Drug Education and Intervention in the Workplace

The program design options hinge upon the goals and objectives and desired outcomes of your program.  If your intention is to help staff members modify behavior, reduce risk factors, or save medical care dollars then your wellness program would be designed to accomplish those outcomes and a budget would be helpful to support that design.  

There are different wellness program design levels depending on desired outcomes and budgets.  Each level has advantages and disadvantages.  The intentions or results are quite different, are not interchangeable in terms of obtaining the same results, and therefore should not be confused.  For example, scheduling activities such as an employee health & wellness fair or lunchtime education sessions, or having brochures available do not usually result in behavior change, but may expand awareness on a topic.  If the objective is behavior change then a different design is necessary, such as Lifestyle/Behavior Change Programs and Company Support.  The outline below describes the wellness design levels with a brief explanation.

Awareness Programs:  At this level a company makes health information available and accessible to workers.  This type of program can include handouts on a variety of topics, wellness articles in newsletters, bulletin board displays, e-mail health messages, etc.   Also, most health fairs are designed as awareness programs with vendors providing information and providing health screenings to workers.  

Awareness programs are inexpensive and do not require extensive employee or employer time commitments.  Nevertheless, these programs do not usually yield behavior modification.  Growing awareness isn’t usually sufficient to generate lifestyle changes for most people, unless used to excite workers to register for a program being available at the employer or neighborhood on the topic.  An example of this would be providing information on the dangerous effects of smoking and inviting workers who smoke to register for a smoking cessation class.

Education Programs:  Educational programs frequently provide more information on a topic and usually also provide time for Q & A, but are similar to awareness programs.  An example is lunch-n-learn sessions on a health related topic.  These cost the business a modest amount more than awareness programs; however, they are still inexpensive and do not require a great deal of time for planning or attending a session.  Again, increasing awareness and offering information may not lead to the desired behavior modification unless ongoing backing or incentives are also planned.

Lifestyle/Behavior Change Programs:  These programs are designed as 4 to 12 weekly sessions or classes to offer wellness and health education, address barriers and offer opportunities to practice the desired skills.  Behavior change programs therefore require additional organization resources, cost more, and also require additional employee commitment, time and effort.  The results are frequently the desired positive lifestyle change, which if sustained can lead to potential cost savings.  

Examples include smoking cessation classes, weight loss and weight management meetings, or an ongoing physical activity program.

Environmental and Corporation Support:  Environmental backing is often considered the highest and most significant level to include when beginning your wellness program in order to support and maintain healthy behaviors.  These types of design options include policy changes such as:

• Creating a tobacco-free workplace
• Designating a walking path,
• Organizing onsite fitness centers,
• Ensuring healthy snack machines selections,
• Offering healthy meal choices in the cafeteria, and/or
• Securing flex-time policies.  

Other examples include subsidizing healthy vending machines or cafeteria choices; reimbursing fitness center or weight loss and weight management program memberships; or providing insurance incentives for healthy behaviors.

Ideally, the wellness program design would include some of all of these options.  The more comprehensive the approach, the more successful the outcome will be.  For example, a corporation can have tobacco cessation information available; can schedule a one hour awareness session on the harmful effects of smoking and how to quit; can start an worksite tobacco cessation program, supply self quit smoking kits, or support employees to go to a area program; and/or on an environmental backing level can establish a smoke-free workplace and grounds, offer reduced health insurance for non-smokers, or support pharmacological quit smoking aids for free.

Employee Wellness Program: Components for Success

There are many main elements that need to be considered to ensure the success of your Company Wellness Program or Company Wellness Program.  These include:  

• Senior Management Support & Employee Involvement
• Active Worksite Health Promotion Program Committee
• Program is Based on Employee Needs & Interests
• Goals and Objectives are Established
• Detailed Action Plan Based on Resources & Budget
• Program Implementation & Internal Marketing
• Evaluation of Outcomes and Program

Major advantages of healthy staff members include:

• Decreased Medical Care costs
• Reduced Injuries
• Diminished Absenteeism
• Boosted Morale and Loyalty
• Higher Productivity
• Diminished Use of Medical Care Benefits
• Diminished Workers’ Comp/Disability
• Positive Image in Community
• Lowered Turnover
• Improved recruitment for able employee

What is NOT Having a Company Wellness Program Costing Your Business?  

Let us look at the health risk factors that are contributing to chronic diseases for adults:

• 59% of American adults are overweight or obese
• More than 60% of Americans do not get regular exercise
• Greater than 75 percent of adults do not consume the minimum recommendations for fruits and vegetables
• Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death and the leading cause of death in smokers
• 26% of staff members stated they were often or very often burned out or stressed by their occupation  

Medical Care expenses are On the Rise:  Medical Care costs are at a record high of $1.7 trillion with no signs of holding steady, let alone going down.  The average expense of annual health care spending is over $5,000 per person and with dependents almost $10,000.  Recent data shows that health care related expenses now cost North Carolina organizations thousands of dollars per employee, each year.

Most Illnesses Can Be Avoided:  Although it sounds unbelievable, experts state that preventable illness makes up 60 percent – 70 percent of the entire burden of illness in the U.S..   In North Carolina, it is estimated that more than 53 percent of all deaths are preventable, and that 2/3 of all preventable deaths are due to tobacco use, physical inactivity, and poor diet.

Stress Levels are Increasing:  As employer resources dwindle and corporations adopt less-costly work practices, the effects of absenteeism and productivity lost have a more powerful effect.  In a recent nationwide poll, 78% of the population described their jobs as stressful, and most felt that stress levels have increased over The previous 10 years.  Moreover, high levels of employer stress are able to adversely affect a employer by increasing injuries, absenteeism, and healthcare costs while decreasing work rate.  Simple solutions such as stress management education, flexible work schedules, quality social interaction, and increased participation in employer decision-making are able to improve stress levels in the workplace.

What is the Initial Cost and Time Investment for a Workplace Wellness Program?

The cost is dependent upon the type of Corporate Wellness Program implemented.  There are several options to reward employee health with pros and cons of each.  The program design is dependent upon the goals/objectives of the wellness program, the business resources, and the area resources available.  

Improving nutrition, expanding physical exercise levels, managing stress or addressing work life balance concerns, and decreasing/eliminating tobacco use, are primary strategies for preventing many of the most common preventable chronic diseases. The possibilities of how your company addresses these concerns are endless and can range from expanding employee awareness, which may include purchasing a few handouts on a variety of topics, and measuring walking distances around your facility, to instituting company support such as funding a full-time occupational health professional or building an workplace fitness center.  

When well-planned and based on your goals, any of these programs can help you succeed.  Refer below to Worksite Health Promotion Program Design Options for additional ideas.

A Worksite Health Promotion Program is an accross the board program to assist and support staff members in adopting healthier lifestyles.  This may include increasing employee awareness on health subject matters, scheduling behavior modification programs, and/or adopting organization policies that support health-related objectives.  Programs and policies that reward increased physical exercise, tobacco use prevention and cessation, and healthy food selections are a few examples.  

Dimensions of Wellness

Wellness is much more than fitness alone.  In addition to physical fitness, the ranges of good health include:

   • Spiritual Wellness,
   • Emotional Dimension of Wellness,
   • Social Wellness,
   • Intellectual Dimension of Wellness

These ranges are often depicted as a “life wheel” with examples of health components that include fitness, nutrition, purpose in life, financial planning, social connections & reinforcement systems, stress management, mind-body health, career planning and continued learning.   The key behind individual health is keeping the “life wheel” in allignment.  A comprehensive workplace wellness program addresses most, if not all, of these ranges.

Why Workplace Wellness Programs?

workers spend much time on the job, and the reality is that our traditional work-week is growing.  In fact, the everyday American now is at work about 47 hours per week.  In addition, innovations such as modems, laptop computers, cell phones, voice and email have made vague the line between life and work.  These realities diminish the amount of time that the average individual is able to devote to health & wellness pursuits, and yet workers are predicted to be at top performance when at work.

A current study by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses saw that workplace wellness or Employee Health Promotion Programs are efficacious in helping employees to make positive health changes due to several factors such as convenience, environmental support, and co-worker or social acceptance.  

What’s the Connection between Wellness and the Workplace?

Programs and policies that promote healthy behaviors are able to make a tremendous difference on employee wellness AND have an influence on the organization’s bottom line.  Studies show that for every dollar invested by employers in Worksite Health Promotion Programs/wellness programs, there were savings from $1.49 to $4.91 with a median savings of $3.14*.  In organization jargon, that’s more than a 3:1 minimum return on investment – a number that is hard to disregard, and a best practice that ought to warrant serious consideration from employers.  In fact, a Worksite Health Promotion Program literature review posted in Health Promotion Practitioner Journal observed:

   • 19 research studies found a 28.3 percent decrease in sick leave
   • 16 research studies established a 5.6:1 ROI
   • 23 showed a 26.1 percent reduction in health care expenditures
   • 4 saw a 30 percent decline in direct healthcare and workers’ compensation claims

There is little doubt that a comprehensive wellness program designed to meet a business’s specific needs can save money by decreasing absenteeism, decreasing health care expenditures, decreasing employee turnover, and expanding work rate.

• The United States Department of Health & Human Services, 2003

Following cost, poor employee engagement and inadequate discussions and substructure are listed as the greatest challenges for organizations administering any health benefi t program.22

By law, organizations are required to explain any benefits or explicit conditions of employment to all staff members – this is called “due process,” and it usually takes the form of a packet of information that new staff members are asked to review and sign during orientation or, in the case of existing staff members, a brief communication during open enrollment periods.

Businesses that only engage in the minimally required due process communication of a Company Wellness Program, however, do a disservice to the plan and the organization.

Opinions about Health Care in businesses represent one of the largest disjoins between management and employees. In discussing the need for savings, most businesses (70 percent) believe their business effectively communicates about increasing Health Care costs, while only 34 percent of employees feel increasing Health Care costs effect their business’ ability to succeed.23 When it comes to conduct, 74 percent of businesses believe their employees should be held largely accountable for improving, managing and maintaining health, yet only 4 percent of businesses think that employees engage in these activities.

Under the proposed rules, the four requisites to be a bona fide Company Health Promotion Program are:

- The total reward that may be given to an individual is limited. The departments invited comments on the appropriate level of the reward, suggesting that a limit of ten percent to 20 percent of the total cost of employee-only coverage may be appropriate.
- The program must be reasonably designed to promote great health or prevent disease for individuals in the program.
- The reward must be available to all similarly situated people. More specifically, the program must allow any individual for whom it is unreasonably diffi cult due to a healthcare condition to meet the Corporate Health Promotion Program standard (or for whom it is medically inadvisable to attempt to meet the Corporate Health Promotion Program standard) an opportunity to satisfy a reasonable alternative standard.
- All plan materials describing the terms of the program must disclose the availability of a reasonable alternative standard.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration

As Northwestern Memorial’s Kathryn Krivy says, “The most fundamental failure in any Worksite Wellness Program is not communicating. You need to tell people what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. You have to get staff members engaged and train them of what’s going on.”

A properly createed Corporate Health Promotion Program is designed to save a company more money with better participation. Nevertheless, a company must match its focus on program design with an equally strategic investment in efforts to engage staff members in the initiatives.

Lay out your case – Despite widespread recognition of increasing Healthcare costs, workers remain skeptical that the concern impacts company operations. In fact, only 53 percent of workers even believe what their company communicates about the subject.24 Companies need to be more candid and forthcoming about the amount they spend on Healthcare and how that relates to larger budgetary constraints and potential investments.

Says Motorola’s Saenz: “We share with staff members that we have been able to maintain Motorola’s Medical Care spend trend below national average over the past decade due to their participation in our various Corporate Wellness Programs. This transparency is necessary to keep reminding people the reasons for our actions.”

An effective strategy is to focus on the cost savings and overall health benefi ts to the employee and not the business. By personalizing the information in this way, it creates a win-win scenario rather than presenting the program as a sacrifi ce on the part of the employee. Information ought to be presented through multiple channels, constructed in a way that makes sense to all levels of employees, and given to employees, dependents and retirees.

Make it your own – Every Worksite Wellness Program will be different, and should reflect the culture of a organization. While program areas will be determined by analyzing employee health risks, the actual offerings should be shaped by the nature of the organization. Younger, more active employee communities may be attracted by different programs than an older or technicaloriented employee. Additionally, a global organization with mobile employees will have different needs than a organization with one central location.

As noted earlier regarding PepsiCo’s HealthRoads, one strategy is for corporations to brand their Company Wellness Programs. Union Pacifi c Railroad (HealthTracks), General Motors (LifeSteps) and Caterpillar (Healthy Balance) all adopted this approach to help create recognition and a larger meaning around their efforts. Having a branded initiative helps staff members and other stakeholders see the larger goals/objectives of the Company Wellness Program, instead of focusing on isolated offerings.

Say it loud, say it proud – As a potential cost-saving program, Corporate Wellness Programs ought to be given the same executive substructure and internal responsibility as any comparable business effort. Companies ought to not approach wellness as simply a preventive, financially-motivated program, but rather as an opportunity for the business to distinguish itself and become more competitive.

Jeffrey Treem, analyst, Edelman Change and Employee Program Engagement Group, says that effective communication about Workplace Health Promotion Programs must be integrated into existing employer communication channels and vehicles. “This covers executive communication to external stakeholders,” he notes, “because this sends a powerful message back to employees about the significance of the programs. Workplace Health Promotion Programs must not be treated as merely an additional employee perk, but rather a progressive and strategic effort to decrease costs and create a healthier work environment.” Talk among yourselves – The most powerful champions of any Workplace Health Promotion Program will be the participants.

Businesses should discover ways to facilitate discussions about the program among staff members. This could take the form of support groups, interactive media and the sharing of success stories.

Still, since Corporate Wellness Programs touch on potentially private health problems, it is important communication remains positive and inclusive, while not pressuring workers. Discussion of wellness problems must be voluntary, though businesses may consider providing rewards and incentives for those willing to contribute. Motivation and information from peers is likely to carry more credibility and significance than messages from management.

———-

Even in an at-will employment environment, individuals are still guarded from discrimination (including wrongful termination) by virtue of belonging to a protected class. Before implementing a Company Health Promotion Program, corporations need to be aware of the relevant legal restrictions and the potential affects these measures can have on benefi ts and employee behavior programs.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.

This means that standards and offerings need to be applied equally (or possibly proportionally) to all protected classes. In other words, if a company is offering access to gyms, it should be sure that men and women have equal access to facilities. Companies should also consider whether individuals who may live in areas heavily populated by one race, religion or ethnicity also have access to facilities and programs. The easiest way to address this concern is to provide onsite Company Wellness Programs whenever possible. This not only ensures equal access, but according to Northwestern Memorial’s Krivy, also stimulates participation.

Organizations must also be aware that particular health problems may disproportionately affect protected classes. Health Risk Assessments and any incentives/rewards put in place may really should be customized to account for non-lifestyle related differences.

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA) – Protects men and women who perform substantially equal work in the same establishment from sex-based wage discrimination. Benefits, incentives and programs need to be applied equally to men and women. A employer cannot set a weight goal for men and not for women, although a employer can set health parameters by work function. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) – Protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older from discrimination based on age.

Policies not only need to be available to individuals of all ages, but program objectives, restrictions and incentives need to be designed with age appropriateness. While older employees (or retirees and dependents) may inherently pose a higher health risk, their behaviors ought to be judged in terms of demographically appropriate measures.

Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) – Prohibits employment discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in the private sector, and in state and local governments. Similar to other workplace offerings, any Workplace Health Promotion Programs, such as a fitness center or health clinic, would have to make reasonable accommodations for staff members with disabilities.

One area of ambiguity is whether obese employees qualify as disabled. The issue is complicated because weight is caused by several factors (genetics, environment, behavior), some of which may be out of the employee’s control. Generally, for employees to qualify for disability based on weight, the condition must signifi cantly impair their physical or mental ability to perform their job. This determination would need to be made by a qualifi ed physician. Although this label may affect the types of incentives and rewards and program requirements offered, it likely would not affect the central implementation of behavioral-focused initiatives.

Civil Rights Act of 1991 – Provides monetary damages in cases of intentional employment discrimination.

This legislation allows individuals to sue employers for improper treatment. Compensation can be in the form of actual damages such as lost or expected wages, compensatory damages for a postion that causes public embarrassment, or even punitive damages meant to send a message to a employer for egregious or habitual violations.

While these laws govern all corporation activities, there are even more stringent restrictions with regard to Medical Care topics. Most policies, communications and data collection regarding employee health are governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Under HIPAA businesses can’t deny eligibility for benefits or charge a higher premium on the basis of:

• Health status
• Health condition (including both physical and mental illnesses)
• Claims experience
• Receipt of medical care
• Health history
• Genetic information
• Evidence of insurability (covers activities such as riding a motorcycle, skiing, snowmobiling and other similar pursuits)
• Disability

Still, because wellness programs may not include health care treatment or be insurance related, and may instead be confined to behavioral initiatives, HIPAA’s nondiscrimination provisions do not totally apply. To address this, in 2001 the U.S. Department of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services jointly issued a proposed regulation to help clarify the lawful provisions of a “bona fi de Wellness Program” in the context of HIPAA’s existing language (See Box p. 14). Although the regulation is not yet final, companies that comply with the measure will be viewed by the government as making a good-faith effort to avert discrimination in wellness programs.

Complete Company Wellness Programs are still relatively new to corporate America and the legal implications of implementation and enforcement are not totally known. By their very nature, these programs potentially expose businesses to discrimination lawsuits, disengaged employees and detrimental public relations. Nonetheless, businesses that make a good-faith effort to comply with current Health Care-related laws, discover ways to engage employees, and communicate strategically, will be able to minimize these risks while finding plenty of room to develop a creative and effective Company Wellness Program.

For many organizations, a smoking ban would not even apply to all workers. That is because currently 30 states and the District of Columbia prevent organizations from banning off-duty smoking.21 Additionally, 13 states prevent organizations from banning alcohol use away from work. Only six states have broad statutes that prevent organizations from prohibiting any lawful behavior. Michigan is the only state that expressly prohibits discrimination on the basis of weight, however the cities of San Francisco and Santa Cruz, Calif., also have this provision (San Francisco makes exceptions for police offi cers, fi refi ghters and the San Francisco 49ers football team). When starting Workplace Wellness Programs, organizations ought to keep in mind local statutes as well as established common law.

Savings of Voluntary Worksite Health Promotion Program = (number of participants x savings per participant) – (expense of program)
Savings of Incentive-based Corporate Health Promotion Program = (number of participants x savings per participant) – (cost of program + cost of incentives and rewards)
Savings of Mandatory Employee Wellness Program = (number of participants x savings per participant) – (cost of program + cost of policy-related turnover + cost of limited talent pool)

Constructing Company Health Promotion Program policies in a corporation that employs unionized staff members can pose unique challenges. Company Health Promotion Programs may be perceived by some unions as a condition of employment and therefore would be subject to collective bargaining between the parties. Still this situation can represent an opportunity for both groups, as a policy agreed upon between union leadership and management is likely to be received more favorably by staff members. The United Auto Workers and General Motors worked together to create and position a joint Company Health Promotion Program which has successfully reached more than 800,000 participants. (See Case Studies, UAWGeneral Motors LifeSteps Company Health Promotion Program, p.21).

Unless specifically stated otherwise, most employer-employee relationships in the U.S. are governed by the principle of at-will employment. Under this system a employer, or the employee, can terminate the relationship without any needed showing of cause. This at-will standard gives private corporations substantial authority in governing the behavior of employees. In this environment, corporations can Finding Wealth Through Wellness 10 creatively design Worksite Health Promotion Programs based upon their specifi c corporate culture. Worksite Health Promotion Programs generally take three main forms:

Voluntary Worksite Wellness Programs – The most popular form of employee Worksite Wellness Program, in most cases they are made available to employees but participation (or lack thereof) is not linked to any type of consequence. Due to ineffective communication, often employees are either unaware of these offerings or confuse them with insurance-based healthcare. Incentive-based – Worksite Wellness Programs based on incentives reward employees for participation in Worksite Wellness Program activities. Incentives usually include lower Health Care premiums, health club membership or personalized support offerings. In these programs, employees’ behavior can be linked to a particular reward.

Mandatory Workplace Wellness Programs – Some companies require, or ban, certain health-related behaviors. These can take the form of mandatory Health Risk Assessments for staff members and restrictions on smoking or alcohol use. While mandating behavior is an effective method to eliminate high-risk behavior, the cost savings must be gauged against the potential message sent to existing and prospective staff members. Given that staff members are already under various levels of scrutiny in the workplace, individuals may resist attempts by companies to regulate off-duty behaviors. In Addition, some staff members may fi nd it diffi cult to comply, forcing companies into the uncomfortable postion of punishing an otherwise advantageous employee.

In the short-term a mandate-based Company Health Promotion Program can guide to an increase in turnover, as employees either choose to leave or are fi red for noncompliance. In the long-term, the policy may prevent the company from hiring an otherwise qualifi ed applicant, or may serve as a deterrent for individuals considering the company. Limits in recruiting, for instance, led CNN to rescind a 13-year ban on hiring smokers.18

Businesses need to make sure that Worksite Wellness Programs are aligned with the values and culture that lead organization operations. If a organization emphasizes trust and individual responsibility, then a mandate-based program will likely cause more dissension than it would in a organization that already heavily regulates organization behaviors. Moreover, a work environment with a sizable disengaged population will likely have poor participation in a voluntarybased program. When calculating cost savings, corporations need to take a wider view and consider the effects on long-term employee engagement.

In 2005, Michigan-based insurance benefits provider Weyco instituted a smoking ban for all of its nearly 200 staff members. Employees are subject to random testing and if they fail a mandatory breathalyzer test, they will be fi red. It is believed that Weyco is the first employer to use testing to enforce a smoking ban – most employers ask staff members to self-report behavior. Four staff members (more than 2 percent of the total labor force) left Weyco as a result of the policy. A year prior to the ban the employer implemented a $50 smoking fee, which would be waived if a employee passed a nicotine test or agreed to take a smokingcessation class. Weyco’s president Howard Weyers announced that 20 staff members quit smoking through this program.20 Employees were told they had one year before the total ban would go into effect. Under the new Corporate Health Promotion Program, Weyco does offer $35 a month for staff members who want to use a fi tness center and another $65 a month for staff members who meet fitness goals and objectives.

1. Undertake a utilization assessment – While employers can’t get health information on individual employees, insurance providers will supply employers with reports that detail patterns and rates of employee use for things such as physician visits, hospital stays and prescription drug use. This information is vital for a corporation to set a benchmark of its current health risk status. Data from human resources can be integrated with benefits information to provide a complete picture of employees’ health-related costs. Then, employers can determine the specific level of behavior change necessary to result in cost savings. The utilization assessment helps a corporation identify the areas in which it should focus its Employee Health Promotion Program to reap the greatest benefits.

2. Build a company case – Once a utilization assessment is in place, organizations are able to quantify the Medical Care cost savings that will result from specific levels of lifestyle change and risk reduction. This can be done by setting objectives and goals in terms of reductions in identifi able insurance utilization, attendance or disability variables, or by aiming for reductions in health risks and projecting the associated cost savings. Effective estimates factor in the expense of the Workplace Wellness Programs as well as the necessary internal marketing efforts that will surround the program. Says Betty-Jo Saenz, U.S. Medical Care Strategy lead for Motorola, “When we started our programs, our focus was on the 20% of staff members that made up 80% of the costs. We’ve addressed that, and now we’re paying attention to those who are active and Finding Wealth Through Wellness 8 keeping them healthy. Wherever you are on the continuum, there are opportunities.”

3. Establish a cross-functional wellness team – Organizations need to identify potential team members who can be champions of wellness within the corporation. It is significant that the team is representative of the demographic and functional diversity of employees so that it can credibly address any specific needs groups may have. This team will serve as the voice and face for the Workplace Health Promotion Program within the corporation. Best practice organizations integrate members from human resources, communications, corporation development and upper management. Using the utilization analysis as a guide, the wellness team should evaluate what programs would be most effective within each particular corporate culture, aligning health-risk priorities with initiatives that employees will be receptive to.

4. Build buy-in from senior staff – The most effective Company Wellness Programs have support from the highest levels of a organization. Support from management, both in words and in action, sends the message that Company Wellness Programs are a priority for a organization. The utilization analysis can be a powerful tool to build the organization case for Company Wellness Programs and convince executives that initiatives are worthy of investment and attention. Meaningful wellness-related messages are integrated into organization talks and aligned with corporate objectives.

5. Establish a all-inclusive Employee Program Engagement plan – The most brilliantly conceived Company Health Promotion Program is meaningless if no employees take part. Effective wellness talks emphasize both health and monetary benefits at the personal and organization level. According to a 2004 survey by Towers Perrin, only 28 percent of employees say their organization communicates about Medical Care topics other than cost. In addition, wellness-related information ought to be a part of existing organization talks efforts and not coupled solely with benefits talks. This helps elevate the significance of Company Health Promotion Programs and align initiatives with organization objectives.

Additionally, talks around Worksite Wellness Programs can share personal success stories and support corporation progress updates. Successful corporations not only use existing talking channels to generate discussion around activities, but also consider more interactive tools like message boards, forums, blogs and wikis. This helps personalize initiatives and permits for the sharing of best practices within the corporation.

A lot businesses involve healthcare experts to advise in the construction, communication and support of the program. The use of outside authorities such as these will expand the credibility of the Workplace Wellness Programs as well as combat skepticism from employees who may view the company’s motives as merely selfserving.

Another strategy available to businesses is to brand their Corporate Wellness Program. This move can broaden the visibility and acceptance of the offering. Branded wellness programs are most common when businesses are also promoting an external campaign around Corporate Wellness Programs. An example of this is PepsiCo, which launched its HealthRoads Corporate Wellness Program internally along with a consumer campaign, Smart Spot, that puts special labels on healthier food and drink options.

These efforts are more effective when they are not owned solely by the internal communications department, but rather when managers serve as leaders of, as well as participate in, Workplace Wellness Programs within organizations. This creates more immediate accountability and motivation.

6. Measure constantly and consistently – At every step of implementation, a Workplace Health Promotion Program must be able to corroborate its value to a business. Workplace Health Promotion Programs should be designed to allow corporations to set benchmarks and evaluate behavior modification. Measurement ought to consider not only quantitative health measures, but also qualitative measures of stress and employee program engagement. Less than 10% of corporations do extensive management of health care expense, employee health risk status or employee satisfaction with benefit offerings, and less than half of corporations do any measurement in these areas at all.16

Measurement is only useful if a employer explicitly defines what data would constitute success. Potential measures of success comprise:

• Participation rates
• Improved employee program engagement
• Decrease of risk status
• Lowering of direct health costs
• Lowered absenteeism
• Less disability claims

Motorola’s Saenz advises administrators of Workplace Wellness Programs to track as many measures as possible from the start, even if management only needs one, because it is very difficult to retrieve data later. She notes that even if leadership begins by looking at participation rates, they will eventually want to know about reductions in claims and costs.

Frequent measurement is the only way to build backing among management and employees. Nearly half of businesses feel a lack of useful data is a top barrier to their ability to manage employee health, and at least 20% of businesses don’t know how effective existing Worksite Wellness Programs are regarding various outcomes. Organizations should conduct utilization analyses annually and reevaluate Worksite Wellness Program priorities based upon changes. Additionally, progress should be shared with the wider business community to build backing for initiatives. Managers and executives throughout a company are likely to backing a program that can prove increased productivity among employees. Effective Worksite Wellness Programs are designed to be fl exible so they can respond to changes in both company goals/objectives and larger health variations.

Worksite Wellness Programs first became popular during the economic boom of the late 1980s and early 90s. Programs featured on-Site health clubs and massages, and were used as recruitment tools for young employees searching for nontraditional work environments. Nonetheless, when the tech bubble burst, so too did the willingness to spend money on perceived perks, and businesses returned to a more old-school benefit structure focused on managed healthcare.

In recent years, as Health Care costs have spiraled out of control, companies have explored the potential of Corporate Health Promotion Programs as a cost-saving strategy. Businesses such as Johnson and Johnson, General Motors, Motorola and Union Pacifi c Railroad have all seen a signifi cant return on investments in employee health (See Case Studies, p.20). Corporate Health Promotion Programs can help reduce the costs associated with:

Health Care premiums – The expense a corporation pays for healthcare insurance: According to a 2005 study by Hewitt, the Health Care expense per employee in the U.S. in 2006 will average $8,046, with employers absorbing nearly two-thirds of that expense.

Prescription costs – The price of a prescription drug plan: According to a 2005 study by Mercer, the average annual prescription drug costs for large companies grew 11.5%, making it nearly a decade straight of double-digit rises in cost.

Short-term disability (STD) – The cost of offering short-term disability insurance to employees: According to a 2004 study by insurance provider Cigna, the average short-term disability claim results in $13,094 in direct disability payments and medical costs. The report also found that 26% of claims related to healthcare events were a result of chronic conditions that could likely be mediated through Worksite Wellness Programs, and that these cases amount for 56% of the STD-related medical costs.

Rates of Absenteeism – The cost of missed work: Rates of Absenteeism cost employers $660 per employee in 2004, with nearly one-third of employers characterizing the trend as a serious concern.

Presenteeism – The cost associated with employees who work at decreased work rate levels: Sixty% of the total cost of employee diseases come from presenteeism, according to a 2004 study by the Institute for Health and Productivity Studies at Cornell University.

The evidence is clear that strategically designed Company Wellness Programs can decrease both direct and indirect Medical Care costs. A 2004 review of Company Wellness Programs revealed that, in total, an investment of $1 by a organization in Wellness Programming returned a median cost savings of $2.05 to $4.64.

Employee Engagement is the level at which workers are aligned with and working toward organization goals. Employee Engagement is influenced by a wide range of factors that include internal discussions, organization structure, benefits and recognition.

Businesses that have high levels of employee engagement benefit from better productivity, retention and execution than peers with disengaged staff members.  Levels of engagement among staff members in the United States have been declining over the past decade as individuals have become disillusioned with the treatment of staff members by organizations. The inability to involve staff members is one of the reasons why, despite steady rises in hours worked, America lags behind several other nations in terms of employee productivity per hours worked.

Corporate Health Promotion Programs may increase employee program engagement in several ways. First, when communicated properly, they demonstrate to workers that the business cares about their wellness. This can improve retention and turnover as well as provide a greater discretionary effort from workers. During a period of significant downsizing, Motorola found more of an interest in its Corporate Health Promotion Programs as managers recognized the value of providing for the health and wellness of workers.

In addition, the health improvements will decrease presenteeism and absenteeism (when workers continue to work despite decreased productiveness), allowing for more time spent at full productiveness. Lastly, healthier workers are more likely to have increased morale, which translates into a more enjoyable and more effective work environment.