Commonwealth of Massachusetts. A worksite wellness program is “an organized program. Worksite Wellness Toolkit. How to Build a Wellness Program. Without a master plan or major investment, Harold Jackson, the CEO of Colorado- based medical equipment company Buffalo Supply, established a wellness program for his 1. About five years ago, he decided to start awarding a bonus to employees who quit smoking. After that, he shopped around for insurance that covered tobacco cessation and other health maintenance services. He looked for small things he could change, like replacing the box of candy in the lunch room with fresh fruits and vegetables, and he started asking employees for their input and concerns. The suggestions that he received became policies—like offering on- site flu shots and having employees take turns sanitizing the common areas with Lysol during flu season. In nearly every category of health- promoting programs and activities included in the 2. Worksite Health Promotion Survey, smaller companies were less likely to offer a benefit than their larger counterparts—despite the positive effect that wellness programs can have on any size company's bottom line. Findings from 5. 6 studies on worksite wellness programs that were published in the American Journal of Health Promotion showed an average 2. The University of Michigan Health Management Research Center (HMRC) estimates that an organization saves $3. For Jackson, however, implementing a wellness program was less a question of ROI (which according to the studies is about $5. The most common tool for assessing where health programs are most needed is a Health Risk Appraisal (HRA). This type of questionnaire reviews personal lifestyle practices (such as smoking, seat belt use, and exercise) and identifies risk factors. It can help you get an idea of what needs your program should address. An HRA is often available at no extra cost from your insurance company or from an outside vendor at low cost (see this example from the University of Michigan). Be sure that you are following Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) and Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) regulations while conducting an HRA. If you have fewer than 5. HIPPA regulations prohibit you from receiving an aggregate report of HRA results. You can either turn to an outside vendor to interpret HRA results or get creative. Garry Lindsay, who is an author of the Workplace Health Prevention Survey and the director of business partnerships for Partnership for Prevention, says one option is to pool your company's employees with the employees of other similar companies when conducting an HRA. For instance, companies who share an office park could share a report. Another option is to conduct an interest survey, where you list every initiative you are willing to offer as part of your wellness program and have employees rank what they would find most valuable. Simple steps that don't cost a cent, like implementing a no- smoking policy or a walking program, can make a huge difference. Quan Campbell, the president of a corporate wellness consulting firm called The Lifewellness Institute in San Diego, California, has seen companies successfully begin wellness programs using free or low- cost websites in which employees can take HRAs, read articles, take quizzes, or log their steps from their pedometers for a competition. So that's where the creative part comes in and you have to come up with programs that are a little more fun or reach people in a different way. Cross- department teams could earn points over a 1. People not only achieved their personal goals and improved their biometrics over the 1. The Partnership for Prevention has outlined three components of proven promotion practices for workplaces, and there are cost- effective, creative ways to implement all of them. Women smokers incur about $1. If there is one wellness benefit that will save you the most money, helping employees become non- smokers is it. Ask your broker to keep these guidelines in mind when you are purchasing insurance. Most states also offer free tobacco quit lines that you can advertise to your employees. Local chapters of organizations like the American Cancer Society or the American Lung Association also may offer free support in the form of quit smoking classes. Jackson gave his employees a $2,5. Every member of his staff who once smoked has since quit. Post flyers in bathrooms, send e- mails, distribute fact sheets, or make posters. Allow for paid time off for screening appointments, and help employees remember to make those appointments in the first place by referring them to a free reminder service such as this one. If you're willing to go a step further, you can offer on- site screening services by cooperating with your local American Cancer Society or local hospital. Here are some simple things that an employer can do to make healthful choices easier to make. For instance, charge $1 for a cupcake but only 2. Programming decisions won't mean anything without creating an environment that can back up behavioral changes. You have got to make an investment; it's not going to be just handing out pamphlets. It's going to be something that is integrated in our business. It's a way we do business. Marc Le. Baron, the president of Lincoln, Nebraska- based Lincoln Industries, invites employees who do well in the company wellness program on an annual mountain hike. While Le. Baron's incentive is impressive, leaders don't necessarily have to climb mountains in order to show their support. The simplest way they can promote their wellness programs is to maintain a healthy lifestyle themselves. There are traditional poster and e- mail methods of spreading the word, but there's also an opportunity to have a little fun. While promoting wellness program launches, Campbell has used photos of executives displaying bad posture or holding up an apple to advertise wellness events. She's also posted videos on internal websites and has used prize incentives including ski packages and wine tours. Dig Deeper: How to Choose a Health Care Plan: Behind the Premiums. How to Start a Wellness Program: Evaluate. It's hard to nail down a rate of return on improved health. But, in a business environment, it can be important to try. Depending on availability, Campbell likes to use absenteeism rates, productivity measurements, and surveys about morale to quantify the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of a wellness program. Another valuable indicator is participation and engagement in the program. If your company doesn't track these factors, you can still assess how effective your wellness program is and where it needs improvement by asking your employees. Do you feel that it's helped you? What other programs would you like us to offer?—as opposed to changes in biometrics. For Jackson, the effects of his program are best quantified in his company's tenure rate, which averages about 1. Chamber of Commerce. Hope Health's step- by- step guide to creating a wellness program. Examples of successful wellness programs. A Summary of the HIPPA Privacy Rule. The CDC's checklist for implementing a HRA.
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