Worksite Wellness ProgramsWorksite Wellness Programs

We are creating Worksite Wellness to help you feel better and stay healthy. In order to plan programs that best meet your needs and

interests we would like your recommendations! Please take a few minutes to answer some questions about your interests. Your

answers will be combined with those of others’ and reviewed to help plan programs for you. Do not sign your name.

Please complete the survey today and return it to__________. We appreciate your important input! Your help is important for creating

efficacious programs. Return the completed form by _____________.

Rate your interest on a scale of 1 – 3 with one (1) being of little or no interest; two (2) being of some interest and three (3) indicating

that you are very interested. Indicate your response by circling or ‘Xing’ the number.

I am interested in:

• Participating in wellness programs before work 1 2 3
• Participating in wellness programs after work 1 2 3
• Participating in wellness programs during my lunch break 1 2 3
• Adopting healthy eating options to lose weight 1 2 3
• Sports nutrition 1 2 3
• Healthier cooking 1 2 3
• Helping my children eat healthier 1 2 3
• Quick, healthy meals for busy lifestyles 1 2 3
• Healthy snack options 1 2 3
• Learning how to quit smoking 1 2 3
• Attending classes to help me quit smoking cigarettes 1 2 3
• Stress Mangement skills 1 2 3
• Balancing work, family, and personal life 1 2 3
• Time senior staff skills 1 2 3
• Participating in a beginning physical activity program 1 2 3
• Planning time to exercise for busy people 1 2 3
• Getting health information that I can read or watch at home 1 2 3
• Learning about cancer prevention 1 2 3
• Heart health options 1 2 3
• CPR and First Aid 1 2 3
• Team sports activities at work 1 2 3
• Learning how to stretch 1 2 3
• Learning how to increase intake of fruits and vegetables 1 2 3
• Parenting Topics (age of children: ) 1 2 3
• Onsite exercise classes: walking Yoga aerobic other: 1 2 3
• Health evaluation such as Blood Pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose 1 2 3

Program evaluation may be The previous step, but it ought to be planned at the onset of your efforts! Assessment helps you identify

what parts of the program are working well and what parts could use improvement. Then, based on the evaluation data, adjustments

have the potential to be made to fine-tune your wellness program. Adjusting the program based on evaluation data is vital to its

continued performance.

Reviewing your program does not have to be be terribly complex. However, it is important to plan how you will oversee your wellness

efforts and determine performance during the planning phase or Step 5. Also keep in mind to evaluate the program based on the goals

and objectives you already identified during your creating process.

In order to evaluate your program you need to have a system to document specifics as you progress. This can be as simple as

maintaining file folders on programs that are offered, or a computer document with a table or spreadsheet summarizing information

collecting. Consider:

• Program topic and numbers of workers who participated
• The numbers of handouts taken by workers or distributed and on what subject matters
• The number of participants in a behavior change program and how many met their goals and objectives as well as howmany attended all of the sessions
• Numbers of workers who continued the healthy behavior change following the program?
• Overall employee satisfaction with the program or each topic

Depending on your goals and objectives, gather desired data and compare it to previous data gathered during the initial assessment to

determine if the goals and objectives were met. Such data might include

• Absentee rates
• Injury rates
• Health risk factors Insurance costs

Summarize and Report Worksite Wellness Program Results

Once you have collected all of the evaluation information it needs to be reviewed with the Worksite Wellness Program Committee and

summarized. You will probably have positive results and some areas where a change is needed or additional focus needed for

continuous improvement. This not-so positive information can be used to make any needed changes as well as to plan for next year

and is important to include in your report.

It is important to communicate the wellness program results to both senior staff and workers. Consider how senior staff usually

receives reports on operations and productivity concerns and include the yearly wellness program report in the same format. At some

businesses the reports are made during senior staff meetings using presentation styles such as power point slides. At other

businesses, graphs and bar charts are the norm or a list of the objectives and the summary outcomes reported.

No matter the format, it’s important to convey the outcomes and successes achieved, including any anecdotal stories, as well as areas

for improvement. Be sure to link the outcomes to the company mission and bottom line whenever possible.

Workers desire to receive the same information! You might use the same communication channels used when informing workers of the

wellness program:

• Corporation newsletters
• Bulletin boards
• E-mails

Also consider celebrating successes and recognizing achievements by:

• Posting pictures from events
• Highlighting performance stories
• Posting pictures of successes
• Hosting a celebration
• Recognizing champions

Armed with data, Worksite Wellness Program topic preferences and goals and objectives – and a Worksite Wellness Program

Committee rearing to get things done – it is now time to decide how best to take action. This website supports tools to help you! You

can read about the different types of wellness programs provided by other businesses to get an idea of what could possibly prove

effective for your company. There are Statewide Resources listed as well as national non-profit groups offering resources, and particular

examples of resources available on various wellness subject matters. In addition, keep looking under Steps to an Effective Program for

ideas to get you started!

If your planning phase was well executed, you ought to simply have to follow through with the plans you have already made.

Important Worksite Wellness Program considerations include:

1. 1. Formally Introduce the Worksite Wellness Program and consider policy statements that state the effect of the wellnessprogram. Examples include a general policy regarding the commitment to employee health and safety as well as specific policies such

   as No Smoking, Healthy Eating and Physical Activity.

2. 2. Communicate Your Program: The best planned program with great wellness programs won’t be productive if yourworkers don’t know about it or do not understand the options or how to take part. Communicate your wellness program using a variety

   of methods to be sure the message and “how-to’s” are heard!

   Worksite Wellness Program Communication Strategies might include:

   • Newsletter articles
   • Postings on the company’s intranet or internet
   • A designated Champion of the program
   • Formal or informal meeting to announce program, “the kick-off”
   • Flyers / pamphlets / brochures / table tents
   • Bulletin boards / kiosk where all material is promoted or found
   • Email / phone messages
   • Mailings or distributions
3. 3. Use Worksite Wellness Program Incentives: You will be amazed to find out what people will do for a free T-shirt.Incentives have the potential to both support and innervate participation among workers. Consider both formal or company incentives

   and informal or program rewards/prizes from local resources to reinforce participation in Worksite Wellness . Either way, it’s important

   to support incentives that are enticing and meaningful to your workers.

   Formal Worksite Wellness Program Incentives:

   • Discounts on employee health insurance premiums or co-pays, or contributions to 401K programs, employee stockoptions, or other mechanisms

   Click here for more information on health plan incentive ideas

   • fitness center/Fitness Center discounts or enrollment fee coverage
   • Public transportation vouchers
   • Flexible work time options
   • “Wellness Days” off work

   Rewards or Informal Worksite Wellness Program Incentives:

   • Cash – a most effective incentive!
   • Prize incentives such as gift certificates to healthy restaurants; media player to use while exercising, emergency kits, orany other prizes that would innervate your workers
   • T-Shirts, water bottles, or other inexpensive rewards
4. 4. Review community resources available to support some of the wellness services. The local health department or yourcompany medical care provider may be able to assist you with this information. There are also vendors throughout the State offering

   great wellness services for businesses. They are available to help you strategize and find the best options available.

5. 5. Begin your program as planned documenting information and outcomes as you go such as numbers of participants,dates of activities, and any other special details you are tracking.

The Worksite Wellness Program Committee ought to set out a plan for the entire year that outlines accomplishing goals and objectives,

as well as supports details for marketing and evaluating the program. The plan is the detailed map of what types of programs will be

provided, when and where they will be scheduled, how they will be marketed and evaluated, and what the budget is. It is important to

plan your wellness activities based on your goals and objectives, as well as the budget since different strategies will yield different

outcomes. For example, if your intention is to increase awareness on a topic, then distributing handouts or scheduling a one-time

education session may be appropriate. Nevertheless, if your objective is to change behavior, then different strategies may be

necessary, such as ongoing weekly meetings and support groups. Click here to link to Program Design Options for additional ideas.

Worksite Wellness Program Marketing

This is the time to coordinate your marketing strategies! How can you market the wellness program and ongoing activities? No matter

how you decide to, market often, keep it fresh, and remind workers repeatedly! Consider having an overall kickoff activity to inform

everyone of the wellness program. Senior Management ought to support the introduction or invitation so that all workers are alert to

their support and leadership in the program.

Possible marketing methods:

• Distributing email messages, including reminders
• Develop bulletins
• Hanging bulletin board postings
• Composing articles
• Sending letters or
• Distributing special invitations

Other Worksite Wellness Program Considerations:

• Is the Worksite Wellness Program promoted to all workers or to a specific group?
• Do you have a Worksite Wellness Program champion (someone who is coupled with different groups in the organization,and well respected) who can help in your promotion efforts?
• If your marketing efforts aren’t working, do you have a way to revisit and adjust your strategy?
• How will you determine performance and evaluate your program? And how will you collect the information needed toevaluate your program?

Topics most often included in Worksite Wellness :

• Nutrition
• Physical Activity/Exercise
• Tobacco Use Cessation
• Bone Health
• Heart Health
• The Spine
• Stress Reduction
• Chronic Disease Awareness & Prevention
• Self-care; Wise Medical Care Consumer
• Screening Services (BMI, Blood Pressure, bone density, cholesterol, glucose, posture, vision, and other…)
• Ergonomic Assessments
• Health Fairs
• Kids/family Events
• Others subject matters that workers have interest in

The subject matters and type of Worksite Wellness Program planned hinge upon the needs and interest, central objective and

resources available. Program Design Options include awareness programs such as handouts and/or education sessions, behavior

change programs such as tobacco cessation and weight loss classes, and environmental or company support such as no smoking

policies or healthy selections in vending machines.

The programs planned also hinge upon the demographics of your workforce. If you have a young, healthy workforce, you may want to

focus the wellness attention on keeping workers healthy and not need to screen for disease. Instead you might want to focus on

healthy lifestyle behavior such as exercise and good diet to prevent the start of disease. Click here for more information on strategies

for keeping workers well, identifying disease early, or returning workers to work who already have a chronic conditions.

It is also important to consider, and plan how you will evaluate the performance of your wellness program. The system needs to be

shown for tracking certain data and recording events depending on the program goals and objectives. Step 7 discusses program

evaluation in more detail. And Step 6 will launch your program!

A Worksite Wellness Program without goals and objectives is somewhat akin to taking a family trip without any planning; you won’t

know where you’re going, how to get there, what you want to do once you have arrived, or even whether or not you have arrived! The trip

may end up ok, or it may end up disastrously. Yet, with a modest amount of thoughtful planning, you increase your chances for a

successful experience. Clear goals and objectives are needed to plan your wellness program in order to ensure success!

Wellness program goals and objectives are different from one company to another depending on the population, needs, interests and

resources. Nevertheless, well thought out objectives based on your company’s needs assessment will form the foundation of a

successful wellness program!

Worksite Wellness Program Mission Statement

The first consideration is a mission statement for your Worksite Wellness Program. The mission statement is the central expression of

what the Worksite Wellness Program Committee wants to accomplish by implementing a wellness program. It is important to consider

how your Worksite Wellness Program fits in with the company mission statement, contributes to the central mission and supports the

company bottom line. This will integrate your efforts throughout the company operations.

Below are some examples of Worksite Wellness Program mission statements:

“At XYZ Corporation, maintaining an environment that supports employee health and safety is our underlying value. It is the mission of

the Worksite Wellness Program to assist in starting Worksite Wellness Program services that fosters and upholds that value.”

“It is the mission of the XYZ Worksite Wellness Program Committee to develop healthier lifestyle choices to lower health risk factors,

improve central well-being, and maintain a productive, active work force.”

Worksite Wellness Program Goals

The goals and objectives further define your mission and are based on your needs assessment. Depending on the needs assessment,

senior staff expectations and employee interests, examples of goals and objectives can include:

The objective(s) of XYZ Worksite Wellness Program in year XXXX is to: (one or more of the following examples)

• Decrease absenteeism by one day per employee
• Decrease musculoskeletal injuries by 10%
• Decrease unnecessary emergency room visits
• Decrease or contain medical care costs
• Improve dietary habits of workers
• Decrease health risk factors

Worksite Wellness Program Objectives

Specific Worksite Wellness Program objectives help meet your long-term goals and objectives. Both short term and long term

objectives ought to be developed as the stepping stones to accomplish the goals and objectives. In addition to objectives for the

expected colleague outcomes, process objectives ought to also be developed for the program process itself. For example, process

objectives may include the number of workers you want to take part in the programs, the number of sessions on a topic will be

provided, the type of wellness sessions that will be implemented, etc.

Objectives need to be easily measurable within a set time frame. Try using the SMART formula to establish both your long and

short-term goals and objectives:

• Specific (one behavior or outcome)
• Measurable (one result that can be observed or evaluated)
• Attainable (but also challenging)
• Realistic (do you have the resources to achieve?), and
• Time specific (within 3 months – up to 5 years)

This is the who, what, when, where, why, and by how much method. For example, an intention for a weight loss program that has an

central objective of improving healthy eating and promoting a healthy weight is that:

Members (who) will lose an average of .5 – 1 lbs per week (specific what that is measurable) at the end of the 12 week lunchtime

program (time specific what, when and where) for a minimum of 6 lbs weight loss per colleague (attainable and realistic).

Or:

Members (who) will go to 11 of the 12 sessions (specific what that is measurable) and name at least one healthier eating change at the

end of the program (specific what, when, where)

An example of an intention for coaching workers with high cholesterol might be:

To lower the total cholesterol (specific what) of elevated risk workers with cholesterol over 240 mg/dl (specific who) to 200 mg/dl

(measurable how much) through one-on-one counseling sessions provided at the worksite (where) by X date (ex, after 6 months)

(attainable, realistic & time specific when) to lower the risk factor for heart disease (why).

And one last example of a process intention for a tobacco cessation program with an central objective to assist participants in

committing to quit for life:

By the end of the 4-week tobacco cessation program, 10% of the participants will have quit smoking. Each colleague will be contacted

at 3 months, 6 months and 12 months from the program’s end to determine quit status (process intention) and 10% of those who quit

will still be tobacco-free after one year.

You have now completed Steps 1 through 4, including establishing your Worksite Wellness Program Committee. It is now time to plan

your wellness activities!

Securing an active Worksite Wellness Program Committee supports opportunities for both senior staff and employee participation in the program. The Wellness Committee

ought to be a team of workers and managers who formally meet to plan activities to reward healthier employee lifestyles.

Typical Functions of a Worksite Wellness Program Committee:

• Reviewing needs & interests
• Brainstorming program ideas
• Planning activities
• Implementing communication plans
• Promoting programs to co-workers
• Serving as champions of the Worksite Wellness
• Assisting with evaluation

Your Worksite Wellness Program Committee ought to be representative of all echelons of the company. Consider all areas of the workforce – multiple sites, shift workers,

diversity (race, gender, ethnicity), and departments. It’s also important to consider who will chair or co-chair the Worksite Wellness Program Committee and whether or not

there are the finances to support a Worksite Wellness Program manager or occupational health professional, even on a part-time or contractual basis. Click here for more

information on the benefits of a health professional.

Depending on your company size and resources, if you already have a company Safety Committee you may want to consider making it the Safety & Worksite Wellness

Program Committee. You have the potential to request volunteers or invite workers to take part.

The number of Worksite Wellness Program Committee members depends on the size of your company; however, you need sufficient members to get the work done and yet

not too many to keep it manageable, usually at least 4 members and maximum of 12 to 15 members. It’s important to include skeptics of wellness as well and not just

those workers already practicing healthy lifestyles.

Depending on your worksite, consider representatives from the following areas:

• Employee representatives from a cross section of different departments,
• Senior Management
• Health and safety professional(s)
• Human resources professional(s)
• Employee benefits representative or someone from finance
• Your EAP provider (if applicable), Click here for more information on EAPs
• Occupational health employee (if applicable).

Establish an effective Worksite Wellness Program Committee! The Worksite Wellness Program Committee ought to meet often with a planned agenda and action items.

Successful Wellness Committees have a shared mission, vision and goals and objectives. Participants need to believe that their participation is worthwhile and appreciated,

that their work is important, benefits the organization and co-workers, and they are recognized for their contributions. Refer to the NC Workplace Programs section for

examples of what other businesses have implemented.

Health screenings are important programs to identify chronic conditions in their early stages. Once identified, wellness intervention

programs can help prevent a disease from progressing. Working with local hospitals and other businesses, you can get information on

offering evaluation and intervention programs that might improve your employees’ health and save your company money in

absenteeism, treatment for disease complications, and reduced productivity. Below are some ideas to help get you started.

Based upon your Employee Needs & Interest Survey and the demographics of your workplace, consider offering periodic screenings to

find specific health risks such as:

• Blood Pressure Checks to identify workers with pre-hypertension or hypertension (elevated blood pressure)
• Cholesterol Screenings for total, HDL (good cholesterol), LDL (bad cholesterol) and/or Triglycerides
• Blood Sugar Screenings fasting or non-fasting to screen for possible diabetes
• Body composition, such as body mass index (BMI) or body fat measures
• Bone density for potential risk of osteoporosis
• Cancer screenings such as, skin examinations, mammograms, or PSA screenings
• Vision checks for glaucoma, or visual acuity
• Other health screenings depending on your worker population and needs

Your local hospital, company physician practice, or health department may support assistance. Nevertheless, if you have workers you

may want to concentrate on programs that will keep them healthy rather than screening for early identification of chronic conditions.

The focus of your wellness program might be healthy lifestyle practices to lower risk and prevent disease.

In addition to the health screenings, consider offering a Health Risk Appraisal / Health Risk Assessment to all workers. The Health Risk

Appraisal / Health Risk Assessment will help to identify factors that may lead to additional risks, such as smoking history, stress

levels, image of health, family history, job satisfaction, support systems, and mental health. Often the evaluation results are included on

the Health Risk Appraisal / Health Risk Assessment, which supports a more comprehensive snap shot of health risks. The summary

results support the important information to plan appropriate interventions.

Worksite Wellness Program Interventions

The key to the performance of screenings and Health Risk Appraisals / Health Risk Assessments (HRA’s) is the interventions or

follow-up programs. The data collected during the screenings increases awareness and often motivates workers to consider making

healthier changes. It’s the follow up interventions that support the critical support and assistance needed for workers to actually make

and maintain those changes. The interventions have the potential to include individual follow-up and ongoing counseling, individual or

group health coaching on the risk factors, behavior change programs, and/or company support. Examples include:

• Strategies to decrease Blood Pressure
• Managing diabetes
• Taking care of your heart
• Healthier eating
• Weight loss strategies
• Growing physical activity
• Smoking Cessation

Naturally, this is for individual information only. Any follow-up interventions planned by the company would be based on interest

expressed by the employee.

Based on the results and your Worksite Wellness Program Committee goals and objectives you have the potential to plan the best

strategies for your company and workers. Consider the community resources available to support services, such as health

associations, hospitals, medical care providers, and/or public health agencies.

Before you start laying out your Worksite Wellness Program you need to know where you are now and then decide where you want to go. Completing a thorough needs

assessment is vital to the performance of your wellness program for two reasons: First it ensures that your Worksite Wellness Program activities will be targeted to meet

your company’s specific needs so that outcomes have the potential to be achieved. Secondly the needs assessment supports the information you will need to evaluate the

effectiveness of your wellness program.

It is often tempting to hurry through the assessment – especially when time is short or those with experience already have an idea of needs. Do not give in to this

temptation! It is vital that you understand what your company needs are, what senior staff expects, and what workers want as well as expect, before you begin a Worksite

Wellness Program.

Consider and accumulate data on:

• Employee Demographic Information
• Employee Health Risk Factors
• Medical Claims
• Injury Rates & Causes
• Workers’ Compensation Claims
• Short and Long Term Disability Claims
• Absenteeism
• Corporation Culture Audits
• Employee perceived needs and health risks
• Senior Management’s expectations or desired outcomes

There are many ways to evaluate this information. Although some of data gathering process may be time consuming, remember that it is nonetheless critical to plan

programs that target specific concerns. This information will be vital to set goals and objectives and for evaluating program performance. How else can you know if

outcomes have been achieved?

Options to help gather the information:

• Confidential Health Risk Appraisals with a Corporation Group Summary Report click here for more information on Health Risk Appraisals or Assessments
• Wellness Screenings such as cholesterol, Blood Pressure and blood glucose click here for additional information on health screenings
• Employee Needs and Interest Surveys
• Suggestion boxes placed around the organization
• Focus Groups or hosting a luncheon meeting as a focus group
• Sending out a confidential email questionnaire
• Review records and databases including OSHA logs, first aid reports, insurance costs

Once your needs assessment is complete, the Worksite Wellness Program Committee can review the results and start laying out and prioritizing program options. Planning

ought to be based upon goals and objectives and identified outcomes, Step 4 of the seven step process!

As with any program, the two most important elements for the performance of your wellness program are senior staff support & employee participation. Senior Management

sets the vision and provides the resources from which action plans flow. Genuine support from senior personnel also brings credibility to the wellness program. It is

important a Chance to Give Suggestions on Each Assessment Tool

Any one or combination of several techniques will be sure that the wellness program meets what workers want.

Step 3 supports additional information on determining wellness program needs. But first, establishing a Worksite Wellness Program Committee can help you involve senior

staff & workers, determine need, and plan your wellness program.

The program design options hinge upon the goals and objectives and desired outcomes of your program. If your objective is to help workers modify behavior, lower risk

factors, or save medical care money then your wellness program would be designed to accomplish those outcomes and a budget would be significant to support that design.

Wellness program design options vary, depending on desired outcomes and budgets. Each level has pros and cons. The intentions or results are quite different, are not

interchangeable in terms of obtaining similar results, and therefore ought not be confused. For example, scheduling activities such as an employee wellness fair or

lunchtime education sessions, or having pamphlets available do not usually result in behavior change, but may expand awareness on a topic. If the objective is behavior

change then a different design is required, such as Lifestyle/Behavior Change Programs and Corporation Support. The outline below describes the wellness design levels

with a short explanation.

Awareness Programs: At this level a company makes health information available and accessible to workers. This type of program often includes handouts on a variety of

subject matters, wellness articles in newsletters, bulletin board displays, e-mail health messages, etc. Also, most health & wellness fairs are designed as awareness

programs with vendors offering information and offering health screenings to workers.

Awareness programs are inexpensive and do not require extensive employee or company time commitments. Nevertheless, these programs do not usually yield behavior

change. Growing awareness isn’t usually sufficient to generate lifestyle changes for most individuals, unless used to innervate workers to register for a program being

provided at the company or community on the topic. An example of this would be offering information on the harmful effects of smoking and inviting workers who smoke to

register for a tobacco cessation class.

Education Programs: Educational programs often support more information on a topic and usually also provide time for Q & A, but are similar to awareness programs. An

example is lunch-n-learn sessions on a health related topic. These cost the company a modest amount more than awareness programs; however, they are still inexpensive

and do not require a great deal of time for planning or attending a session. Again, increasing awareness and offering information may not lead to the desired behavior change

unless ongoing support or incentives are also planned.

Lifestyle/Behavior Change Programs: These programs are designed as 4 to 12 weekly sessions or seminars to support wellness and health education, address barriers and

support opportunities to practice the desired skills. Behavior change programs therefore require additional company resources, cost more, and also require additional

employee commitment, time and effort. The results are often the desired positive lifestyle change, which if sustained can lead to potential cost savings.

Examples include tobacco cessation classes, weight loss and weight management meetings, or an ongoing physical activity program.

Environmental and Corporation Support: Environmental support is often considered the highest and most important level to include when beginning your wellness program in

order to support and maintain healthy behaviors. These types of design options include policy changes such as:

• Creating a tobacco-free workplace
• Designating a walking path
• Securing onsite fitness centers
• Ensuring healthy vending machines selections
• Offering healthy food choices in the cafeteria, and/or
• Securing flex-time policies

Other examples include subsidizing healthy vending machines or cafeteria choices; reimbursing fitness center or weight loss and weight management program

memberships; or offering insurance incentives for healthy behaviors.

Ideally, the wellness program design would include some of each of these options. The more integrated the approach, the more successful the results will be. For example,

a company can have tobacco cessation information available; can schedule a one hour awareness session on the harmful effects of smoking and how to quit; can enable an

onsite tobacco cessation program, supply self quit smoking kits, or support workers to go to a community program; and/or on an environmental support level can establish a

tobacco-free workplace and grounds, offer reduced health insurance for non-smokers, or support pharmacological quit smoking aids for free.

Worksite Wellness Program: Components for Success

There are many key parts that must be considered to see to the performance of your Worksite Wellness Program or Worksite Wellness Program. These include:

• Senior Management Reinforcement & Employee Participation
• Active Worksite Wellness Program Committee
• Program is Based on Employee Needs & Interests
• Goals and Objectives are Established
• Detailed Action Plan Based upon Resources & Budget
• Program Implementation & Internal Marketing
• Assessment of Outcomes and Program