Corporate Wellness ConsultantsCorporate Wellness Consultants and Corporate Wellness Programs

The environmental conditions of the worksite can be divided into both physical and psychosocial domains, both of which influence the climate and culture of a worksite. The cultural norms of a workplace have been identified as powerful determinants of worker health and behavior (Baum, 1995). Ultimately, workers benefit most from a healthy, supportive; eustressful workplace community was they feel valued and respected. Since adults spend approximately one third of their waking hours at work, one would hope that workers view work as less of a necessity and more of an enjoyable experience.

The climate of a workplace is also more conducive to enhancing health and human performance when the environment is safe, clean, aesthetically pleasing and ergonomically engineered. While some occupations maybe inherently dangerous (e.g., fire fighter, military personnel) all broad-based Corporate Wellness Programs should control exposure to unhealthy conditions including: hazardous chemicals, noise, temperature, radiation and other risky conditions. Program examples include:

• Corporate Wellness Programs grounded in supportive cultural change strategies
• Environmental and safety compliance measures
Lighting
Ventilation
Heating
Control of toxic substances
Noise
Universal precautions
• Ergonomically designed workstations
• Sanitary, clean, well maintained worksite
• Recycling promoted programs
• employee & management training in emergency procedures

An employee’s psychological health can never be neglected in a broad-based model of Corporate Wellness Programs. Originating out of a need for alcohol abuse interventions in the workplace, today’s employee assistance programs (EAP) encompass assessment and counseling for substance abuse and dependency, stress related disorders, family conflicts and other personal issues.

Evidence of the need for such programs is wide spread. In a national survey conducted by the Northwestern Life Insurance Company (1992) 46% of workers reported that their job was very stressful, 34% thought about quitting their jobs because of workplace stress, and 14% did leave their job because of stress. Alcohol and substance abuse problems as well as issues of workplace violence and harassment are common areas of concern. For many the only viable treatment solution is the Corporate Wellness Program.  Exemplary Corporate Wellness Programs will include:

• Individualized assessment of employee concerns
• Assistance in treatment choice
• Emphasis on prevention as well as treatment
• Individual and family counseling programs
• Treatment for addictions:
Drugs
Alcohol
Gambling
• Crisis intervention programs
• Stress management
• Ongoing support groups
• Management and employee training to identify individuals at risk.
• After treatment care

Small and large companies carry a significant proportion of the provision of health care for families in this country by providing medical insurance for their workers. With the escalating increase in medical cost many companies are attempting to slow the increase of medical insurance premiums by providing creative cost control programs. Greater emphasis is being put on primary prevention to keep workers healthy and secondary prevention to identify and treat health conditions before they can become serious.

At some workplaces, workers are being encouraged to take greater responsibility for their health related behaviors through risk rated incentive packages. Linking wellness to employee benefits of gain sharing and co-payment cost reductions will provide new opportunities requiring efforts of collaboration between the human resource managers and the Corporate Wellness Program specialists. These two sets of consultants may also work together for the ongoing evaluation of cost effective Corporate Wellness Programs.

In conjunction with the above programs most large companies also have a nurse or physician on staff to dispense worksite medical and preventive care. Some programs have also found it cost effective to provide their own physical therapy programming to assist injured and infirm workers in regaining optimal functioning. A broad-based selection of health related employee services and benefits would include the following:

• Free or low cost health screenings provided on site by business clinical personnel or through outside contractors:
Serum cholesterol
Colorectal cancer testing
Blood pressure check
Mammography
Vision and hearing testing
Diabetes
• Referral and follow-up procedures (e.g., Hypertension, Cholesterol, Cancer)
• First Aid and emergency care
• Disease control and prevention programs
• Child and infirm adult care services
• Pre-retirement and financial planning
• Ongoing learning/educational opportunities
• Coordination of business picnics and outings
• Parent-child work visitation programs
• Workers compensation/rehabilitation

Physical fitness and nutrition programs have demonstrated effectiveness in delaying the onset of employee morbidity while enhancing self esteem, stress management and general feelings of well being. Although many physical fitness and nutrition programs are instructional in nature, they should go beyond educational programs by providing enabling supports for the adoption of healthy behaviors.

Quality Corporate Wellness Programs encourage and facilitate participation in daily physical activity for all workers, and when possible retired workers and family menbers. This is accomplished through access to fitness facilities, (preferably on site) and properly supervised exercise classes. In addition a broad-based program will provide opportunities for Individualized exercise and nutrition prescriptions from certified consultants. Commitment to the model is demonstrated through occupational food services and sales consistent with healthy nutrition. Specific programs to include:

• Strength / Resistance training
• Flexibility conditioning programs
• Healthy cooking classes
• Aerobic conditioning programs
• Diet analysis and planning assistance
• Physical rehabilitative programs
• Weight/body fat control programs
• Team and individual recreational sports programs
• Physical fitness assessments and programs

Health education is easily integrated into all the areas of comprehensive Corporate Wellness Programs and it is unlikely that any of the areas could survive without an educational component. It is a key element of every primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention program and a method of promoting wellness and optimal health. A broad-based health education program must be based on theoretically and scientifically sound principles to ensure effectiveness.

Successful health education programs will incorporate adult learning theories and encourage active participant involvement in all phases of program planning and implementation. Health education efforts should emphasize skill development and the adoption of health enhancing behaviors while being accessible to all workers, their families and retirees. Methods of delivery may include; one on one instruction, group presentations, seminars, workshops, educational media lending library and health literature distribution. Program examples may include:

• Health risk appraisals
• Individualized health prescriptions and behavior change assistance
• CPR and first aid training
• Nutrition education programs
• Stress management
• tobacco use cessation  programs
• Cancer and heart disease education
• Blood borne pathogens education programs
• Sexual assault prevention programs

• Prenatal care
• Safety education programs
• Self care programs
• Healthy back programs
• Family centered programs
• Supplies of literature and educational media available for employee loan

As the field of Corporate Wellness Programs continues to evolve, the need to define succinctly the components of this broad-based approach increases. In 1987 Allensworth and Kolbe (1987) expanded the prevailing definition of broad-based school health to include the domains of Health Instruction, Healthy Environment, Health Services, Physical Education, Counseling and Psychological Services, School Food Service, Corporate Wellness Programs for Faculty and Staff, and the Integration of School and Community Resources.

To promote the health of school children, prevention specialists have realized that an integrated broad-based approach is the most effective strategy. Relying solely on health education or Physical Education programs to foster children’s health has demonstrated limited effectiveness. Consistent health messages delivered by numerous agents increases the possibility of attaining health goals and objectives. A similar model is essential if Corporate Wellness Programs are to impact positively on the health and performance of all workers.

A broad-based model of Corporate Wellness Programs includes the following components; Health Education Initiatives, employee Health Services and Benefits, physical fitness and nutrition Initiatives, Corporate Wellness Program Policies and Procedures, Counseling and Employee Assistance Programs, a Safe and Healthy Work Environment, and the Integration of Company and Community Resources. This model can be used to evaluate and plan for Corporate Wellness Programs that are truly broad-based in nature, focusing on primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies for workers.

One value of a truly broad-based model is that it is possible to promote a holistic philosophy of employee health. A healthy, productive employee is one who is given the opportunity to develop emotionally, physically, intellectually, socially and spiritually. In addition, this model supports the ideals of wellness and optimal health by encouraging worksites to go beyond programs designed to only reduce medical costs, prevent disease, or maintain health.

A key factor in the utility of this model is the integration and overlap of responsibilities. Design and implementation are dependent upon the cooperation and motivation of qualified – and ideally – credentialed consultants throughout the administrative structure of a business. Such a model requires consistent communication between health educators, medical staff, human resource managers, physical therapists, industrial hygienists, exercise physiologists, ergonomic engineers, dietitians, occupational therapists, psychologists and independent consultants. Planning must also incorporate active involvement of workers, administrators, family members, and business retirees at all stages of the development, implementation and evaluation stages. All must be committed to the development of a healthy organization where workers are happy and proud to work.

Various professional organizations are working to advance the science of Corporate Wellness Programs. Health educators have the expertise and training to be leaders in this area. On the basis of theoretical foundations of behavior and the results of empirical research, we must begin to articulate a clear vision of what optimal programs should consist of. The Components of this model are included below for reference and will be discussed individually in coming posts.

• Health Education
• physical fitness and nutrition Initiatives
• employee Health Services and employee Benefits
• Employee Assistance Programs and Counseling Programs
• Safe Work Environment
• Health Related business Policies and Procedures
• Integration of business and Community Resources

As the field of Corporate Wellness Programs continues to evolve, so will the need to define the dimensions of a broad-based model of Corporate Wellness Programs. A representative model includes the following Corporate Wellness Program components; health education programs, employee health services and benefits, physical fitness and nutrition programs, Corporate Wellness Program policies and procedures, counseling and employee assistance programs, a safe and healthy work environment, and the integration of company and community resources.

A broad-based approach to Corporate Wellness Programs will maximize the impact of all interventions by increasing communication between administrators, workers, and employee families, while encouraging the adoption of a healthy worksite climate and culture. Philosophically, this model supports the ideals of employee wellness and optimal health by encouraging worksites to go beyond programs designed to only reduce medical costs, prevent disease, or maintain health.

A key factor in the utility of this model is the integration and overlap of responsibilities for Corporate Wellness Programs by various departments and individuals inside and outside the company. As the structure of the workplace continues to change, in the future this dynamic model can be used to evaluate and plan for Corporate Wellness Programs that are truly broad-based in nature.

A Comprehensive Model For Corporate Wellness Programs

According to the National Survey of Worksite Health Promotion Activities (1992) 81% of companies in the U.S. with 50 or more workers have some form of Corporate Wellness Programs activity. This result puts us in proximity of the Healthy People 2000 (1990) objective of 85 percent by the year 2000. Why are employers getting into the business of Corporate Wellness Programs? The three most common reasons cited for employer interest in Corporate Wellness Programs are the desire to control spiraling medical costs, to encourage a healthy productive work force, and as a method of boosting the morale of workers and the image of the company (O’Donnell, 1994).

As the motivations for Corporate Wellness Programs differ, so do the extent of a Corporate Wellness Programs efforts. A program may consist of distributing the occasional health pamphlet on the warning signs of cancer to workers, or it may comprise an elaborate and strategically planned Corporate Wellness Program targeted to the specific needs of a company and its workers. Research indicates (O’Donnel & Harris, 1994) that some Corporate Wellness Programs have been more effective than others in improving health status, but what would a truly broad-based model of Corporate Wellness Programs consist of?

Close your eyes and imagine yourself working for the healthiest business possible. What characteristics or Corporate Wellness Program strategies would make that organization so healthy? Examine it from a holistic perspective. What does that business do to enhance the spiritual, emotional, social, physical and intellectual aspects of employee health? How does that business develop effective health policies and relevant programs that impact all workers? Finally, how does that business demonstrate its belief that workers are the business’s most valued asset?

It is unlikely that any one component of a Corporate Wellness Program will be responsible for the positive health outcomes of all workers. Corporate Wellness Program have evolved from the occasional fitness facility for the exclusive use of business executives, or the sporadic employee safety program, to a wide range of health enhancing services and programs. Corporate Wellness Program consultants often speak of the importance of cultural change and the need to institutionalize Corporate Wellness Programs in today’s workplace. This goal can only occur through a broad-based and integrated approach that impacts on workers through numerous channels.

Walking Corporate Wellness Programs are among of the most popular Corporate Wellness Programs. They set the bar for entry fairly low – most anyone can walk around the block or their building – and walking Corporate Wellness Programs also provides workers with a good way to break up the afternoon doldrums and interact in a casual, more social environment with other workers. Just leaving your desk for a few minutes every day for a little sunshine can be a big stress reliever – and stress is the #2 leading cause of absenteeism, according to Corporate Wellness Program statistics.

As a first step to starting your Corporate Wellness Program, we recommend that you have a designer draw up an attractive map of your corporate campus or vicinity. Plan out and test a few short walks of varying distances, and using a pedometer and watch, figure out how long each walk is in time and distance. Have a little fun with your walking Corporate Wellness Program by equating each walk with a common office activity of the same duration, like a writing a one-page status report or filling out a common form. Post the map at the worksite and make sure people know about walking Corporate Wellness Programs by using your office communication channels – newsletters, announcements, company meetings. Keep it fun by building weight-loss teams, setting up races or organizing healthy picnics and athletic activities around the walking Corporate Wellness Programs route.

Here are some other walking Corporate Wellness Programs tips from Tom Weede, author of The Entrepreneur Diet: The On-the-Go Plan for Fitness, Weight Loss, and Healthy Living:
   
 Make sure to link the walking Corporate Wellness Program to work objectives. Employees need to be reassured that these walks are part of their responsibility to be healthy and productive. They’re not personal errands that need to be compensated for by longer days at the office.
    Keep healthy snacks at the worksite.
    Reinforce the walking Corporate Wellness Program message by regularly mentioning it during worker meetings
    Set up a health-related benefit that walking Corporate Wellness Programs participants can use for health-related expenses.

Corporate Wellness Program Statistics tell a clear story – Corporate Wellness Program Programs are effective , and they save companies money.

You should take note of these interesting Corporate Wellness Program Statistics:

 Some 25 percent of U.S. companies were running Corporate Wellness Programs in 1996.
 Corporate Wellness Program Statistics depict a savings of $2.30 to $10.10 for every $1 spent on Corporate Wellness Programs.
 Coca-Cola’s fitness program recouped $500 per year per worker, despite the fact that only 60% of their staff was enrolled.
 A Ipsos-Reid Corporate Wellness Program statisics paper in 2004 found the three major preventable causes of staff absenteeism to be mental health (anxiety and/or depression), stress and a bad relationship with a supervisor.
 Corporate Wellness Program Statistics from Prudential Insurance reveal a benefit expense of $312 per person enrolled in their wellness system, but $574 per non-enrolled worker.
 At the Coors Brewing Co., Corporate Wellness Program Statistics illuminate a savings of $5.50 per $1 spent on fitness, with a positive side-effect of participant absenteeism dropping by 18%.

Corporate Wellness Program Benefits still aren’t self-evident to some executives, even though the research, real-world evidence and cost-benefit analyses are demonstrative. With careful planning, almost every company can reap Corporate Wellness Program Benefits.

Part of the problem is that some executives erroneously believe that the Corporate Wellness Program Benefits are mostly on the worker side. The truth is that Corporate Wellness Program Benefits both the business and worker – and according to Corporate Wellness Program statistics , the employer stands to gain $2.30 to $10.10 in savings per dollar spent. Employee fitness saves businesses money.

At the same time, health care and insurance costs continue to skyrocket. Corporate Wellness Program Benefits are one of the only ways to cut those costs while helping workers at the same time. As Karen Roberts, senior vice president with Aon Consulting, said about Corporate Wellness Program Benefits in her address at the 2006 WorldAtWork Total Rewards Conference & Exhibition, “If you can’t afford to invest in wellness this year, you’re never going to afford it.”

Corporate Wellness Program Benefits include helping to prevent cancer, obesity, heart disease and hypertension. It’s rare that companies can cut costs and assist struggling workers, support families and even arguably save lives. Isn’t that a good thing?