Posts from — May 2009

5 Ways to Assess and Improve Your employees’ Health

Emotional health is a state of wellness that comes from understanding and acknowledging our emotions and finding appropriate ways to express them. As staff members, we frequently bring emotional problems from our childhood or current family life into the worksite because we haven’t dealt with them effectively outside of work. This can seriously damage worksite relationships and lead to poor achievement and detrimental feelings all around.

Many tools and techniques exist for helping us better our emotional health. Some of the most common are given below, with real-life case histories illustrating their use. If an unpleasant mood or feeling persists over a length of time, do not hesitate to seek out a qualified professional. Company Wellness Programs usually have professional reinforcement already in place as part of their services.

1. Health Coaching / Health Counseling:
One of the hallmarks of emotional health is the willingness to ask for help when we need it. Confidential professional help, the coaching and counseling offered by employee assistance or wellness programs, can support an external source of strength and insight for “working out” emotionally-based issues instead of “working them in” to your job.

2. Self-help Groups:
Self-help groups are designed to aid people in emotional situations in which they feel alone. The purpose of these groups is twofold: to allow people to safely feel and express their emotions, and to help break their isolation at work and/or in society at large and reintegrate them into society with the backing of a peer group.

The classic self-help group is Alcoholics Anonymous, but thanks to technology, it’s possible to make connections with others that have common health challenges, no matter how unique the situation. People are taking advantage of tele-conference groups and social websites, such as sparkpeople.com and revolutionhealth.com. Workplace Health Promotion Programs frequently have such groups available through online or phone support. Progressive corporate wellness provider Exan Wellness, for example, offers teleconference cell groups and moderated wellness forums for interacting with others in a supportive, confidential and anonymous environment. People with shared challenges get together and discuss the emotional challenges they are facing at work or in other areas of their lives and work through change together.

3. Journaling: Journaling is frequently recommended by counsellors as a way to help identify and process emotions. People record their emotions in writing as they experience them, in whatever form they wish. By helping the writer gain greater emotional clarity, journaling can help in making more emotionally informed decisions. In much the same way, letter writing enables people to identify and process the emotions they feel in relation to others. The letter does not have to be be sent or its contents shared: it simply provides a place for the expression of feelings.

An 18-year-old “army brat,” Brent has always done well at school, academically and athletically. But in his last year of high school, something seems to have happened to him. He has lost all interest in school, becoming moody and withdrawn.

Brent describes to his guidance counselor all the times he had to move when he was growing up. Each move wrenched him from his friends and forced him to play the role of the “new kid on the block.” The counselor suggests that Brent write letters to the friends he has missed over the years telling them how he felt. Finally, he has a chance to say a proper goodbye.

4. Evaluate Your Emotional Wellness: Corporations that seek to boost employees’ interpersonal skills, or emotional intelligence in the workplace are more successful, according to ground-breaking journalist Daniel Goleman. And emotional intelligence is the buzzword in workplaces these days. Some Workplace Wellness Programs have information about emotional intelligence, or emotional health assessments. Seek out more information about emotional intelligence for better corporate wellness.

5. Friendships/Support Systems: Friendships allow people to feel supported in their emotional journeys. At the same time, they give people an opportunity to advance their empathetic skills. These skills are also important for worksite health. When we are empathic with fellow employees, we help them resolve harmful or unhealthy emotions. New friendships are made through hobbies, classes, clubs, or even through online groups. Many people are finding emotional satisfaction by finding friends through Facebook and other social websites.

Sometimes workplace stress that is not dealt with in a healthy manner can be brought home. A 36-year-old mother of three, Sarah, wants to be a great wife, a great mother, and a success at her job. One day, drained after a long day at work, she shouted at her rambunctious children and threatened to hit her youngest son. Her behavior horrified her. To make matters worse, she believes she is a failure at her job as well as at motherhood. She watches with jealousy as younger co-workers advance much more rapidly up the corporate ladder despite having less experience than she has.

On the advice of a counselor, she decides to take time out for herself and take a course for amateur painters. It doesn’t take long before she strikes up a friendship with a single mom in the class. She once led a life very similar to Sarah’s before managing to achieve a better balance between work and family. Her new friend becomes a much-necessitated sounding board for Sarah and offers her perspectives on her life that she hadn’t considered before.

25% Jump in Employer Interest in Employee Health and Wellness

Worksite wellness for their employees, employers are discovering, is great for the health of their employers as well. Company Wellness Programs help to cut the expenditures associated with poor employee health, which include absenteeism, loss of work rate and poor work quality.

A new Hewitt Associates survey of over 500 United States organizations indicated a important paradigm shift in how organizations view health benefits for their staff members. Of those surveyed this year, 88 percent are committed to instituting long-term medical assistance programs (over the next 3-5 years) for their staff members, with the goal of boosting the health and work rate of their workforce. This represents a 25 percent rise in interest in Company Wellness Programs over 2007.

A strong offering of Company Wellness Programs to meet the demand has resulted. Health assistance providers have broadened their programs with tools that address general lifestyle factors, physical, social and psychological health factors. Programs look to predict chronic conditions in their employees and give them the tools and the information to prevent it. Corporations also demand a way to measure the effectiveness of their health care spending.

“Self-care is our motive,” says Vic Lebouthillier, president of progressive health and wellness provider Exan Wellness.”We really believe giving employees tools to help them manage their own health, and promoting the benefits, while giving people resources to reach out for help is the key to successful lifestyle change. Corporations are also telling us they need a cost-effective way to deliver Company Health Promotion Programs. The sort of program we have developed over years delivers the highest medical care return on investment.”

Combining worksite wellness promotions, web-based assessments and health trackers, web-based health information, phone conferences and self-help groups, and access to a wide variety of health professionals, is behind the success of the Exan program. “Having web-based statistics about employees’ health also makes it easier to track the bottom line - return on investment” says Vic Lebouthillier.

“Organizations are moving beyond their traditional role as a provider of healthcare benefits to develop holistic programs that pinpoint the specific health needs of their employee populations, drive employee behavior modification and eliminate barriers to healthcare,” says Jim Winkler, leader of Hewitt’s health management consulting practice.

Still, in a separate survey of 30,000 employees, 74 percent said that, although they felt their employer had an obligation to help them be aware of how to use their health benefits program, only 12 percent felt the employer had any right to tell them how to be healthy. Based on these results, employers need to drive home the fact that improved health is better for their employees as well as the employer. It’s a win-win situation.

Employers and workers did find common ground when it came to future healthcare. Both surveys indicate that 95% of workers know that their taking care of their health today will impact future healthcare payments. A similar percentage also know the significant of early detection and prevention when it comes to saving on healthcare costs.

Cost is significant for most employers as well. Over 80% of those surveyed made cost mitigation a priority for 2008, but those reductions did not involve shifting responsibility for healthcare onto employees. Although 64% of employers have transfered costs to their employees, only 17% intend  to do so in the next 3-5 years. Similarly with health reimbursement accounts, 20% now offer these, but only about 5% intend  to use them in 2008.

These survey results indicate employers are getting more proactive in assisting their employees to shift behaviors and take ownership of their own health futures. This is obviously wonderful for the wellness of employees, but also for the wellness of the employers they work for. Almost half the employers surveyed were convinced that changing health behaviors was key to greater work rate and cut absentee rates. Over 60 percent intend  to institute programs that help employees change and/or sustain a healthier lifestyle. Almost of these employers will also use data and measurements to ensure their healthcare strategies meet their healthcare objectives?

It is obvious to almost all Americans (especially those of us in business) that health care costs are skyrocketing out of control. No one doubts that either the market will solve the problem OR the government will impose one on us. Managed care has failed from either a cost containment or quality of care perspective. Businesses have reached the point where the cost of providing health insurance is almost as burdensome as government regulation. It’s time for some new thinking on health care and its impact on business and vice versa. “Corporate wellness” as an operational perspective instead of merely window dressing is one way to deal effectively with rising health care costs.

The Insurance Problem

The first step in amending the issue is to realize that an employee’s health is their own responsibility. Expecting corporations to provide unlimited healthcare insurance coverage is simply unrealistic and unreasonable. It’s time for corporations (on a broad scale) to reconsider their role in offering healthcare insurance coverage. Instead of offering complete coverage for all staff members through group plans, corporations must start to change the burden of health coverage to those covered.

Here’s the approach. Give catastrophic medical insurance as a group benefit to all workers with a big enough deductible (say $5000 per employee) to make the expense affordable for the company. Then, allow workers to buy their own medical insurance policies (based on their own needs) and pay for them through payroll deduction with pre-tax earnings. There are numerous insurance corporations that sell individual plans on this basis. Everybody wins. Employees can tailor their coverage to their own needs and circumstances using their own doctors. Businesses win by stopping the endless cycle of rising expenditures and ever-changing plans. And when people become responsible for the expense of their own insurance, they become more attentive to their own health. Besides, if an employee is interested in working for you ONLY because your company offers great insurance benefits aren’t they telling you they’re going to cost you more money in the future?

Organize a “Wellness Culture”

Our current “sickness culture” perpetuates the health care crisis and hastens the demise of market-based solutions. By sickness culture, I mean our focus on health problems rather than on having a healthy workplace and performance culture.

So, what would a “wellness culture” look like? First, instead of paid sick days, staff members might be rewarded at year’s end with an attendance bonus. Staff Members would be reimbursed for successful completion of smoking cessation and weight-loss programs. Employers would invest in corporate memberships at local health clubs so every employee can take part. Staff Members would be provided in-house wellness programs on a variety of issues ranging from ergonomics to stress management. Finally, employers would commit to hiring and retaining healthy staff members. Simply put, healthy staff members cost less and are more constructive than unhealthy ones. Applicants must be screened for health habits and practices that limit their productivity and improve the likelihood of future expense. While this may seem harsh, it rewards those staff members whose personal lifestyle and habits be sure the best Return on Investment by the employer committing to hire, train and pay them.

Be open to “alternative and complementary” approaches

Studies published in major health care journals reveal that individuals who use “alternative and complementary” health modalities (including chiropractic, acupuncture, yoga and massage) are generally healthier, better educated, take fewer medications and miss fewer days from work than the average American. Since these individuals look for ways to stay healthy without prescription drugs and surgery, they end up being a net benefit in terms of attendance and productivity. Old prejudices in this area ought to be discarded in order for corporations to improve productivity and increase profitability

Conclusion

Health Care expenditures are increasing at a staggering pace. Managed care is an abysmal failure. Employers are buckling under the pressure of providing health coverage to their employees. American competitiveness in the market is sagging. These times call for extraordinary solutions. It’s time for American organizations to consider some out-of-the-box solutions to the health care crisis. Corporation wellness is an approach that is timely, achievable and reasonable given the alternatives. All options ought to be considered while we still have a chance.

Research spanning more than a decade has consistently determined Corporate Health Promotion Programs to be monetarily effective and that every dollar invested on a corporate wellness program can return $2.30 and $10.10 by decreasing absenteeism, sick day usage and by lowering insurance costs. Additionally it is noted that there are marked improvements in employee success and productivity in companies that start a Corporate Health Promotion Program.

Healthy companies enjoy improved employee morale and an improved ability to attract and retain key people. Additionally, employees are more alert and productive. For instance, Coca Cola reports that they save an estimated $500 a year per employee once they implemented a physical activity program in which 60 percent of their employees participate. Coors Brewing Corporation published that employees who participated in their Workplace Wellness Programs reduced their absentee rate by 18%.

staff members enjoy their share of advantages from Company Wellness Programs too. A healthy lifestyle affects every part of a person’s life, including their work environment. Company Wellness Programs result in fewer injuries, less human error and a work environment that is more harmonious and relaxed. Additionally, staff members who work at a corporation that implements a Company Wellness Program know that their corporation is concerned about their wellbeing and health. Employees frequently report a decrease in their stress levels due to Company Wellness Programs.

As workers feel better, more relaxed, more valued and more human to their business; they enjoy a growth in productiveness. This rise in productiveness, while constructive to the business, is also critical to the employee as it increases their own sense of self worth and confidence levels. Staff Members who feel successful and who feel that they accomplish goals and objectives are overall happier and in a better frame of mind.

The benefits of Company Health Promotion Programs, both tangible and intangible, are evident. It is a wise move for a corporation to start a Company Health Promotion Program, especially when they incorporate some form of mental health aspect into it. This also has social benefits as domestic violence and child abuse is determined to be decreased in areas where wellness programs are implemented. These days, a corporation can almost not afford to have some sort of wellness program to offer to their employees.

Some of the top wellness programs currently in use today include:

Health Risk Assessments or HRAs

Health Risk Assessment is a top corporate wellness program currently in use globally. Businesses that enable it determine the safety and health issues of employees by the assessment of appropriateness of the facilities and equipment against the needs of the employees.

It can, for example, guide the employer into determining how the air quality within an office room affects the users and then help the assessment team to come up with the measures significant to correct the issue. An HRA can also evaluate the level of exposure staff members have to certain hazardous or dangerous materials and practices.

Immunizations

This isn’t always practiced in every country since there are regions where government sponsored immunization shots are available. Still, it has also become an valuable component of the top Company Health Promotion Programs in many companies in North America.

Immunization shots, such as those used to combat flu, for example, are provided to staff members for free.

Employee Assistance Program

Employee Assistance Programs consist of a wide variety of services. It can range from providing educational resources to workers regarding health problems to sponsoring health services and health care. In countless corporations, medical and insurance have also become a staple part of their benefits system.

In-house nutrition and diet drives

This is another wellness program that businesses 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, usually in the form of low-calorie foods and sugar substitutes.

In-house employee wellness newsletter and campaign drives

One of the top wellness programs that businesses can start is a self-powered tool using a newsletter to encourage wellness, coupled with a visible campaign. The campaign may be done periodically and focus on a specific topic, such as smoking risks, cancer, stress, carpal tunnel syndrome, safety in the worksite, etc.

The employee wellness newsletter in itself can be an effective means to deliver information to workers or members of a company but it is far from perfect. Some workers, for example, may not read the newsletter entirely or even pay attention to it. If the issues outlined in the newsletter are promoted through an active and highly visible campaign, it will be easier to maximize positive results.

Exercise and physical activity drives

Another top wellness program for companies is one that involves physical activities. Businesses often sponsor exercise-related activities such as marathons and business sports programs to advocate staff members to remain fit or lose excess weight. In mid- to large-sized companies, companies may even pay for health club memberships or in-house exercise facilities.

Rewards and Incentives

Some of the top wellness programs implemented by organizations involve Incentives and Rewards. This involves business-sponsored programs that reward employees for achieving specific wellness-related objectives. Participation in health campaigns and signing up for wellness programs are two of the most usually rewarded schemes. Rewards can range from special recognitions to over time acquired points (for bigger rewards) to specific gifts. In a few cases, cash may also be used.

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

Peer Pressure

In countless organizations, organizations take advantage of peer pressure in order to advocate staff members to take part in wellness programs. This is currently one of the favorite Workplace Health Promotion Programs currently in use today and growing in popularity. Peer pressure is frequently leveraged to help reward competitions referring to worksite wellness and to persuade staff members to be active in company-sponsored wellness fairs.

Wellness is a great concept. It brings happiness into health and encourages a truly holistic approach to life. Wikipedia defines wellness as a healthy balance of the mind-body and spirit that results in an central feeling of well-being. It sounds like exactly what every one is looking for. But when you start to talk about corporate wellness, or workplace wellness, all life goes out of the concept. Total solutions, disease management and health assessment do not inspire visions of enjoying life and living it to the full. They start from the assumption that sickness is here to stay and needs to be discovered, managed and controlled but can never be healed.

The wellness industry is growing phenomenally fast. Wellness guru, Paul Zane Pilzer, has labeled it the next trillion dollar industry. But wellness has two different faces. On the one hand there are the small businesses - people working from home or in small centers selling all kinds of wellness products and services at a speed of growth that is escalating rapidly. On the other hand corporate wellness is also exploding but in a very different direction.

The baby boomers who are driving the popular wellness revolution have been described as the first generation to refuse to accept the inevitability of death. They are actively looking for ways to prevent aging, stay healthy into old age and enjoy themselves more than ever before after retirement. This is a radical departure from current notions of old age, which are frequently dominated by pictures of sickness, frailty and suffering.

The organizations have been largely forced to take on wellness. This is partly through legislative pressure, with many countries introducing laws to make organizations liable for stress-related sickness in their workers. It is also monetarily motivated, as research has repeatedly demonstrated the enormous costs of absenteeism (and increasingly of presenteeism as well).

Whereas the baby boomers are actively looking for new solutions and new lifestyles the companies are struggling to organize largely traditional and mainstream health systems, such as doctors, nurses, insurance and screening systems. The issue is that the traditional health system does not have solutions for the issues that people are handling.

Nobody ever went to see a doctor to get happy, because a doctor doesn’t have any clue how to make people happy. And a myriad of stress-related health concerns are described as chronic diseases, which means that they last for a very long time - or perhaps for the rest of your life - because there is no medical cure. Counseling is a common offering in organizations for emotional concerns, but whilst it may offer a useful pressure valve it is not a powerful treatment for stress, unhappiness or depression.

Imagine walking into a company where the employees are happy, healthy, full of inspiration, fit, love working, have meaningful family lives, active social lives, and enjoyable relationships at work and in their neighborhood. That kind of company would be a pleasure to work in and bound to be thriving because people would be working to their optimum capacity.

So can we set up a system of true wellness that will serve the development of the employers and their employees and will pay for itself because of the advantages that both sides will gain?

First of all we have to face the fact that we can’t place all the responsibility into the hands of the current health system. Absenteeism, stress, depression, the very roots of the wellness revolution, have not been solved by the current system. If they had been we wouldn’t have this revolution, we would all be much more well. So we need to look elsewhere for solutions.

We also cannot rely on makeshift feel-good wellness offerings, such as the on-Site massage team which visits the office once a month or the wellness day that raises awareness for a little while but leaves most people unaffected. They are easy to organize but have little or no real importance on employee wellness.

Organization needs are different than individual needs and many of the new small wellness organizations that are springing up simply don’t have the capacity to serve the corporate market. However it is in the best interest of both organizations and employees to learn and cultivate systems of health & wellness that really work - that benefit people to be happy, handle stress, love working, and to have proper energy to go home at the end of the day and enjoy their family and social life. So far the corporate world has hijacked the concept of wellness and turned it into a modern version of occupational health. It is time to raise the vision and discover how to make truly healthy, happy workplaces where people thrive.

High rates of employee turnover and the costs of sick days are increasingly taking bites into organization profits. The high cost of recruitment programs only adds to the challenges that these problems in total cost the average organization. Many organizations are finding the solution to these challenges by improving job satisfaction, team building, and the implementation of programs that provide a decrease in these costs.

It has become increasingly clear to most managers that a well designed wellness program / exercise program with a strong nutritional and fitness lifestyle emphasis will directly meet this need. Senior Leadership’s goals for a productive wellness program must be viewed through the perspective of increased employee productivity, diminished absenteeism due to health related causes, improved employee morale, diminished utilisation of organization subsidised health benefits, enhanced group cohesion and success and a decline in turnover due to lack of job satisfaction. It is obvious that an improvement in any of these areas will have a positive effect on the financial status of any organisation.

The benefits from an workers point of view can be seen in improved health, increased energy levels, diminished body fat, a more youthful fit body, an increased ability to handle work related stress, greater feelings of confidence and morale and more social groups at work contributing to greater feelings of satisfaction with their work and worksite.

To be most beneficial a wellness program needs to achieve both upper management’s and employee’s goals/objectives, and this can be accomplished through a program that will provide the individual employee with an awareness of their current physical condition and attitudes to fitness and wellness, and the benefits of attaining a fitter, healthier lifestyle, and a plan that will allow them to achieve the essential changes to their physical condition that can be applied in the context of their life and work.

The Bottom Line - Employee Health Promotion Programs

Lowered Rates of Absenteeism - Dupont reduced absenteeism by 47.5 percent over six years for the participants of their corporation fitness program, (Health Behaviour, March 1992).

Lowered Health Care Expenditures - Steel case showed a decrease in medical claim costs of 55 percent for corporate physical activity program participants over non-participants over a six year period - an average of $478.61 for participants vs. non-participants who averaged $868.88, (The Am. Journal of Health Promotion, Sept/Oct, 1991).

Lowered Turnover - Turnover among fitness program participants at the Canadian Life Assurance Employer was 32.4% lower over a seven year period compared with non-participants (Canadian Journal of Public Health, Jan/Feb, 1988).

Positive Return on Investment - Blue Cross Blue Shield of Indiana reported that its employer exercise program had a 250 percent return on investment; $2.51 for every $1 invested over a five year period (American Journal of Health Promotion, March, April, 1991).

The Partnership for Prevention was formed to encourage Fortune 1000 businesses to consider making workforce health a CEO problem and adopt strategies to reward prevention and wellness. Following several years of double-digit rate increases for health insurance, businesses are realizing that one of the best ways to slow the cost increases is to have workers take more responsibility for both expenditures and health choices. A majority of businesses surveyed feel that the best way for lowering expenditures is monetary incentives/rewards to encourage workers to adopt healthier lifestyles.

Nearly 100% of corporations surveyed say that health costs will be a vital or significant concern over the next five years, according to a survey by United Benefit Advisors. More corporations are adopting higher deductible medical plans with HRA’s or HSA’S, wellness programs, and expanded disease management programs in order to control ever-growing medical care costs.

Failure to deal with these problems could be disastrous for a corporation. Wayne Sensor, Chief Executive Officer of Alegent Health recently stated, “I think that we have built a medical machinery we can’t afford. I think we are choking the economic engine of America.” In his October 2005 newsletter, Dr. Andrew Weil stated, “I think rising health- care costs are becoming the primary economic problem in our nation”. Obesity costs California businesses billions of dollars each year. Projected costs for 2005 may reach 28 billion dollars for direct and indirect medical costs, worker’s compensation, and lost work rate. California has experienced one of the fastest growing rates of obesity of any state.

According to California Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshe, “The obesity epidemic is more than a public health crisis, it is an economic crisis.” What is frightening is that most people do not even realize that they are obese, which is defined as only 20 percent above normal weight. There is a great need for additional education on weight and resulting diseases, and the workplace is an ideal venue. Wellness education and programs can result in a significant return on investment and, if structured properly, can produce results in a very short period of time.

Although numerous corporations have attempted some form of wellness program in the past, results from those efforts have been disappointing. In many cases, the healthier employees participated for incentives, such as fitness center memberships, but those who needed it most did not take advantage of the program in a meaningful way. Organizations are looking at ways to encourage more employees to buy into the wellness movement.

A new webinar hosted by Human Resource Executive Magazine and presented by Carlson Marketing Group titled, “Healthier staff members; Healthier Bottom Line: Engaging staff members is the Missing Link in Managing Health Care Costs,” drove this point home. This session provided actionable advice on how companies are achieving higher impact with their wellness investments by focusing on employee engagement. It also highlighted how you can set up an Economic Engagement Model to forecast the potential influence for your organization.

Employers can simply no longer overlook the concern of their employee’s unhealthy lifestyles and must take action to engage them in a meaningful wellness program to cut health expenditures, absenteeism and lost productiveness. employees also benefit as they derive better health and greater satisfaction in both their personal and professional lives. The alternative is being caught in a non-competitive position and severely impacting the bottom-line of the employer.

A listing of potential wellness issues and ideas not previously mentioned follows. Take some time to “think tank and brainstorm” new ideas with your own internal employee Employee Health Promotion Program Committee.

Nutrition Category
• Low-fat campaign/food groups
• Team salad bars
• Vending machine changes
• Diet analysis by a dietician
• Produce on parade
• Eating disorder support group
• Restaurant education

Physical Activity/Exercise Category
• “Elevoiders” - stair climbing
• Poker walk
• Mall walking program
• Facilities - showers, bike lockers, exercise space, etc.
• Team treks
• Walk-a-block trails
• Recreational tournaments
• How-to-select equipment talks
• Running maps
• Biking maps
• Deskercises (mini stretches for desk jockeys)
• Fit-over-forty club
• Tennis shoe Tuesday
• Walk 100 miles in 100 days
• Walking “buddies”
• NW Trek!

Miscellaneous Category
• House calls
• Meet your benefits providers
• Dental health
• Fire safety
• Ergonomic assessments
• Self-help learning
• CPR/first aid course
• Hearing test
• Hand washing campaign
• Cancer screenings
• Back class
• Passports to health
• Vision screenings

Stress Management Category
• Comedy hour
• Stress Pest
• Humor newsletter
• Money management classes
• Time management seminars
• Relaxation class
• Better sleep campaign
• Relaxation room

Other departments within a employer will likely focus on related areas of employee safety and injury prevention. Wellness activities are a natural partner to many other human resource, employee motivation, and safety programs. Body mechanics, ergonomics, and safe on the job practices are three areas which may be coordinated together.
• Soft Tissue Sprains & Strains: This injury category continues to remain the number one financial loss for workers’ compensation. Many medical insurance dollars are also spent on back pain, other sprains, and strains. Wellness and safety efforts can focus on:
• Warm up stretches before beginning work or periodic stretching during work. These can do much to prevent soft tissue injury. Give training to work groups so they may begin a stretching program. These groups can then continue on their own.
• The Employee Wellness Program Committee might consider contracting a fitness professional to come in and conduct stretching “refreshers” for employee groups throughout the year.
• Offer body mechanics training on an yearly basis or more frequently if possible. These training sessions ought to focus on work related tasks and safety, as well as feature a segment on home tasks and body safety.
• Partner with your employer’s workers’ compensation carrier to assist  in offering body mechanics training, job safety analysis, and other preventative services which can help workers work safer, smarter, and avert injury.
• Launch a safety concerns suggestion box. Urge employees to report safety and/or injury concerns. Help management to establish policy to recognize and reward employees who offer safety ideas, offer tips, and solution ideas.
• A periodic presentation featuring a local medical provider addressing such topics as safe body mechanics, recovering from a back injury, appropriate spine care, etc.
• Partner with management and supervisor teams to recognize and reward work groups who are efficacious with safety and injury prevention.
• The ergonomics of an employees’ workstation/work place design is valuable and applicable to every group.
• Offer ergonomic training opportunities to interested staff members volunteers. These people can then support  other staff members to evaluate their work areas for safety, comfort, and injury prevention.
• It is often more effective to have an observer evaluate workers for helpful and friendly comfort suggestions rather than it is for people to evaluate themselves.
• One suggestion is to have workers remind one another about correct posture, to take breaks, to stop and do quick mini stretches, etc.
• Take before and after photos of work areas as changes are made. This will help to show how small adjustment changes can frequently make sizable comfort changes.
• Partner with the employer’s workers’ compensation carrier to help advance ergonomic policies and practices and to provide employee training.