Category — Employee Health and Wellness

There are a number of reasons why Employee Health Promotion Programs are beneficial.

1. Improved Morale – When the organizational culture begins to change as a result of your health promotion efforts, you and your employees may actually start to see and feel a new level of energy within the employer.  Ultimately, one of the most ambitious goals of any broad-based health promotion program is to attempt to influence the attitudes and actions of the organization’s most valuable resource — its employees.
2. Reduced Turnover – As we all know, worker replacement costs can be quite high for any kind of employer.  The effort and expense associated with running employment ads, reading applications, checking references, interviewing qualified candidates, hiring and training a new worker can be a serious burden on any employer.  In light of the challenges that high worker turnover pose, many businesses are looking to health promotion programs as an additional perk that can help to prevent employees from jumping ship.
3. Increased Recruitment Potential – In the midst of a very tight labor market, businesses are forced to pull out the stops in order to recruit new talent.  In some instances, health promotion can prove to be a very valuable tool in sealing the deal.
4. Reduced Absenteeism – When an worker misses work in a employer setting, the entire organization is forced to absorb his/her responsibilities.  Even in the event of the occasional absence caused by things like colds and the flu, work can back-up and tensions can build.  Even worse is a long-term absence caused by a major health event that requires hospitalization and/or rehabilitation.  By preventing certain types of illness caused by poor lifestyle habits, health promotion programs can play an important role in reducing absenteeism.
5. Health Care Cost Containment – Most businesses don’t start a health promotion program with cost containment in mind.  However, cost containment for certain health problems should be considered a viable goal by many businesses.
6. Improved worker Health Status – One of the greatest advantages of a well-designed health promotion initiative is the promise of improved health.  There is a growing body of evidence that suggests well-designed health promotion initiatives can successfully impact such behaviors as smoking, high-risk alcohol use, and more.

1.    Have a current policy outlining the requirements and functions of a broad-based Employee Health Promotion Program.
2.    Have a wellness plan in place that addresses the purpose, nature, duration, resources required, participants in, and expected results of a Employee Health Promotion Program.
3.    Orient employees to the Employee Health Promotion Program and give them copies of the physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco use policies.
4.    Promote and encourage worker participation in the physical activity/fitness and nutrition education/weight management program.
5.    Offer health education information to employees.
6.    Have a committee that meets at least once a month to oversee the Employee Health Promotion Program.
7.    Offer regular health education presentations on various physical activity, nutrition, and wellness-related topics. Ask voluntary health associations, health care providers, and/or public health agencies to offer onsite education classes.
8.    Host a Wellness Fair as a kick-off event or as a celebration for completion of a wellness campaign.
9.    Designate specific areas to support employees such as diabetics and nursing mothers.
10.    Conduct preventive wellness screenings for blood pressure, body composition, blood cholesterol, and diabetes.
11.    Offer confidential Health Risk Assessments.
12.    Offer onsite weight management/maintenance initiatives for employees.
13.    Add weight management/maintenance, nutrition, and physical activity counseling as a member benefit in health insurance contracts.