I Can Benefit

The wellness program design options depend on the objectives and desired outcomes of your wellness program. When your goal is to help workforce change behavior, reduce risk factors, or save healthcare dollars then your wellness program would be designed to accomplish those outcomes and a budget would be necessary to support that design.

There are different wellness program design levels depending on desired outcomes and budgets.  Each level has benefits and drawbacks.  The intentions or results are quite different, are not interchangeable in terms of obtaining the same results, and consequently shouldn’t be confused.

For example, scheduling activities such as an employee wellness fair or lunchtime education sessions, or having brochures available do not normally lead to behavior change, but might increase awareness on a topic.

If the goal is behavior modification then a different design is required, such as Lifestyle/Behavior Change Programs and Organizational Support.  The outline below describes the wellness design levels with a brief explanation.

Awareness Programs -   at this level a company makes medical information available and accessible to staff members.  This kind of wellness program can include flyers on a selection of topics, wellness articles in newsletters, bulletin board displays, e-mail health messages, etc.

In addition, most health fairs are designed as awareness programs with providers providing information and providing health screenings to personnel.

Awareness programs are cheap and don’t require robust worker or company time commitments. Nonetheless, these wellness programs don’t normally result in healthier behavior change.

Increasing awareness isn’t generally enough to generate lifestyle changes for most individuals, unless used to motivate workforce to register for a wellness program being offered at the corporation or community on the topic.

An example of this would be providing information on the harmful effects of tobacco use and inviting staff members who smoke to register for a tobacco use cessation class.

Education Programs -   Educational wellness programs often provide more information on a topic and can also provide time for questions and answers, but are similar to awareness wellness programs.  An example is lunch-n-learn sessions on a health related topic.

These cost the organization a little more than awareness programs; nevertheless, they’re still cheap and don’t require a great deal of time for planning or attending a session.

Again, increasing awareness and providing information may not lead to the desired behavior modification unless ongoing support or incentives are also planned.

Lifestyle/Behavior Change Programs -   These wellness programs are designed as 4 to 12 weekly sessions or seminars to provide wellness education, address barriers and provide opportunities to practice the desired skills.

Behavior change programs therefore require more organization resources, cost more, and also require more employee commitment, time and effort.  The results are often the desired positive lifestyle change, which when sustained can lead to potential cost savings.

Examples are smoking cessation classes, losing weight and weight control meetings, or an ongoing fitness program.

Environmental and Organizational Support -   Environmental support is often considered the highest and most important level to include when designing your wellness program in order to support and maintain healthy behaviors.

These kinds of design choices include policy changes like -

o  Creating a smoke-free worksite

o  Designating a walking path,

o  Establishing on-site fitness centers,

o  Ensuring healthy vending machine selections,

o  Offering healthy food choices in the cafeteria, and/or

o  Establishing flex-time policies.

Other examples include subsidizing healthy vending machines or cafeteria choices; reimbursing health club or weight reduction and weight control program memberships; or providing insurance incentives for healthy behaviors.

Ideally, the health promotion program design would include some of all these options.  The more extensive and integrated the approach, the more successful the results will be.  For  instance, a organization can -

o  have smoking cessation information available;

o  can schedule a one hour awareness session on the harmful effects of tobacco use and how to quit;

o  can start an on-site smoking cessation program,

o  supply self quit use of tobacco kits, or

o  support staff members to attend a community program; and/or

o  on an environmental support level can establish a smoke-free workplace and grounds,

o  offer lower insurance premiums for non-smokers, or

o  provide pharmacological quit smoke aids for free.

Wellness Program -  Components for Success

There are several key components or elements that should be considered to ensure the success of your Health Promotion Program or health promotion program.  These include -

o  Senior Management Support and Worker Involvement

o  Active Health Promotion Committee

o  Program is Based on Worker Needs and Interests

o  Goals and Objectives are Established

o  Detailed Action Plan Based on Resources and Budget

o  Program Implementation and Internal Marketing and Advertising

o  Examination of Outcomes and Program

Major benefits of healthful workers include -

o  Lower Health Care Costs

o  Reduced Injuries

o  Reduced Absenteeism

o  Enhanced Morale and Loyalty

o  Higher Productivity

o  Reduced Use of Healthcare Benefits

o  Reduced Workers’ Compensation / Disability

o  Positive Perception in Community

o  Reduced Turnover

o  Better recruitment for skilled employees

What is NOT having a Wellness Program costing your business?

Consider the health risk factors that are increasing chronic illnesss for adults -

o  59 percent of adults are overweight or obese

o  More than 60% of American adults don’t exercise regularly

o  More than 75% of adults don’t consume the minimum recommendations for fruits and vegetables

o  Heart disease is the most common cause of death and the leading cause of death in smokers

o  26 percent of staff stated they were often or very often burned out or stressed by their work

Healthcare Costs are Increasing -  Healthcare costs are at a record high of $1.7 trillion with no signs of holding steady let alone decreasing.  The average cost of annual health care spending is over $5,000 per person and with dependents almost $10,000.

Current data shows that health care related expenditures now cost North Carolina organizations thousands of dollars per staff member, annually.

Most Illnesses can be Avoided -  Even though it sounds unbelievable, experts indicate that preventable illness makes up 60 percent - 70 percent of the entire burden of illness in the United States

In North Carolina, it’s estimated that more than 53 percent of all deaths are preventable, and that 2/3 of all preventable deaths are as a result of tobacco use, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition.

Stress Levels are Increasing -   as business resources become less and companies adopt leaner work practices, the effects of absenteeism and productivity lost have a greater impact.

In a recent national poll, 78% of American Citizens described their jobs as stressful, and the majority felt that stress levels have become worse over the last 10 years. Moreover, high levels of organizational stress can negatively affect a company by increasing injuries, absenteeism, and medical costs while lowering productivity.

Simple solutions such as stress management education, flexible work schedules, quality social interaction, and increased participation in corporation decision-making can improve stress levels in the worksite.

What is the Upfront Cost and Time Investment for a Health Promotion Program?

The cost depends on the type of Health Promotion Program implemented.  There are a few choices to promote employee health with advantages and drawbacks of each.  The health promotion program design depends on the objectives of the health promotion program, the business resources, and the community resources available.

Improving dietary practices, increasing physical activity levels, managing stress or addressing work life balance issues, and reducing/eliminating tobacco use, are main strategies for preventing many of the most common preventable chronic diseases.

The possibilities of how your company addresses these issues are endless and can range from increasing staff member awareness, which may include purchasing several brochures on a variety of topics, and measuring walking distances around your facility.

Other possibilities include establishing organizational support such as funding a fulltime occupational health expert or building an on-site health and fitness center.

When well planned and based on your goals, any of these wellness programs can help you succeed.  Refer below to Health Promotion Program Design Choices for more ideas.

A Health Promotion Program is an organized health promotion program to assist and support workers in establishing healthier lifestyles.  This can include increasing staff member awareness on health topics, scheduling behavior modification programs, and/or establishing organization policies that support health-related objectives.

Programs and policies that promote increased physical activity, smoking avoidance and cessation, and healthy food selections are a few examples.

Wellness Dimensions

Health Promotion is more than fitness.  In addition to fitness, the dimensions of optimal health include

o  Spiritual Wellness Dimension

o  Emotional Wellness Dimension

o  Social Dimension of Wellness

o  Intellectual Dimension of Wellness

These Dimensions of Wellness are often depicted as a “life wheel” with examples of health components that include -

o  fitness,

o  nutrition,

o  purpose in life,

o  financial planning,

o  social connections and support systems,

o  stress management,

o  mind-body health,

o  career planning and

o  continued learning.

The key for individual health is keeping the “life wheel” in balance.  A extensive wellness program addresses most, when not all, of these dimensions.

Why Employee Health Promotion?

Employees spend a excellent deal of time on the job, and the reality is that our traditional work-week is increasing. Truly, the average American now works about 47 hours per week.

Plus, technologies like modems, laptops, cellular phones, voice and email have blurred the work-life boundary.  These realities lower the amount of time that the average individual can devote to wellness pursuits, and yet employees are expected to be at top performance when at work.

A recent research study  by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses found that company wellness or wellness programs are successful in helping workforce make positive health changes as a result of several factors like convenience, environmental support, and coworker or social acceptance.

What is the Link between Wellness and the Worksite?

Programs and policies that promote healthful behaviors could make a big difference on worker health promotion AND have an impact on the corporation’s bottom line.   Studies have shown that for every dollar invested by companys in employee health promotion/health promotion programs, there were savings ranging from $1.49 to $4.91 with a median savings of $3.14*.

In organization terms, that’s more than a 3 - 1 minimum return on investment - a number that is hard to ignore, and a best practice that should warrant serious consideration from companies.

In fact, a corporate wellness literature review posted in Wellness Practitioner Journal found -

o  19 studies found a 28.3 percent reduction in sick leave

o  16 studies demonstrated a 5.6 - 1 return on investment

o  23 showed a 26.1% reduction in health costs

o  4 found a 30% reduction in direct medical and workers’ compensation claims

There is little doubt that a extensive wellness program targeted to meet a company’s specific needs can save money by decreasing absenteeism, lowering healthcare expenditures, decreasing employee turnover, and increasing productivity.

o  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2003

Ten Steps Toward Strategic Health Promotion Programs

The Health Promotion Program management world is evolving rapidly. Each month, there are new research findings that support the premise that Health Promotion Programs and disease management (DM) have a long-term impact on health care costs.

A lot of big businesses that started Health Promotion Programs three to five years ago are showing savings in health, disability, and personnel compensation costs. Small to mid-size businesses are watching all this and wondering where to start with wellness.

Getting upper-level management support and budget approval is among the challenges at the starting of a Wellness Program. This is the case because Wellness Programs can be expensive, averaging $150-300 per staff member each year in large businesses.

Most of the savings aren’t realized for a number of years. This long-term investing is hard for organizations on the move.

The key to success for Health Promotion Programs is to take a strategic approach. Here are ten steps to consider when starting a Health Promotion Program.

1. Start with senior management. Without senior management support, a wellness strategy can fall flat. Start with the health of your executive team and discover your wellness champions at the top of the corporation.

2. Analyze the problem. Look at your health care claims and analyze the trends. Which conditions are driving your medical, disability, and workers’ compensation claims and which are modifiable? What’s worked and what hasn’t hence far? What’s the long-term impact of doing nothing?

3. Hold an initial wellness meeting. Invite your key stakeholders both inside and outside the business. Ask your broker to facilitate the meeting and invite key health vendors including health, disability, Staff Member Assistance Program (EAP), fitness, and occupational nursing.

Review claims and utilization data and identify key areas of concern. Look at current offerings and see how they are able to be tailored to the needs of the population.

4. Consider both healthy and unhealthy staff members. Since 85 percent of claims are typically attributed to 15 percent of claimants, it is essential to reach those with the most costly conditions while also reaching individuals  who are at risk for developing avoidable diseases in the future.

Voluntary health promotion programs such as lunchtime wellness workshops miss many of the individuals  who need them most. Consider health promotion programs that are population-wide or target intact workgroups. Health Promotion incentives help but don’t motivate everyone.

5. Be certain to set short-term objectives for the wellness programs. Be certain to set some realistic short-term objectives based on your key areas of concern. Are there any plan design changes that could have an immediate impact on spending? Are there some programmatic actions that could have immediate results?

6. Find out what workforce are thinking. Hold some focus groups to determine where individuals  are with wellness. What’s working? What isn’t? Precisely how much interest do individuals  have in the Wellness Programs? What obstacles and barriers are workforce experiencing when they try to change behavior?

7. Make sure you have a high-impact Worker Assistance Program (EAP). Your first wellness dollars should go into upgrading your Worker Assistance Program (EAP). A highly utilized Worker Assistance Program (EAP) can provide a foundation for all of your future wellness activities.

A good Staff Member Assistance Program (EAP) is a trusted link to the hearts and minds of staff.  At no additional cost, the Staff Member Assistance Program (EAP) can provide needed follow-up coaching and personal attention for staff who are working on modifiable health behaviors or involved in disease management programs.

Nutritionists, fitness, pregnancy, and stress management specialists are all part of a high-value Staff Member Assistance Program (EAP).

8. Be certain to set three to five year objectives for healthcare savings and measure them. Get help from your broker and insurance carrier help you on long-term objectives for your health, disability, and staff compensation plans.

Establish program metrics that’ll help you to measure ROI. Go beyond participation rates, completion rates and program satisfaction. Measure changes in readiness, changes in behavior, and changes in risk factors. Establish rigorous methods to measure healthcare savings over the long term.

9. Make certain to set objectives for organizational health. Consider the more intangible advantages of a wellness program and quantify them whenever possible. Include staff member turnover rates, cost of new hires, staff member morale, benefit satisfaction data, and employer of option issues in establishing objectives. Establish ways to measure success in these areas.

10. Add specifics to your short and long-term plan. Include a program strategy, a communication strategy, and an incentive strategy that’ll fit with your corporate culture. Focus on integration of related components along a health continuum with communications that are focused, simple, and human.

Establish a budget that includes key components like consumer education, wellness, health risk appraisals, and regular biometric screens.

Wellness Programs are critical to bettering the health of our nations. Most adults spend more of their waking hours at work than anywhere else, making it a great venue for promoting healthy habits.

The workplace organizational culture and environment are powerful influences on behavior and this needs to be put to use to assisting personnel to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Benefits to Wellness Programs include -

o  Weight loss

o  Enhanced physical fitness

o  Enhanced stamina

o  Lower amounts of stress

o  Improved wellness, self-image and self-esteem

Employers can also benefit from Health Promotion Programs. As reported by recent research, corporations’ benefits are -

o  Better recruitment and retention of healthful personnel

o  Decreased health care costs

o  Lowered rates of illness and injuries

o  Decreased staff member absenteeism

o  Better staff member relations and morale

o  Increased productivity

o  Weight reduction

o  Better fitness

o  Better stamina

o  Lower levels of stress

o  Enhanced well-being, self-image and self-esteem

Employers can also benefit from Wellness Programs. According to recent research, corporations’ benefits are -

o  Better recruitment and retention of healthy personnel

o  Reduced health care costs

o  Lowered rates of illness and injuries

o  Decreased worker absenteeism

o  Improved employee relations and morale

o  Enhanced productivity

A USA  Department of Health and Human Services report revealed that at workplaces with exercise programs as components of their Wellness Programs have -

o  Decreased health care costs by 20 to 55%

o  Lowered short-term sick leave by six to 32%

o  Improved productivity by two to 52%

Thanks to modern medicine, life expectancy for Americans has continually increased. Just how much we enjoy these additional years, however, depends greatly on how we have lived our lives.

If our quality of life is to remain high so that we can fully enjoy these extra years, we must practice good consuming habits, be active and refrain from using tobacco products.

Who needs Wellness Programs? If you work in an office or a jobsite or are a member of an organization who spends a considerable amount of time at work, you will benefit from a well-designed worker wellness program. Employees spend a minimum of about 200 hours a month at work - a considerable amount of time.

Moreover, stress, distractions and the pressures of the job can take its toll on the worker, which makes it important that a health promotion program is implemented.

Today, all across America, Canada, Europe and Asia, top corporate Health Promotion Programs are being used to help improve employee conditions at work and reduce the cost of employee healthcare.

Some of the top Wellness Programs currently in use today include -

Health Promotion Programs - Health Risk Assessments (HRAs) (HRAs)

Health Risk Assessment (HRA) is a top Health Promotion Program currently in use globally. Organizations that start it determine the safety and health concerns of employees by the assessment of appropriateness of the facilities and equipment against the needs of the employees.

It can, for instance, guide the company into determining how much air quality within an office room affects the users and then help the assessment team to come up with the measures necessary to correct the problem.

An Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) can also evaluate the level of exposure employees have to certain hazardous or hazardous materials and practices.

Wellness Programs - Immunizations.

This is not always practiced in every country since there are regions where government sponsored immunization shots are available. However, it’s also become an important component of the top Wellness Programs in many businesses in North America.

Immunization shots, like those used to combat flu, for example, are offered to staff members for free.

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

Staff Member Assistance Programs (EAPs) consist of a broad variety of services. It can range from providing educational resources to workers regarding health issues to sponsoring health services and medical care. In many businesses, medical and insurance have also become a staple part of their benefits system.

Weight Management Programs

This is another wellness program that organizations use, especially those that offer in-house commissary or cafeteria services. Instead of serving richer, high-calorie fare, cafeterias offer options for a healthier diet, normally in the form of low-calorie foods and sugar substitutes.

Staff Member Health Promotion Newsletters - Health Education Programs

Among the top Health Promotion Programs that companies can begin is a self-powered tool using a newsletter to promote wellness, coupled with a visible campaign.

The campaign could  be done periodically and focus on a specific topic, such as smoking hazards, cancer, stress, carpal tunnel syndrome, safety in the worksite, etc.

The newsletter in itself can be an effective means to deliver information to staff or members of an organization but it is far from perfect. Some staff, for example, may not peruse the newsletter in its entirety or even pay attention to it.

When the issues outlined in the newsletter are promoted through an active and highly visible campaign, it will be easier to maximize positive results.

Physical Fitness and Exercise Programs

Another top wellness program for businesses is one that involves physical activities. Organizations often sponsor exercise-related events such as marathons and corporation sports programs to encourage workforce to remain fit or lose excess weight. In mid- to large-sized businesses, businesses may even pay for fitness club memberships or in-house exercise facilities.

Wellness Program Incentives.

Some of the top Health Promotion Programs implemented by companies involve incentive rewards. This involves company-sponsored programs that reward workforce for achieving specific wellness goals.

Participation in health campaigns and signing up for Health Promotion Programs are two of the most widely rewarded schemes. Rewards can range from special recognitions to points (for larger rewards) to specific gifts. In a few cases, cash might also be used.

Nevertheless, incentive systems have had mixed reactions and levels of success. But it continues to be one of the top options among companies who are willing to modify it in order to fit their unique needs.

Health Promotion Programs - Group Activities

In many companies, companies take benefit of peer pressure in order to encourage personnel to take part in Health Promotion Programs. This is currently among the favorite staff member Health Promotion Programs currently in use today and growing in popularity.

Colleague pressure is usually leveraged to help promote competitions referring to corporate health promotion and to persuade workforce to be active in company-sponsored health fairs.

Wellness programs at the corporate level are beneficial, right? Health Promotion statistics clearly show that such health promotion programs are not only cost-effective to the corporation but can assist the employee in developing a healthier lifestyle.

With the rising cost of healthcare, wellness programs simply make sense. So where does the problem come in? Let’s examine the topic from both perspectives.

Health Promotion Programs -  the Good

o  A sampling of corporate returns on investment for wellness programs -  Bank of America -  600%; General Motors - 370%; Pepsico -  300%; Citibank -  465%; and the Washoe County School District leading the pack at a whopping 1,560%. (Campbell,J., Wellness Improvement Specialists, www.wellnessimprovementprofessionals.com, Albuquerque, New Mexico.)

o  Companies with wellness programs have realized a 28 percent reduction in sick leave, a 26 percent reduction in adjunctive health care costs and a 30 percent reduction in disability and staff compensation costs. (Health Affairs, Volume 21, No.2, March, 2002.)

o  The Washoe county School District in Northern Nevada realized a $15.60 return on investment for every dollar spent due to a 20% reduction in absenteeism. (Hardy,A. (2005).  At the Top of the Class. WELCOA’s Absolute Advantage Magazine, 5(1), 14-20.)

o  Health promotion programs provide the structure, encouragement, incentives and ongoing support that many person need to make lifestyle changes.

o  Staff Members also realize returns on their efforts. FiServ, a financial services technology corporation, gave workers who filled out a health risk assessment a meaningful discount on their medical insurance premium. (Holland, Kelley, the New York Times, July 22, 2007.)

Health Promotion Programs -  the Bad

The flip side of the argument centers on basic human rights. Do we want/need our company to tell us to eat our veggies or lose 30 pounds? A number of companies are doing just that and at least one lawsuit has resulted because of it.

o  Three hundred businesses have requested assistance from a national employment and labor law firm to institute more assertive health promotion programs.(Cornwell, Lisa, Associated Press, Albuquerque Journal, September 10,2007.)

o  Clarian Health, based in Indianapolis, Will begin reducing employee paychecks by $10.00 for every employee who’s a BMI  of greater than 29.9 because not enough employees were utilizing their wellness services.(Cornwell, Lisa, Associated Press, Albuquerque Journal, September 10,2007.)

o  Scott Rodrigues filed a suit against his prospective business, Scotts Miracle-Gro, because he believed the corporation’s antismoking policy violated his civil rights.  The company has a policy against hiring staff who smoke and Mr. Rodrigues’drug screen was positive for nicotine.(Holland, Kelley, the New York Times,July 22,2007.)

o  Employee advocates are concerned that health discrimination might not be covered below the American Citizens with Disabilities Act.(Cornwell, Lisa, Associated Press, Albuquerque Journal, September 10,2007.)

Penalizing staff members by hitting them hardest where it hurts the most,their pocketbook, doesn’t appear to be a favorable approach to molding human behavior.

Such tactics may result in increased resentments and retaliation, primarily in the form of absenteeism and presenteeism (decreased productivity on the job.) Voluntary, incentive-based wellness programs, such as the one in the Washoe County School District, can and do produce results.

A positive attitude by senior level management along with an opportunity for employees to have a stake in the decision-making may yield the greatest dividends to both business and employee.

The motivation and resolve needed to change unhealthful lifestyle habits can best be derived from the basic tenets of encouragement, respect and support.

Getting Began - Secure upper-level management support

o  Justifications for having a wellness fair

o  Health risk assessments

o  Make sure to help for high-risk population -  smokers, obese staff

o  Early detection of diabetes, heart illness risk factors (high cholesterol, high blood pressure)

Health Fair Participation - Identify your audience

o  Workers only, whole family, retirees?

o  Community involvement? Theme?

Health Fair Time Line

o  Make sure to set a date and time Allow 4-6 months of planning time

Wellness Fair Developing

o  Identify health-related screenings, tests, other activities you’ll offer Identify educational literature and other learning opportunities wellness fair will provide Include any “fun” activities, or food/beverage needs for the fair

Health Fair Location and Logistics

o  Consider location big enough to accommodate the biggest volume of individuals  at “peak time” periods

o  Determine how booths/stations will be set up

Wellness Fair Providers

o  Target relevant health/safety-related community and corporate vendors to provide services, educational materials, incentives and giveaways

Health Fair Marketing

o  Determine advertising tools to be used to inform employees/participants (posters, mailings, e-mail)

o  Determine any incentives or giveaways that’ll be included in the fair or used to encourage participation in the fair

Wellness Fair Scheduling

o  Coordinate timing and events with staff and/or volunteers

Wellness Fair Personnel

o  Schedule appropriate professionals Physician or similar healthcare personnel to provide patient consultation for review of blood draw lab results

o  Nurse(s) to administer immunizations

o  Administrative/all-purpose individual to facilitate paper work, finger sticks and to provide general assistance

o  Pharmacist or pharmacist assistant if appropriate Dietitian for nutritional counseling suggested personnel designated for health fairs

Footnotes

1 the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation via Reuters Health E-Line.

2 Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, (9/11/03)

3 www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/press/archive/lower_cost.htm

4 “Is Stress Nibbling Away at Your Bottom Line?” By Stephen Alper, Nov. 15, 2002.

5 Wellness in the Worksite, Michael P. O’Donnell, page 415.

6 http - //www.bmpcoe.org/bestpractices/internal/dayto/dayto_6.html

According to Gordian Health Solutions, the effectiveness of health promotion programs in improving health and decreasing healthcare costs is directly linked to incentives -

o  The more substantial the incentives,

o  The higher the success rate.

Incentives can range from tokens of achievement, such as t-shirts, water bottles and sports equipment, to more substantial financial awards, such as cash incentives or copay vouchers for the successful completion of a wellness program.

Nationwide Insurance is seeing results from a small incentive program initiated by among the corporation’s on-site nurses.  To encourage lunchtime walking, the staff member has informally launched a “shoelace program” modeled after the karate-belt color system.

Workers progress through the color scale until they reach “black-lace” status.  The reward system has resulted in more employees making commitments to walk during their lunch hour.

At the high end of the reward spectrum, some organizations pay cash to staff who meet wellness objectives. LuK, Inc. offers staff $250 for kicking the tobacco habit and remaining smoke free for 12 months.

For logging fitness points that add up to 10 miles a month, staff are eligible for health assessments, which could lead to reward amounts of up to $225.

The most effective motivator, according to Gordian research, comes through linking participation in wellness programs directly to insurance premiums. Doing so clearly demonstrates to staff members the positive effects of wellness on their own health care costs.

Very often, the first step in linking health promotion programming to insurance coverage is lowering deductibles for wellness care or eliminating deductibles altogether. By adding this benefit, corporations can encourage employees to undertake routine screenings and other procedures to respond to health problems before they become chronic.

Early detection benefits both patient health and employer medical costs.

Incentivizing health promotion program participation with health care credits

More frequently, employers are going beyond increased wellness care coverage and looking to demonstrate the importance of wellness by linking participation to employees’ bottom lines.

Worthington Industries has recently rolled out a wellness program that authorizes personnel to eliminate their portion of the insurance premium by enrolling in a Healthy Options wellness program.

During the first year of the Healthful Options program, staff and their spouses complete Personal Health Assessments and health screenings to determine their levels of health risks.

Nurses, dietitians and exercise experts are available to help moderate- and high-risk participants create individual action plans for improved health through the use of educational materials, behavior modification, telephone help from third-party program health coordinators, and formal health management programs.

By completing the assessments, staff members earn their full premium credit. Because some plans at Worthington require no worker contribution, a cash award takes the place of a credit in those cases.

During year two of the health promotion program, the wellness bar is raised slightly.  To continue to receive the wellness credit, participants in the moderate- to high-risk category will be required to work at establishing goals with third-party health coordinators.

Year three raises the bar again, requiring participants to show progress in meeting objectives and to continue to work with health coordinators to reach objectives.

After year three, Worthington Industries workforce are going to be on the wellness track.  The corporation believes that’ll mean a healthier workforce and cost savings for workforce and the corporation.

The well being of Worthington workforce is the foundation of this health promotion program, and both workforce and the company are expected to benefit from the long-term advantages of the Healthful Choices Health Promotion Program.

While Worthington has taken a broad approach to wellness, other corporations have found success in offering incentives in specific areas. Longaberger, for instance, offers a discount on health care policies for workers who don’t use tobacco.

An individual worker who doesn’t use tobacco saves $7 per bi-weekly pay. for smoke-free workforce with family coverage whose families are also smoke-free, the savings increases to $14 per pay.

The next step -  Penalizing harmful behaviors

As it stands, healthcare is the only type of insurance that does not focus on penalizing for behaviors that put the insured party at risk. With healthcare costs rising so dramatically, that could soon change.

Just as an accident likely raises auto insurance premiums, increasing premiums for those who engage in unhealthy behaviors is a possible next step in companys’ attempts to manage health care costs.

Reports that workforce would support this kind of action are stacking up. One Ohio employer conducted an informal survey that indicated workforce would consider it a morale increase when health-conscious workforce were relieved of some of the burden of subsidizing care for workforce who engage in behaviors that negatively affect their health.

Whether or not or not this kind of wellness program gains popularity, one thing is sure -  the need to control the rise in health care costs is becoming ever more pressing.

Take the first step

No matter what the strategy, from offering staff members health resources to providing incentives for healthful behaviors, companys have a real opportunity to improve morale and productivity, decrease absenteeism and control healthcare costs through wellness.

The first step is committing to taking one, no matter what size effort is appropriate for your business.  Big strides start with small steps.

Preventing injuries is a high priority for companys, in particular in factory establishings like Honda. That’s why the corporation offers a few programsâ.”including line-site process evaluations â.”to identify potential hazards and help reduce the chance of injury.

As part of an early intervention program, Honda workforce who are feeling pain can receive a massage of the affected area during work time.

Stretching programs are another effective tool in injury prevention. According to the Best Practices in Manufacturing Web site, Dayton Parts, Inc. (DPI) in Harrisburg, Pa., conducted research that revealed approximately 80% of all manufacturing injuries occurred within the first two hours of each shift.

After starting a program that required production staff members to stretch for 10 to 15 minutes at the beginning of their shifts, they saw a dramatic reduction in injuries.

While the DPI program costs about $75,000 a year to operate, and other business programs, it’s assisted bring the annual cost of workers’ compensation from $700,000 to $200,000 each year.6

To help prevent lengthy absences and reduce workers’ compensation claims, Honda instituted a work recovery program. Through the program, staff members who have had an injury can work in a adapted jobâ.”getting better.

Workers in the program spend their work days receiving physical conditioning to increase overall fitness, physical therapy to restore functionality, health education and nutrition counseling.  The program is based on data that shows fewer work days are lost when an worker stays connected to the work environment.

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, www.ohiobwc.com, provides a “10-Step Company Plan” as a guide for companies in providing health promotion programs that aim to reduce injuries.  The plan includes information on safety and health programs to prevent occurrences of on-the-job accidents, including -

Worker involvement - to ensure the success of any organization health promotion program, personnel must take part in the safety and health-management process.

This may be done through safety and health audits, accident examinations, or by forming safety and health involvement teams, focus groups or committees.

Orientation and training plan - Conduct orientation and training sessions to educate staff on the company’s safety policies.

These sessions should include procedures for the safe use of machinery and tools, chemical hazards and how to prevent contact or exposure, specific job/task safe practices, and hazard recognition and prevention.

Communication - Open communication keeps personnel informed and provides suggestions and feedback on the effectiveness of the corporation’s health promotion program.

Through memos, bulletin boards and staff meetings, important health and safety information can be conveyed throughout the business, keeping all upper management staff and employees knowledgeable about the organization’s safe practices.

The organization plan also outlines incentives for post-injury procedures, including -

Medical treatment and return-to-work practices - arly return-to-work strategies help injured or ill workers return to work in a timely manner.

Companies should establish a disability management policy to help injured or ill employees obtain quality medical treatment, making their transition back to work quick and effortless.

Timely notification of claims - Businesss should document worksite injuries immediately after they occur and promptly send that documentation to a claims handler.

Rapidly providing claim information demonstrates care and concern for the injured staff member, prevents delays and confusion with the claim process, and reduces the potential for abuse or needless litigation.

Record keeping - Internal documents ought to be kept to record work-time injuries and to assess the success of the company’s safety efforts.

Business audits, surveys and injury or illness reports can all be used to analyze which safety practices and policies have proven successful, and what areas of wellness need improvement.