Choosing Wisely Employer Toolkit. 7 Habits of Highly Successful Corporate Wellness Programs | The Hiring SiteThe Hiring Site. Sorting through all the fabulous feedback we received after asking readers to share what their companies are doing to promote employee wellness, we noticed a few shared characteristics among the various initiatives readers discussed. Below are seven standout traits that a vast number of these wellness programs share, with examples of how – in our readers’ own words – companies’ employee wellness programs embody these traits. 1.
They Don’t Focus Solely on Weight Loss “Our approach to exercise is very ‘functional,’ meaning it’s not intended to help you ‘look’ a certain way but to help you feel better all the time and to do your job, at work or at home, with energy, full range of motion and injury-free.” – Dave Parmly“Pressley Ridge believes wellness goes beyond the typical medical and stress concerns, but also into mental and personal growth as well. That is why Pressley Ridge offers Employee an Assistance Program at no cost to employees. 2. They Have Buy-In from Leadership 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Wellness Programs Aren’t Working. Three Ideas That Could Help. By MIKE MIESEN You’d be forgiven if, after reading last month’s Health Affairs, you came to the conclusion that all manner of wellness programs simply will not work; in it, a spate of articles documented myriad failures to make patients healthier, save money, or both. Which is a shame, because – let’s face it – we need wellness programs to work and, in theory, they should.
So I’d rather we figure out how to make wellness work. It seems that a combination of behavioral economics, technology, and networking theory provide a framework for creating, implementing, and sustaining programs to do just that. Let’s define what we’re talking about. “Wellness program” is an umbrella term for a wide variety of initiatives – from paying for smoking cessation, to smartphone apps to track how much you walk or how well you comply with your plan of care, and everything in between.
The term is almost too broad to be useful, but let’s go with it for now. So, what’s going on? Emphasize Social Connection. Wellness-calendar-A42120-01-13.pdf. Employee Wellness Ideas on Pinterest. Microsoft Word - 75 Ideas For Your Wellness Program.docx - 70-ideas.pdf. LEAN Works: A Workplace Obesity Prevention Program | DNPAO | CDC. In 2008, the annual healthcare cost of obesity in the US was estimated to be as high as 147 billion dollars a year.1 The annual medical burden of obesity increased to 9.1 percent in 2006 compared to 6.5 percent in 1998.1 Medical expenses for obese employees are estimated to be 42 percent higher than for a person with a healthy weight.1 Workplace obesity prevention programs can be an effective way for employers to reduce obesity and lower their health care costs, lower absenteeism and increase employee productivity.
What is the cost of obesity to your organization? "CDC's LEAN Works! Leading Employees to Activity and Nutrition" is a FREE web-based resource that offers interactive tools and evidence-based resources to design effective worksite obesity prevention and control programs, including an obesity cost calculator to estimate how much obesity is costing your company and how much savings your company could reap with different workplace interventions. Be the first to benefit! Programs that do and don't work copy.pdf. Mid-Size Firms Saw Surge in Wellness Programs. By Stephen Miller, CEBS 4/29/2014 Among large employers in the U.S. with 1,000 or more workers, 58 percent offered wellness programs last year; overall, however, just over 19 percent of employers provide some sort of wellness offering, according to newly released findings from United Benefit Advisors' 2013 UBA Health Plan Survey of nearly 1,000 employers. A key development revealed by the survey was a jump in wellness offerings by mid-size employers with 100 to 199 workers.
Among these companies, the prevalence of wellness programs grew by approximately 12.5 percent last year—double that of any other employer size subset. Another insight: Employers that provide consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) continued to outpace employers who provide traditional health coverage when it comes to teaming their plans with wellness programs. Among those employers with wellness programs, the most popular components were: Health risk assessments (81 percent of respondents). The Right Message Quick Links: Wellness: Designing an Effective Wellness Program, Step by Step. By Allison Potempa and Steve Ritter 11/12/2007 Wellness programs are an innovative and effective approach with potential to drive down future health care costs for employers.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 1999 to 2005 access to employer-provided wellness programs rose from 17 percent to 23 percent. While some statistics tout compelling business returns for wellness programsfrom $1.50 to $17 per $1 investedreducing costs is only one objective. The bottom line is about people: Enhanced morale, higher employee job satisfaction and less absenteeism and presenteeism (at work but with a lack of focus or productivity). Program Cornerstones Some insurance programs offer reduced prices to members or groups that are proactive about maintaining their health.
But some employers might not want to settle for a pre-packaged wellness program that runs the risk of not addressing a companys unique needs. Step No. 1Set the Goals of the Program The first step is to define your goals. WorkplaceWellnessCheckList.pdf. Keas.com: Corporate Health & Wellness. UCR Walking Fit : Welcome to Walking Fit! Get Moving. On Sept. 14, thousands of employees from hundreds of companies will revisit a coveted perk of their grade school days by taking a 10-minute break for recess. Leaving their desks and trotting outside for Worldwide Recess Day, they'll be encouraged to jump rope, play tetherball, walk a dog, do yoga, ride a bike or shoot hoops. The brainchild of leaders at Portland, Ore.
-based outdoor footwear manufacturer Keen Inc. and Dr. Toni Yancey, author of Instant Recess (University of California Press, 2010), the program aims to prove the simple notion: Promoting a paid activity break–one that includes even short periods of movement–during the workday benefits employee health and well-being and may increase overall fitness over time. "Taking a break every day isn't just a good idea, it should really be workplace policy," says Evelyn Carrion, Keen's U.S. HR manager. Launched in 2011 as an extension of the company's own wellness efforts, Keen's Recess is Back campaign has grown rapidly. Setting Goals. Wellness ToolKit for Supervisors and Managers Final Version July 2014.pdf.