Health Promotion And Wellness

Corporate Wellness Plans that support employees and the environment that they work in have been shown to be a good ROI. Corporate Wellness Plans may be extensive and sometimes expensive. However, there are ways for small organizations to make positive changes at little or no cost.

Corporate Wellness Program: Physical/Weight Management Activities

1. Grant access to on- and off- worksite gyms and recreational activities before, during, and after work hours.
2. Provide and encourage participation in after work recreation or leagues.
3. Provide cash incentives or lowered insurance costs for participation in physical activity and/or weight management or maintenance activities.
4. Provide shower and/or changing facilities onsite.
5. Provide outdoor exercise areas such as fields and trails for employee use.
6. Provide bicycle racks in safe, convenient, and accessible locations.
7. Provide workplace fitness opportunities, such as group classes or personal training.
8. Provide an on-site exercise facility.
9. Set up programs that have strong social support systems and rewards, such as:
o Buddy or team physical activity objectives
o Programs that involve employees and family
o Programs to encourage physical activity, such as pedometer walking challenges
o Consider discounted or subsidized memberships at local health clubs, recreation centers, or YMCAs
10. Provide flexible work hours to allow for physical activity during the day.
11. Support physical activity breaks during the workday, such as stretching or walking.
12. Host walk-and-talk meetings.
13. Map out workplace trails or nearby walking routes and destinations.
14. Have employees map out their own biking or walking route to and from work.
15. Post motivational signs at elevators and escalators to encourage stair usage.
16. Provide exercise/physical fitness messages and information to employees.
17. Provide or support recreation leagues and other physical activity events onsite or in the community.
18. Start employee activity clubs such as walking or bicycling clubs.
19. Provide workplace child care facilities to facilitate physical activity.
20. Sponsor a bike to work day and reward employees who participate.
21. Set up a box and solicit fitness and health tips.

Corporate Wellness Program: General Health Education Activities

1. Have a current policy outlining the requirements and functions of a broad-based worksite Corporate Wellness Program.
2. Have a wellness plan in place that addresses the purpose, nature, duration, resources necessary, participants in, and expected results of a worksite Corporate Wellness Program.
3. Orient employees to the Employer Health and Wellness Program and give them copies of the physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco use policies.
4. Promote and encourage employee participation in the physical activity/fitness and nutrition education/weight management program.
5. Provide health education information to employees.
6. Have a committee that meets at least once a month to oversee the Corporate Wellness Program.
7. Provide regular health education presentations on various physical activity, nutrition, and wellness-related topics. Ask voluntary health associations, medical care providers, and/or public health agencies to offer workplace education classes.
8. Host a health 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. Provide confidential health rist assessments.
12. Provide workplace weight management/maintenance programs for employees.
13. Add weight management/maintenance, nutrition, and physical activity counseling as a member benefit in medical insurance contracts.

Corporate Wellness Program: Tobacco Cessation

1. Establish a company policy prohibiting tobacco use anywhere on the property.
2. Provide prompts/posters to support no tobacco use policy.
3. Policy supporting participation in tobacco cessation activities during duty time (flex-time).
4. Provide counseling through an individual, group, or telephone counseling program onsite.
5. Provide counseling through a health plan sponsored individual, group, or telephone counseling program.
6. Provide cessation medications through medical insurance.