Starting a Workplace Wellness Program
Richard King
Employers in Canada
and throughout the world are focusing on workplace wellness programs to help ease the cost of health care benefits, and to improve productivity. Healthier employees tend to be more productive, lose fewer days to minor illnesses, and are less likely to become affected by chronic diseases that can lead to both short- and long-term disabilities.
The facts are clear about the effectiveness of workplace wellness programs in achieving these goals. In a cost-benefit analysis conducted a few years ago by Atlantic Blue Cross Care, Aventis Pharma, and the Atlantic Health and Wellness Institute, the study found a return of up to $1.64 for every dollar spent on improving the health of employees through comprehensive workplace wellness programs.
For people who had more health risks the return was even greater. Participants who identified as regular smokers (tobacco) generated a return of $3.35 for every dollar spent. Trades people and blue-collar workers saw a return of $3.98. Other research has shown similar results with workplace wellness programs proving to deliver returns to employers of anywhere from $2 to $10 for every dollar spent.
Benefits are seen in the marked increase in productivity, reduced sick time and absenteeism, lower cost employee health benefits, and reduced disability and Workers Compensation claims. The positive impact on company bottom lines highlights the importance of workplace wellness programs in corporate operations.
These programs benefit for both employers and employees. As noted above the benefits for employers are solidly quantifiable, and ultimately contribute to the company’s bottom line. They also serve to improve morale, leading to happier and more productive employees. Workplace wellness programs also help to reduce stress in the workplace, and make it easier for employers to attract and retain valued employees.
Living healthier is also a boon for any worker. Smoking cessation programs can assist employees to “kick the habit,” jump-starting an individual’s heart and lung capacity, and reducing work-days lost to the common accompanying cardio-pulmonary illnesses. Moderate exercise several times a week has proven to be effective in warding off heart disease and stroke – leading causes of premature death in Canada. Good nutrition and a balanced diet help deal with the growing obesity epidemic in Canada, which is directly linked to a rise in diabetes, heart disease, and other related illnesses.
Employees who participate in wellness activities in the workplace can expect to experience an improvement in their overall health, and many report greater job satisfaction and improved morale. They are also less likely to be injured at work, and are able to reduce their personal health costs.
So how do you get started with a workplace wellness program in your organization? The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety offers a series of steps to get you moving in the right direction:
Step 1: Get support from the top
It is crucial to have the support of senior management for a workplace initiative. Yes, they have to approve the initial investment, but it is more about their actual support, and setting the tone for a healthy work environment. Employees can take their cues from the positive attitude to workplace wellness that management presents.
Step 2: Get support from everyone
Communication and promotion – involving all stakeholders, from union or worker representatives (if you have them) through to management, human resources, your EAP and employee benefits providers, and local community health groups such as the Canadian Cancer Society – these are essential elements for the success of any workplace wellness program. Brainstorm for ideas which may be implemented by the team.
Step 3: Find out what’s already happening
There may be a yoga class that is already meeting three times a week at lunch, or an informal walking or running group. Are there individuals who ride their bikes to work (consider providing safe, secure storage areas for the cyclists)? Are there organized sports groups up and running (softball team, soccer)? Find out what people in your workplace are already doing and help support and promote those activities.
Step 4: Identify what you need and what people would like
Now it’s time to start drilling down into the needs and expectations of your workforce in order to design a workplace wellness program that will be supportive of employee initiatives, and, in turn, invite the enthusiastic participation of the employees. Many employers conduct a formal survey that asks for employees’ preferences in a workplace wellness program, whereas others engage informally through chats and meetings with staff to brainstorm ideas.
Step 5: Develop your workplace wellness plan
Based on the information you have gathered from the earlier steps, you are now ready to identify the elements of your new workplace wellness plan. Set realistic targets and timelines, along with both short and long term goals. Work to develop a plan for the implementation of each element and to identify the resources required to make that happen.
Step 6: Put your plan into action
The first step in any good action plan is to communicate, communicate, and communicate. Everyone in the workplace should know about this exciting new initiative - through posters, e-mails, departmental meetings, and general staff meetings to officially launch the program. Then roll out the elements of the plan, and continue to promote and encourage staff participation.
Step 7: Monitor, evaluate, review and maintain the program
This is an important step that some organizations leave out, to their detriment. It is imperative to know if employees are participating in the programs, and whether there is on-going enthusiasm for these programs. Are modifications required, or changes to the program line-up needed? Consider implementing these as soon as possible.
Make sure that you have good baseline data from the outset. For example, in order to measure the effectiveness of a smoking cessation program, an organization would need to identify the number of individuals who smoke on a regular basis, establish how many of those individuals are interested in stopping smoking, and compare the numbers to those who successfully complete the cessation program.
Maintaining the workplace wellness program means making sure that all of the elements have the on-going resources needed implement, promote, and support successful participation. It also means that you are checking in regularly with the staff and all stakeholders to ensure that the programs succeed and flourish.
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