Posted by admin | Posted in Workplace Health Promotion | Posted on 11-02-2009
Who needs Workplace Health Promotion Programs? If you work in an office or a jobsite or are a member of an business who spends a considerable amount of time at work, you will benefit from a well-designed worker Workplace Health Promotion Program. Employees spend a minimum of about 200 hours a month at work – a considerable amount of time.
Furthermore, stress, distractions and the pressures of the job can take its toll on the worker, which makes it important that a Workplace Health Promotion Program is started. Today, all across America, Canada, Europe and Asia, top Workplace Health Promotion Programs are being used to help improve worker conditions at work and reduce the cost of worker health care.
Some of the top Workplace Health Promotion Programs currently in use today include:
Health Risk Assessments (HRAs)
Health Risk Assessment is a top Workplace Health Promotion Program currently in use globally. Organizations that implement it determine the safety and health concerns of workers by the assessment of appropriateness of the facilities and equipment against the needs of the employees.
It can, for example, guide the business into determining how much air quality within an office room affects the users and then help the assessment team to come up with the measures necessary to correct the problem. An HRA can also evaluate the level of exposure workers have to certain hazardous or dangerous materials and practices.
Immunizations
This isn’t always practiced in every country since there are regions where government sponsored immunization shots are available. However, it has also become an important component of the top Workplace Health Promotion Programs in many corporations in North America.
Immunization, flu shots, such as those used to combat flu, for example, are offered to workers for free.
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) consist of a wide variety of services. It can range from providing educational resources to employees regarding health issues to sponsoring health services and medical care. In many corporations, medical and insurance have also become a staple part of their benefits system.
Weight Management Programs
This is another Workplace Health Promotion Program that corporations use, particularly those that offer in-house commissary or cafeteria services. Instead of serving richer, high-calorie fare, cafeterias offer options for a healthier diet, usually in the form of low-calorie foods and sugar substitutes.
Employee Wellness Newsletters – Health Education Programs
One of the top Workplace Health Promotion Programs that corporations can implement is a self-powered tool using a newsletter to promote wellness, coupled with a visible campaign. The campaign may be done periodically and focus on a specific topic, such as smoking hazards, cancer, stress, carpal tunnel syndrome, safety in the workplace, etc.
The newsletter in itself can be an effective way to deliver information to employees or members of an business but it is far from perfect. Some employees, for example, may not read the newsletter in its entirety or even pay attention to it. If the issues outlined in the newsletter are promoted through an active and highly visible campaign, it will be easier to maximize positive results.
Physical Fitness and Exercise Programs
Another top health promotion program for corporations is one that involves physical activities. Companies frequently sponsor physical fitness-related events such as marathons and business sports initiatives to promote employees to remain fit or lose excess weight. In mid- to large-sized corporations, corporations may even pay for gym memberships or in-house physical fitness facilities.
Workplace Health Promotion Program Incentives
Some of the top Workplace Health Promotion Programs started by corporations involve incentive rewards. This involves business-sponsored initiatives that reward employees for achieving specific wellness goals. Participation in health campaigns and signing up for Workplace Health Promotion Programs are two of the most commonly rewarded schemes. Rewards can range from special recognitions to points (for bigger rewards) to specific gifts. In a few cases, cash may also be used.
However, incentive systems have had mixed reactions and levels of success. But it continues to be one of the top choices among corporations who are willing to modify it in order to fit their unique needs.
Group Activities
In many corporations, corporations take advantage of peer pressure in order to encourage workers to participate in Workplace Health Promotion Programs. This is currently one of the favorite worker Workplace Health Promotion Programs currently in use today and growing in popularity. Peer pressure is frequently leveraged to help promote competitions and to persuade employees to be active in business-sponsored health fairs.
