• Weight/body fat control initiatives
• Team and individual recreational sports initiatives
• Physical fitness assessments and initiatives

Health education is easily integrated into all the areas of comprehensive Workplace Health Promotion Programs and it is unlikely that any of the areas could survive without an educational component. It is a key element of every primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention program and a way of promoting wellness and optimal health. A broad-based health education program must be based on theoretically and scientifically sound principles to ensure effectiveness.

Successful health education initiatives will incorporate adult learning theories and promote active participant involvement in all phases of program planning and implementation. Health education efforts should emphasize skill development and the adoption of health enhancing behaviors while being accessible to all employees, their families and retirees. Methods of delivery may include; one on one instruction, group presentations, seminars, workshops, educational media lending library and health literature distribution. Program examples may include:

• Health risk appraisals
• Individualized health prescriptions and behavior change assistance
• CPR and first aid training
• Nutrition education initiatives
• Stress Management Programs
• smoking cessation initiatives
• Heart disease and cancer education
• Blood borne pathogens education initiatives
• Sexual assault prevention initiatives
• Prenatal care
• Safety education initiatives
• Self care initiatives
• Healthy back initiatives
• Family centered initiatives
• Supplies of literature and educational media available for worker loan

As the science behind Workplace Health Promotion Programs continues to evolve, the need to define and articulate the components of this broad-based approach increases. In 1987 Allensworth and Kolbe (1987) expanded the prevailing definition of broad-based school health to include the domains of Health Instruction, Healthy Environment, Health Services, Physical Education, Counseling and Psychological Services, School Food Service, Workplace Health Promotion Programs for Faculty and Staff, and the Integration of School and Community Resources.

To promote the health of school children, prevention specialists have found that an integrated broad-based approach is the most effective strategy. Relying solely on health education or Physical Education initiatives to foster children’s health has demonstrated limited effectiveness. Consistent health messages delivered by numerous agents increases the possibility of attaining health goals and objectives. A similar model is essential if Workplace Health Promotion Programs are to impact positively on the health and performance of all employees.

A broad-based model of Workplace Health Promotion Programs includes the following components; Health Education Initiatives, worker Health Services and Benefits, physical fitness and nutrition Initiatives, Workplace Health Promotion Program Policies and Procedures, Counseling and Employee Assistance Programs, a Safe and Healthy Work Environment, and the Integration of Company and Community Resources. This model can be used to evaluate and plan for Workplace Health Promotion Programs that are truly broad-based in nature, focusing on primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies for employees.

One value of a truly broad-based model is that it is possible to promote a holistic approach of worker health. A healthy, productive worker is one who is given the opportunity to develop emotionally, physically, socially, intellectually and spiritually. In addition, this model supports the ideals of wellness and optimal health by encouraging worksites to go beyond initiatives designed to only reduce health care costs, prevent disease, or maintain health.

A key factor in the utility of this model is the integration and overlap of responsibilities. Design and implementation are dependent upon the motivation and cooperation of qualified – and ideally – credentialed consultants throughout the administrative structure of a business. Such a model requires consistent communication between health educators, medical staff, human resource managers, physical therapists, industrial hygienists, physical fitness physiologists, ergonomic engineers, dietitians, occupational therapists, psychologists and independent consultants. Planning must also incorporate active involvement of workers, administrators, family members, and business retirees at all stages of the development, implementation and evaluation stages. All must be committed to the development of a healthy organization where employees are happy and proud to work.

Various groups are working to advance the science of Workplace Health Promotion Programs. Health educators have the expertise and training to be leaders in this area. On the basis of theoretical foundations of health behavior and the results of empirical research, we must begin to articulate a clear vision of what optimal initiatives should consist of. The Components of this model are included below for reference and will be discussed individually in coming posts.

• Health Education
• physical fitness and nutrition Initiatives
• worker Health Services and worker Benefits
• Counseling & Employee Assistance Programs
• Health and Safe Work Environment
• Health Related business Policies and Procedures
• Integration of business and Community Resources

As the science behind Workplace Health Promotion Programs continues to evolve, so will the need to define and articulate the dimensions of a broad-based model of Workplace Health Promotion Programs. A representative model includes the following components; health education initiatives, worker health services and benefits, physical fitness and nutrition initiatives, Workplace Health Promotion Program policies and procedures, counseling and employee assistance programs, a safe and healthy work environment, and the integration of company and community resources.

A broad-based approach to Workplace Health Promotion Programs will maximize the impact of all interventions by increasing communication between administrators, employees, and worker families, while encouraging the adoption of a healthy worksite culture and climate. Philosophically, this model supports the ideals of worker wellness and optimal health by encouraging worksites to go beyond initiatives designed to only reduce health care costs, prevent disease, or maintain health.

A key factor in the utility of this model is the integration and overlap of responsibilities for Workplace Health Promotion Programs by various departments and individuals inside and outside the company. As the structure of the workplace continues to change, in the future this dynamic model can be used to evaluate and plan for Workplace Health Promotion Programs that are truly broad-based in nature.

A Comprehensive Model For Workplace Health Promotion Programs

According to the National Survey of Worksite Health Promotion Activities (1992) 81 percent of corporations in the U.S. with 50 or more employees have some form of Workplace Health Promotion Programs activity. This result puts us in proximity of the Healthy People 2000 (1990) objective of 85 percent by the year 2000. Why are employers getting into the business of Workplace Health Promotion Programs? The three most common reasons cited for employer interest in Workplace Health Promotion Programs are the desire to control spiraling health care costs, to encourage a healthy productive work force, and as a way of boosting the morale of employees and the image of the company (O’Donnell, 1994).

As the motivations for Workplace Health Promotion Programs differ, so do the extent of a Workplace Health Promotion Programs efforts. A program may consist of distributing the occasional health pamphlet on the warning signs of cancer to employees, or it may comprise an elaborate and strategically planned Workplace Health Promotion Program targeted to the specific needs of a company and its employees. Research indicates (O’Donnel & Harris, 1994) that some Workplace Health Promotion Programs have been more effective than others in improving health status, but what would a truly broad-based model of Workplace Health Promotion Programs consist of?

Close your eyes and imagine yourself working for the healthiest business possible. What characteristics or Workplace Health Promotion Program strategies would make that organization so healthy? Examine it from a holistic perspective. What does that business do to enhance the social, physical, spiritual, emotional, and intellectual aspects of worker health? How does that business develop effective health policies and relevant programs that impact all employees? Finally, how does that business demonstrate its belief that workers are the business’s most valued asset?

It is unlikely that any one single of a Workplace Health Promotion Program will be responsible for the positive health outcomes of all employees. Workplace Health Promotion Program have evolved from the occasional fitness center for the exclusive use of business executives, or the sporadic worker safety program, to a wide range of health enhancing services and initiatives. Workplace Health Promotion Program consultants frequently speak of the importance of cultural change and the need to institutionalize Workplace Health Promotion Programs in today’s workplace. This goal can only occur through a broad-based and integrated approach that impacts on workers through numerous channels.

Walking Workplace Health Promotion Programs are among of the most popular Workplace Health Promotion Programs. They set the bar for entry fairly low – most anyone can walk around the block or their building – and walking Workplace Health Promotion Programs also provides employees with a good way to break up the afternoon doldrums and interact in a casual, more social environment with other employees. Just leaving your desk for a few minutes every day for a little sunshine can be a big stress reliever – and stress is the second leading cause of absenteeism, according to Workplace Health Promotion Program statistics.

As a first step to starting your Workplace Health Promotion Program, we recommend that you have a designer draw up an attractive map of your corporate campus or vicinity. Plan out and test a few short walks of varying distances, and using a pedometer and watch, figure out how long each walk is in time and distance. Have a little fun with your walking Workplace Health Promotion Program by equating each walk with a common office activity of the same duration, like a writing a one-page status report or filling out a common form. Post the map in the workplace and make sure people know about walking Workplace Health Promotion Programs by using your office communication channels – newsletters, announcements, organization meetings. Keep it fun by building weight-loss teams, setting up races or organizing healthy picnics and athletic activities around the walking Workplace Health Promotion Programs route.

Here are some other walking Workplace Health Promotion Programs tips from Tom Weede, author of The Entrepreneur Diet: The On-the-Go Plan for Fitness, Weight Loss, and Healthy Living:

Make sure to link the walking Workplace Health Promotion Program to work objectives. Employees need to be reassured that these walks are part of their responsibility to be healthy and productive. They’re not personal errands that need to be compensated for by longer days at the office.
Keep healthy snacks in the workplace.
Reinforce the walking Workplace Health Promotion Program message by regularly mentioning it during worker meetings
Set up a health-related benefit that walking Workplace Health Promotion Programs participants can use for health-related expenses.

Workplace Health Promotion Program Statistics tell a clear story – Workplace Health Promotion Program Programs are effective , and they save companies money.

You should take note of these interesting Workplace Health Promotion Program Statistics:

Some 25 percent of U.S. companies were running Workplace Health Promotion Programs in 1996.
Workplace Health Promotion Program Statistics depict a savings of $2.30 to $10.10 for every $1 spent on Workplace Health Promotion Programs.
Coca-Cola’s fitness program recouped $500 per year per worker, despite the fact that only 60% of their staff was enrolled.
A Ipsos-Reid Workplace Health Promotion Program statisics paper in 2004 found the three major preventable causes of staff absenteeism to be mental health (anxiety and/or depression), stress and a bad relationship with a supervisor.
Workplace Health Promotion Program Statistics from Prudential Insurance reveal a benefit expense of $312 per person enrolled in their wellness system, but $574 per non-enrolled worker.
At the Coors Brewing Co., Workplace Health Promotion Program Statistics illuminate a savings of $5.50 per $1 spent on fitness, with a positive side-effect of participant absenteeism dropping by 18%.