Worksite Wellness Small Steps to Healthier Employees

Brought to you by: Poms & Associates Insurance Brokers, Inc.

Health Care Facts

• The United States spends more on health care than any other country in the world annually.*

• Many health problems are a direct result of an unhealthy lifestyle (smoking, lack of exercise, poor diet, excess stress, etc.)

* Source: The World Health Organization

Health Care Facts: Lifestyle Choices

• Unhealthy employee behaviors cost U.S. employers an average of $670 per employee each year. Obesity accounts for about $400 of those costs.*

• Alcohol and drug abuse costs the American economy $193 billion per year in lost productivity, health care expenditures and crime.**

• Tobacco use costs employers billions of dollars each year in medical care, workers’ compensation, disability benefits and lost productivity.

* Source: Society for Human Resource Management** Source: The National Drug Intelligence Center

Health Care Facts: Preventable Illness

Researchers have estimated that preventable illness makes up approximately 70 percent of the burden of illness and the associated costs in this country.*

* Source: The Wellness Councils of America

Worksite Wellness = Solution

Definition of Workplace Wellness

Workplace wellness programs are long-term strategies for reducing benefit costs through sustained

improvements in workforce health.

This may include:

•Education classes•Subsidized use of fitness facilities•Internal policies that promote healthy behavior•Other activities, policies or environmental changes that affect the health of employees

Benefits of a Wellness Program

• Lower health plan utilization, which in turn lowers health benefit costs and increases bottom line

• Improved employee health

• Improved productivity as healthy employees tend to perform better

• Reduction in sick leave absenteeism

• Improved reputation as a company who cares about their employees – aids in recruiting and community perception

• Improved employee morale and stronger employee retention

Worksite Wellness Trends

Worksite Wellness Trends

The most common wellness initiatives include:

• Onsite flu shots

• General health and safety communications for employees

• Weight management programs

• Health fairs

• Health risk assessments

• Smoking cessation programs

However, it is important to learn about your employee group and develop programs that address their particular goals, risks and needs.

Worksite Wellness Trends

Many companies are offering incentives to participate in wellness programs, such as:

•Cash

•Gift certificates and merchandise discounts

•Days off

•Lower medical premiums

•FSA , HRA or HSA credits

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

Gain Upper Management SupportManagement must understand the benefits of the program for both

the employees and the organization, and be willing to put funds towards its development, implementation and evaluation.

To capture senior-level support:

• Link health promotion to business goals, values and strategic priorities.

• Discuss the specific benefits to the company as employees become healthier (health care costs will decline, productivity will improve, etc.).

• Engage mid-level management to participate to show that the program is for everyone.

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

Create a Wellness TeamYour team should be individuals who will have a role in program

development, implementation and evaluation.

Role of a wellness team:

• Help to garner “buy-in” from both management and participants.

• Develop a program that is responsive to the needs of all potential participants.

• Responsible for overseeing all of the company’s wellness efforts, including implementation and evaluation of various programs and activities.

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

Tailor Your Initiatives to Employee Needs

Gather data to help assess your employees’ health interests and risks.

Data can be collected in the following ways:

• Employee interest surveys

• Health risk assessments

• Claims data analysis to determine current employee disease risks

• Biometric testing

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

Create an Annual Plan

An annual operating plan should include a mission statement for the program, along with specific, measurable short- and long-term goals.

Written plans can provide:

• Link between wellness initiatives and the company’s needs and strategic priorities.

• A means to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.

• Direction as the program grows and changes.

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

Annual Operating PlanA successful operating plan should include the following:

• Vision statement outlining what you are trying to achieve with the program

• Goals for the program

• Program objectives and health initiatives to support them

• A timeline

• A budget

• Communication plan

• Implementation plan

• Evaluation – how will the success of the program be measured

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

Choose Appropriate Programs and Initiatives

Select health initiatives that are relevant to the data you collected.

• Should address risk factors of employees

• Should be in line with what management and employees want from the program

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

Create a Supportive Environment

Provide employees with ongoing encouragement, support, opportunities and rewards.

• Offer healthy food choices in your vending machines

• Implement a no-smoking policy on your premises

• Offer flexible scheduling arrangements that allow workers to exercise at their convenience

• Reward healthy achievements

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

Consistently Evaluate Outcomes

Take a close look at your goals and objectives, and determine whether you have achieved the desired result.

• Evaluation allows you to celebrate achieved goals and discontinue efforts that are not as successful.

• Surveying employees again can be effective – after participating in the wellness program thus far, they can provide feedback about what they liked, what they would change, etc.

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

Getting Started…

Utilize some of our tools to get your program started:

• Live Well, Work Well newsletters

• Workplace Wellness educational articles

• Prevention newsletters

• Health and Wellness posters

• Live Well, Work Well flyers

Poms & Associates Insurance Brokers, Inc. would be happy to provide these materials to help support your wellness initiatives.

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

If your budget is tight but you want to start a wellness program, consider utilizing these resources that we can provide:

•Employer’s Guide to Promoting Wellness in the Workplace

•Needs and Interest Survey

•Getting Your Program Started Guide

•Wellness Program Work Plan

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

Workplace Wellness Programs

Let Poms & Associates Insurance Brokers, Inc. help you create a workplace wellness program today – we have all the tools you need to do

so!

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