Fit For Life: Get a Better Bottom…Line
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Matt Espeut
It starts at the top
For wellness campaigns to be successful in the workplace, the commitment, and participation from company leadership goes a long way to long term acceptance by employees. Leading by example is key – from the top, down. Preferably the CEO will want to show her/his buy-in by participating in activities, issuing incentives, and providing recognition, too.
Healthy food zone
When you walk into work in the morning, do you see doughnuts and muffins in the break room? Maybe some left over pizza from the quick meeting of yesterday? If you have vending machines, take an inventory – what is being offered? (Hint: fat filled granola bars and yogurt with high sugar content is not healthy). Most vending companies offer healthy alternatives – so, take a look, make requests to management, and watch those healthy changes happen. How about a purified water source? That can be a water filter or a free standing supplier. Get rid of the soda and juice machines. I believe banning foods can create a backlash of defiance; so lead with the carrot (pun intended), not the stick.
Fitness programs
Next, is there a room where you can exercise? You can recruit someone to lead classes on a regular basis. Even popping in an exercise or yoga tape is better than nothing. If you can’t workout during work hours, then build some hoopla about meeting right after work. Of course, the ideal that I’d like to see is employees who get help with their membership to a gym – like Providence Fit Body Boot Camp. Employees consistently say, when surveyed, that their pay is not the #1 thing that makes them happy at work – it’s often how the company values them with extras such as a fitness opportunity. Bring it up at employee benefit time. Or, talk to your company’s health insurer to see if partial compensation is available for gym memberships.
Incentives and Recognition
If you can’t pay part of employees’ fitness programs, offer incentives for accomplishments – a cash incentive, a parking place, gift certificates for local businesses, and don’t forget that important recognition before fellow employees. Wellness campaigns help employees jump start their own fitness and health programs – and they also help employers have strong, cohesive, and happy teams of employees. Make it fun! You’ll reap the rewards.
Let’s Review.
Encouraging wellness is good business. You will have a happier workforce. You may be able to reduce absenteeism and save on health insurance. Your employees will be stronger and less likely to suffer injuries – from moving a heavy box or desk to actual physical labor jobs. Your employees will value this and you will be able to retain good employees. One of the most costly things for a company is hiring and retraining. While focusing on exercise, first, don’t forget that 80% of any wellness program is the food you eat. By starting to make your company a healthy environment, it will show to others when you have meetings and visitors. Working as a team at work means you will be a better team – at work. Everyone gets to be part of the team – young and older employee. Group events like this also help to eliminate those troublesome cliques at work. Finally, the concept of doing well by doing good is real. Your company will be more successful. While that’s not a promise, it is something I see all the time. Successful workplace health programs have shown us what is possible – we just need to dig deeper as employers and make it happen. Need help? Give me a call. Your bottom line could look a whole lot better.
Related Slideshow: New England’s Healthiest States
The United Health Foundation recently released its 2013 annual reoprt: America's Health Rankings, which provides a comparative state by state analysis of several health measures to provide a comprehensive perspective of our nation's health issues. See how the New England states rank in the slides below.
Definitions
All Outcomes Rank: Outcomes represent what has already occurred, either through death, disease or missed days due to illness. In America's Health Rankings, outcomes include prevalence of diabetes, number of poor mental or physical health days in last 30 days, health disparity, infant mortality rate, cardiovascular death rate, cancer death rate and premature death. Outcomes account for 25% of the final ranking.
Determinants Rank: Determinants represent those actions that can affect the future health of the population. For clarity, determinants are divided into four groups: Behaviors, Community and Environment, Public and Health Policies, and Clinical Care. These four groups of measures influence the health outcomes of the population in a state, and improving these inputs will improve outcomes over time. Most measures are actually a combination of activities in all four groups.
Diabetes Rank: Based on percent of adults who responded yes to the question "Have you ever been told by a doctor that you have diabetes?" Does not include pre-diabetes or diabetes during pregnancy.
Smoking Rank: Based on percentage of adults who are current smokers (self-report smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and currently smoke).
Obesity Rank: Based on percentage of adults who are obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or higher.
Source: http://www.americashealthrankings.org/
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