Worksite Wellness ProgramsWorksite Wellness Programs

Hollywood Stars or American Celebrities

This is another enjoyable activity focusing on healthy weight loss or maintenance.

• Members choose a secret code name (the name of a Hollywood star or other celebrity).
• Members weigh in with a “trusted” confident in private – at which time a healthy weight objective is set for the period of the contest.
• Display a chart with everyone’s secret name assigning each a starting weight of zero.
• Members weigh themselves every week and turn in the weight with their code name on the sheet.
• Weight is reported in relation to a starting weight of zero. For example +4 would mean a weight gain of four pounds; while –2 would indicate a weight loss of two pounds.
• Future weigh-ins ought to be in relation to the starting weight, not the previous week’s weight.
• The chart is kept up to date and displayed in public by the Worksite Wellness Program Committee.
• Display a “weight control hint of the week” nearby the tracking chart.
• Offer “take one” handouts on weight management education or motivational tips by the chart.
• Celebrate employee progress at the end of the activity.

Wellness Book/Journal Club and/or Book Exchange

Similar to any other book discussion group, the readings and focus of this group is health. With a broad “health” definition, many subjects might be appropriate including communication, self-improvement, relationships, money management, environment, ecology, recreation, cooking, etc. Let the group choose the subject matters and books. Another suggested idea is to establish a book swap area where readers can trade the book(s) for those that others have left for trade.

Pre-Work Stretching Group

A couple of minutes of gentle stretching is a great way to safely start the workday. A certified fitness instructor may be asked in to teach proper stretching techniques. After this, most often an internal group is able to meet and run itself. Offer periodic refresher sessions with the trainer or instructor to change up the routine and help keep participants motivated. Considerations for workplace stretching:

• Be sure to work with your Senior Management Team for stretching endorsement.
• Stretches ought to be taught by a knowledgeable and qualified person.
• Even though pre-work stretches are done on an employee’s personal time, the question of company liability will probably arise, particularly if someone reports an associated muscular injury. Check with your employer’s legal counsel and/or contact your company workers’ compensation carrier to assist in design of an employee release of liability waiver.

Worksite Chair Massage

Bring in a licensed massage therapist to offer chair massage at the employees’ expense. These massages are done fully clothed with the recipient seated in a chair. The therapist brings in a special chair that fully supports the neck and shoulders while an upper body massage is given. Sessions are usually fifteen minutes, with a mean cost between $12.00 – $15.00 for each session. Put a sign up sheet with appointments at intervals recommended by the therapist. Be sure the therapist is certified. It will be significant to support a private space. A group of “regulars” may evolve which might establish a regular massage schedule. Obtain an agreement with senior staff so workers can trade massage time for coffee or personal break time. Note: senior staff may want the therapist to supply proof of liability insurance.

Art at Work

Art can be a good way to nurture employees’ creative side and help them manage stress at the same time. Bring in various art and craft supplies on a monthly basis and let the creative juices flow. If participants are willing, have a temporary “art show” later on. Or, feature employee creativity during certain months or times of the year. Urge workers to display their art in their personal workspaces.

Healthy Email-a-Week

Develop an email list of coworkers who want to receive an inspirational, funny or educational health quote, thought, tip or idea once a week by email. Ask members of the Worksite Wellness Program Committee to collect ideas initially, and then ask the members of the email list to offer ideas and information as time goes on. Adhere to all company rules regarding work time and email protocols.

Hobby Show or Demonstrations

Hobbies are great stress management tools. Urge workers to display their talents by sponsoring a “hobby fair” or demonstration. Send around a sign up sheet. See who would be willing to bring in samples of their hobby, and maybe even do a live demonstration. Fairs or demonstrations can be scheduled as a group activity or brown bag that allows interested workers to interact. Or, hobby sharing may be done in groupings by topic over a scheduled period of time, providing for a brief presentation and/or demonstration on the part of the hobbyist.

Brown bag presentations are a good way to create awareness about selected health subject matters. Community health professionals will often support presentations of a half hour or less at no charge. Use employee interest surveys to follow up on employee interests that are expressed. The definition of health is broad, so brown bag presentations may also cover a wide variety of subject matters. Topics may include physical, mental, emotional, women’s health, men’s health, monetary health, etc. Considerations for brown bag presentations:

• Brown bag sessions are effective for awareness building. This seed planting process can help workers become more proactive about healthy choices.
• Do not schedule the program for the full hour – usually 40 minutes or so works best. This will give folks an opportunity to come and go, grab a quick bite, ask questions, etc.
• If the subject matter is sensitive, such as domestic violence, substance abuse, etc., people may be reluctant to attend for fear of being associated publicly with the issue. They will, however, show up if the focus is on helping family members, coworkers, etc.
• Make sure that workers hear important information and will leave with tools and resources to carry out the message. Work with the presenter on information strategies that work for your employee group.
• Promotional materials ought to publicize the program with a name that speaks to the brown bag focus. Include all other pertinent information such as where, who, when, etc.
• Some subject matters that can’t be covered in one session could be provided in a short series. It will work best to schedule one session each week rather than several sessions in one week. For example, you might offer a 3-week series on healthy eating rather than trying to cram all the information into one session.
• A catchy title can draw people to the event. An example of this might include calling lunchtime presentations “Noonlighting”
• If possible, support a free healthy snack for workers who attend.
• To maintain momentum, try setting up a routine monthly time and day for lunchtime seminars.
• If workers work in shift or are in work groups in different geographical locations, establish a plan that offers equal attendance opportunity to all.

Resources:

1. 1. Please see the idea list at the end of this guide which offers a variety of resource subject matters of interest to workers.
2. 2. Every community has many individuals, experts, or specialists from voluntary groups (heart, cancer, lung associations), special interest groups (Y’s, Red Cross, Weight Watcher’s, Safety Council, Alcoholics Anonymous), or the local health department as possibilities to present worksite sessions free or at a low cost. Many of these contacts will also support inexpensive materials.
3. 3. Topic videos can be used for a brown bag session.

Often people avoid low fat foods because they think these foods do not taste good. To help inform workers, purchase a variety of low fat foods and put them out in a conference room for an hour or so for a drop-in tasting session. Or, arrange for low-fat potlucks encouraging workers to bring and share their favorite low fat or healthy dishes. Considerations:

• Make sure the selections actually taste good.
• Offer a “fact sheet” with the names and price of the various products to assist participants if they want to purchase these products from the grocery store.
• Offer other written information on good nutrition for any interested participants to take. Utilize websites and other resources specified in the Resource Section at the end of this guide.
• Offer small tasting spoons or wooden ice cream tasters.
• It doesn’t take much of each item to give participants a taste of the meals or dish. It is not significant to buy enough, or bring enough, food to support a meal.
• Set up the tasting room after lunch so participants can go in on their own and sample.
• Keep an eye out for overly sugary items…sometimes low fat means elevated sugar – so be sure to read the label.
• Examples of purchases for a worksite sampling might include: 2 boxes of healthy crackers, a package of low fat cheese, a box of low fat cookies, two or three low fat spreads such as hummus, low fat cream cheese, a package of honey nut or other flavored rice crackers, and one or two other low fat items.
• Place signs on the table gently reminding participants that the idea is to sample, not have a meal.
• Offer a beverage such as a new kind of fruit juice or herbal tea.

Group support and encouragement can be very helpful in helping workers make healthy changes. Create situations, peer groups, or information avenues where the expertise and experiences of coworkers can be shared with others. Some ideas for offering onsite support for healthy changes include:

• Workers can be asked to voluntarily submit recommendations, advice, and strategies related to particular healthy practices they have implemented in their lives. For example, ex-smokers can be asked to submit recommendations about what worked for them when they quit; then those ideas can be shared in newsletters, brochures, classes, etc.
• Topics like weight control, stress management, managing change, increasing exercise, etc. lend themselves to this development of collective wisdom sharing.
• Behavior change support groups, created based on employee interest in making healthy change, can meet on regularly to share ideas, resources, support, etc. Worksite Wellness can offer some assistance and facilitation in getting a group going. The group then itself takes charge of keeping the group going. Periodically the wellness program can offer to bring in a presenter on a topic relevant to the group. Be sure to help the group establish ground rules that everyone agrees to before the group is left on its own.

A wellness fair is a fantastic way to familiarize workers with health concerns and related wellness programs. During a wellness fair workers might be able to get resource materials; take part in provided health screenings (vision, hearing, blood, cholesterol, cancer, dental, etc.); observe demonstrations on the use of fitness equipment; go to mini-seminars on various health subject matters; get free promotional items from local businesses; sample healthy foods; and pick up information about their health benefit plan. Some businesses feature a “health & benefit fair” which includes vendors representing the various employee benefit plans (long-term disability, retirement, etc.) available to workers through their company. Considerations when coordinating a wellness fair:

• Setting up a efficacious wellness fair takes extensive time. Time concerns ought to be taken into account in planning and organizing such an event. The most time consuming part is generally contacting potential participants, making arrangements for their participation, confirming their participation, and setting up the day of the event.
• Sufficient space, tables and chairs must be available to allow for the number of vendors involved. Some vendors may have portable displays or materials that will require additional space, access to electrical outlets, or other logistical considerations that must be discussed prior to the wellness fair.
• Vendors will be looking to make contact with as many persons as possible during the event. Securing their commitment to future health & wellness fairs requires that every effort be made to reward participation by publicizing the event, selecting the proper venue, and offering incentives.
• If possible, locate the wellness fair in an area with heavy foot traffic.
• Ask vendors to bring free materials at their table and to make a donation to a prize drawing. Adhere to all company policies when seeking donations.
• As an idea to increase employee participation and to keep interest high, each attendee might be given a “passport”, similar to a bingo card, to be signed by each vendor. The signed passport serves as the ticket for the prize drawings. Such drawings ought to take place every 15 or 30 minutes.
• Consider teaming up with area businesses to hold a wellness fair. A team effort will distribute the work and maximize participation.

Ideas for a Benefits Fair: Include representatives from each of your employee benefits provider groups. Ask each vendor to be ready to answer employee questions regarding their program. Representatives might include:

• Retirement plan representative.
• Long-term disability plan representative.
• Health plan representative.
• Health Benefits representative.
• Contract cell phone representative (if applicable).
• Local savings and loan or credit union representative.
• Workers’ compensation representative.

Limited Space for a Health Fair: If space is limited conduct the fair at lunch time. Place stations in company hallways or in individual small conference or office rooms scattered throughout the building. Offer a map with all the stations listed. Have a free drawing awarding a prize for anyone who goes to 75 percent of the stations. Use a punch card or similar method to verify. Resources for health & benefit fairs coordination: Assume a broad definition of “health” and reflect that by including a wide array of vendors and services involved with physical, mental, financial and social health; for example, health agencies, safety businesses, benefits providers, local medical care facilities, recreational facilities, parks, monetary planners, childcare referrals, EAP, health clubs, health food stores, library, alternative and complementary medicine providers, etc.

Worksite health screenings can take a variety of forms. Common evaluation components may include:

• Blood Pressure and pulse rate.
• Cholesterol (typically a finger-stick total cholesterol test, either fasting or non-fasting).
• Blood glucose (diabetes screening).
• Height and weight.
• Percent body fat and/or BMI (body mass index).
• Fitness level.
• Bone density.
• Posture assessment.

Considerations when offering worksite screenings:

• Health screenings must be conducted by qualified, and at times, licensed individuals.
• Health screenings must be conducted in a location that allows for privacy and confidentiality.
• Time for discussion and explanation screening results must be given as part of the evaluation process.
• A process must be in place for referral for participants whose results are indicative of a need for further medical evaluation.
• Screenings can be very costly to the central wellness budget OR there may be no expenditure to the program if participants are willing to cover the expenditure of the assessment themselves. For example, cholesterol and glucose testing usually costs twenty to twenty-five dollars per person, per exam. Workers may be willing to pay for evaluation in exchange for the convenience of having the evaluation at work.
• It generally works best to have scheduled appointments at intervals sufficient to allow time for the assessment and a brief discussion of results. Therefore, a registration and scheduling process must be devised.
• Some types of evaluation, such as fitness testing, require participants to bring casual clothes in which to do the testing. Workers ought to be notified of the need to dress in a specific manner for the evaluation.
• To ensure high attendance at evaluation events, it is advisable to start promotion of the event with reminders to workers.
• Supply workers with “screening preparation” standard procedures to remind them how to prepare for the most accurate evaluation results.

Resources for worksite screenings:

1. 1. Consult with a wellness consultant or health evaluation company.
2. 2. If employee participation is meager for onsite health screenings, or if offering additional worksite evaluation is an option, check with the community health or outreach department of your local hospital, health education department, occupational health department or workplace health department as to screenings they might offer.
3. 3. Local health clubs may also have qualified employee for some types of screenings, such as fitness testing or body fat measurement.

Make safety a key concern when creating physical activity in your workplace. An accident or injury won’t “sell” the program and may end up costing the company. This section will help you take the necessary steps to avert an accident or injury.

Using Certified Professionals

Enlist professionally certified instructors to lead fitness classes (whether on or offsite) or to run workplace lunch and learn meetings. It’s also a good idea to ask the instructor for references. When you hire instructors, make sure that your insurance protects both the instructor and your company.

Risk Management

Whether we like it or not, liability is an issue nowadays. Risk management plans need not be complicated or expensive. For example, part of the plan might require that workers fill out fitness appraisals and sign statements accepting the possible risks involved in physical activity. It pays to be prepared. Safety and emergency policies and procedures lower the risk of loss both to individuals and to your company. Ask workers to fill out a waiver when participating in both onsite and offsite activities. For liability reasons, workers must understand the risks involved in participating in the activity and understand that they are waiving their right to sue. The employee ought to not be asked to sign the waiver just before the activity. The waiver may be invalid if workers state that they didn’t fully understand the risks.

Other Safety Tips

Here’s a list of some other safety tips to keep in mind when creating physical activity. Look at the environment where workers are active:

• Sidewalks ought to be clear of ice and snow, away from falling debris or snow, and have clearly marked curbs and safe crosswalks.
• Stairwells ought to be well-lit and in good condition and have handrails and safety features, so that workers are not locked out of floors.
• Fitness facilities ought to have proper flooring, good ventilation, and access to water and an emergency telephone.

Offer medical evaluation for workers participating in activities:

• PAR-Q
• PAR-MEDX for Pregnancy

Below are some other important safety factors:

• First-aid kit and automated external defibrillator on site.
• Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place and practised.
• Commercial grade fitness equipment (not donated, “hand me down” equipment).
• Documented equipment inspection and maintenance schedule.
• Orientation of equipment and programs done by certified professional with a physical activity background.

To make a difference in the lives of your fellow workers, you first need to see that getting active is not only a matter of choice. Some things are within our individual control, but others are molded by the people and circumstances in which we live and work.

It‘s Easier to Be Active When…

• We know what to do and have the confidence, skills and opportunity to do it.
• It’s fun. “Working out” at the fitness center does not appeal to everyone. Activities need to reflect what people enjoy.
• Our friends, family or co-workers are active with us (or at least support us).
• We feel safe, thanks to well-lit streets or stairwells.
• Sidewalks, walking/biking trails, parks and gyms are nearby.
• We have money to pay for equipment, instruction or memberships.
• We can walk, bike or take public transit to work.
• Active choices such as taking the stairs, having stretch breaks during meetings and going outside at lunch are “normal” in the workplace.
• Managers support and recognize employee efforts. Better yet, they take part.
• We can juggle our work hours to fit in physical activity.

Think about how you might establish some of these conditions in your workplace. By taking these steps, you’ll make it more likely that workers both want and are able to be active during working hours. Workplace physical activity initiatives that focus only on individuals have limited success. Research shows that reaching people in various ways gives the strong chance of long-term success. A strategy directed at multiple echelons is also called an “ecological approach.”

The sort of evaluation you choose depends on when you do it and the kind of information you collect. This section describes when to use three types: formative, process and summative evaluations.

During the Development Stage

Use formative evaluations in the planning stages to make sure that your program is based on solid information. These evaluations also help you to develop effective and appropriate materials and procedures. Examples of formative evaluations include:

• records of senior staff commitments to the program
• employee interest surveys
• workplace environmental assessments
• pre-testing of program materials

During Your Initiative

A process evaluation is used when the program is underway. These evaluations help you:

• track what is going well and what isn’t (and how to revise your program)
• find out if you are reaching the workers you want to reach
• describe the program to others
• monitor who is participating in the program

During or After Your Initiative

Summative evaluations take place when the program is already in place or completed. Use this sort of evaluation to measure what workers like about the program and what might be improved. All three types of evaluations are useful. The evaluation you choose depends on the time and monetary resources you have available.

Think about why you’re evaluating and what your evaluation is going to measure. If you’re trying to find out whether program has been efficacious, see if you followed your mission statement and met your goals and objectives. If you don’t have a mission statement or goals and objectives, decide with senior staff and your employee Worksite Wellness Program Committee how your organization will measure success. For example, you can measure success by changes in:

• Physical measures (e.g., strength, flexibility, waist circumference of workers).
• Psychological measures (e.g., employee morale, satisfaction levels, stress levels).
• Productivity measures (e.g., decline in absenteeism rates, increased employee productivity).

Thinking About workers

If you’re thinking of making improvements to the program, consider whether the program is still relevant and fitting for workers. Find out if there are any obstacles to participation in the program or to participation in physical activity during the workday. As workers are the ones participating in the program, it’s important to give them a chance to support feedback on the physical activity program.

Choosing an Assessment Method

Decide on your evaluation method. Both measurable results (e.g., absenteeism rates or questionnaire responses) and descriptive results (e.g., one-on-one interviews or focus groups) can be used to evaluate. The method you choose will hinge upon the time and funding available and what you want to measure.

Deciding How to Do the Assessment

Decide when and where you will do your evaluation (and who will be evaluated). For more information, read the “Types of Evaluations” section on this website. You may want to pilot test your evaluation (e.g., with members of the Worksite Wellness Program Committee) before sending it out to workers. The employee Worksite Wellness Program Committee may also want to evaluate the initiative’s planning process.

Doing the Assessment

• Compare your results to baseline information (i.e., evaluation results from before the launch of your program). If you don’t have this information, save your evaluation results to compare with later results. You can also look at other information you may have, such as employee satisfaction survey results.
• Analyze and share meaningful and easy-to-understand results with senior staff and workers.
• Assessment results can be used to improve the current physical activity program and/or to develop new initiatives in future.