Drug Education and Intervention in the Workplace

Brown bag presentations are a good way to create awareness about selected health issues. Community health professionals will often offer presentations of a half hour or less at no charge. Use employee interest surveys to follow up on employee interests that are expressed. The definition of health is broad, so brown bag presentations may also cover a wide variety of issues. Topics may include physical, mental, emotional, women’s health, men’s health, financial health, etc.

Considerations for brown bag presentations:
• Brown bag sessions are effective for awareness building. This seed planting process can help workers become more proactive about healthy choices.
• Do not schedule the program for the full hour – usually 40 minutes or so works best. This will give folks an opportunity to come and go, grab a quick bite, ask questions, etc.
• If the subject matter is sensitive, such as domestic violence, substance abuse, etc., people may be reluctant to attend for fear of being associated publicly with the problem. They will, however, show up if the focus is on helping family members, coworkers, etc.
• Ensure that workers hear valuable information and will leave with tools and resources to carry out the message. Work with the presenter on information strategies that work for your employee group.
• Promotional materials should publicize the program with a name that indicates the brown bag focus. Include all other pertinent information such as where, who, when, etc.
• Some issues that can’t be covered in one session should be provided in a short series. It will work best to schedule one session each week rather than several sessions in one week. For example, you might offer a 3-week series on healthy eating rather than trying to cram all the information into one session.
• A catchy title can draw visitors to the event. An example of this might include calling lunchtime presentations “Noonlighting”
• If possible, provide a free healthy snack for staff members who attend.
• To maintain momentum, try setting up a routine monthly time and day for lunchtime seminars.
• If workers work in shift or are in work groups in different geographical locales, establish a plan that offers equal attendance opportunity to all.

Resources:

1. Check the idea list at the end of this guide which offers a variety of resource topics of interest to employees.
2. Every neighborhood has a myriad of individuals, experts, or specialists from voluntary groups (heart, cancer, lung associations), special interest groups (Y’s, Red Cross, Weight Watcher’s, Safety Council, Alcoholics Anonymous), or the local health department as options to lead workplace sessions free or at a low cost. Many of these contacts will also offer inexpensive materials.
3. Topic videos can be utilized for a brown bag session.

Often people avoid low fat foods because they think these foods do not taste great. To help inform employees, purchase a variety of low fat foods and put them out in a conference room for an hour or so for a drop-in tasting session. Or, arrange for low-fat potlucks encouraging employees to bring and share their favorite low fat or healthy dishes.

Considerations:
• Make sure the selections actually taste good.
• Offer a “fact sheet” with the names and price of the various products to support participants if they want to buy these products from the grocery store.
• Offer other written information on great diet for any interested participants to take. Make use of websites and other resources listed in the Resource Section at the end of this guide.
• Give small tasting spoons or wooden ice cream tasters.
• It doesn’t require much of each item to give participants a taste of the meals or dish. It is not essential to buy enough, or bring enough, food to provide a meal.
• Set up the tasting room after lunch so participants can go in on their own and sample.
• Keep an eye out for overly sugary items…sometimes low fat means high sugar – so be sure to check the label.
• Typical purchases for a worksite sampling might include: two boxes of healthy crackers, a package of low fat cheese, a box of low fat cookies, two or three low fat spreads such as hummus, low fat cream cheese, a package of honey nut or other flavored rice crackers, and one or two other low fat items.
• Position signs on the table gently reminding participants that the idea is to sample, not have a meal.
• Offer a beverage such as a new kind of fruit juice or herbal tea.

Group backing and encouragement can be very helpful in helping staff members make healthy changes. Create situations, peer groups, or information avenues where the expertise and experiences of coworkers can be shared with others. Some ideas for offering workplace backing for healthy changes include:

• Staff Members can be asked to voluntarily submit ideas, advice, and strategies related to particular healthy practices they have successfully implemented in their lives. By way of example, ex-smokers can be asked to submit ideas about what worked for them when they quit; then those ideas can be shared in newsletters, flyers, classes, etc.
• Topics like weight control, stress management, managing change, increasing exercise, etc. lend themselves to this development of collective wisdom sharing.
• Behavior change reinforcement groups, created based on employee interest in making healthy change, can meet on regularly to share ideas, resources, support, etc. Workplace Health Promotion Programs can offer some help and facilitation in getting a group started. The group then itself takes charge of keeping the group going. Periodically the wellness program can offer to bring in a speaker on a topic relevant to the group. Be sure to help the group agree upon ground rules that everyone agrees to before the group is left on its own.

A health and wellness fair is a great way to familiarize staff members with health issues and related wellness programs. During a health and wellness fair staff members might be able to get resource materials; take part in provided health screenings (vision, hearing, blood, blood lipids, cancer, dental, etc.); observe demonstrations on the use of exercise equipment; go to mini-sessions on various health issues; get no cost promotional items from local organizations; try healthy foods; and pick up information about their health benefit plan.

Some corporations host a “health & benefit fair” which includes vendors representing the various employee benefit plans (long-term disability, retirement, etc.) available to workers through their corporation.

Considerations when coordinating a health fair:

• Setting up a thriving wellness fair takes extensive time. Time issues should be taken into account in planning and organizing such an event. The most time consuming part is generally contacting potential participants, making arrangements for their participation, confirming their participation, and setting up the day of the event.
• Sufficient space, tables and chairs must be on hand to allow for the number of vendors involved. Some vendors may have portable displays or materials that will require additional space, access to electrical outlets, or other logistical considerations that must be discussed prior to the health & wellness fair.
• Vendors will be hoping to make contact with as many persons as possible during the event. Securing their responsibility to future health fairs requires that every effort be made to promote participation by publicizing the event, selecting the proper venue, and offering incentives.
• If possible, locate the health & wellness fair in a location with heavy foot traffic.
• Ask vendors to bring no cost materials at their table and to make a donation to a prize drawing. Adhere to all organization policies when soliciting donations.
• As an idea to boost employee participation and to maintain high interest levels, each attendee could be given a “passport”, similar to a bingo card, to be signed by each vendor. The signed passport serves as the ticket for the prize drawings. Such drawings must take place every 15 or 30 minutes.
• Consider teaming up with nearby companies to host a health fair. A group effort will distribute the work and maximize participation.

Ideas for a Benefits Fair:

Invite representatives from each of your employee benefits provider groups. Ask each vendor to be prepared to answer employee questions regarding their program. Representatives could include:

• Retirement plan representative.
• Long-term disability plan representative.
• Health plan representative.
• Health Benefits representative.
• Contract cell phone representative (if applicable).
• Local savings and loan or credit union representative.
• Workers’ compensation representative.

Limited Space for a Health Fair: If space is limited hold the fair at lunchtime time. Place stations in corporation hallways or in individual small conference or office rooms located throughout the building. Give a map with all the stations listed. Have a free drawing awarding a prize for anyone who goes to 75 percent of the stations. Use a punch card or similar method to verify.

Resources for health & benefit fairs coordination:

Assume a broad definition of “health” and reflect that by including a variety of vendors and services involved with physical, mental, economic and social health; for example, health agencies, safety corporations, benefits providers, local medical facilities, recreational facilities, parks, financial planners, childcare referrals, EAP, health clubs, health food stores, library, alternative and complementary medicine providers, etc.

Worksite wellness screenings can take a variety of forms. Common assessment components may include:

• Blood Pressure (BP) and heart rate.
• Cholesterol (typically a finger-stick total cholesterol test, either fasting or non-fasting).
• Blood glucose (diabetes screening).
• Height and weight.
• Percent body fat and/or BMI (body mass index).
• Fitness level.
• Bone density.
• Posture assessment.

Considerations when offering workplace screenings:

• Wellness screenings must be conducted by qualified, and at times, licensed individuals.
• Wellness screenings must be conducted in a location that allows for privacy and confidentiality.
• Time for discussion and explanation screening results must be given as part of the evaluation process.
• A process must be in place for referral for participants whose results are indicative of a need for further medical evaluation.
• Screenings can be very costly to the central wellness budget OR there may be no cost to the program if participants are willing to cover the cost of the assessment themselves. For example, blood lipid and glucose testing usually costs twenty to twenty-five dollars per person, per exam. Workers may be willing to pay for assessment in exchange for the convenience of having the assessment at work.
• It generally works best to have scheduled appointments at intervals sufficient to allow time for the assessment and a brief discussion of results. Therefore, a registration and scheduling process must be devised.
• Some types of screening, such as fitness testing, require participants to bring casual clothes in which to do the testing. Staff Members must be notified of the need to dress in a specific manner for the screening.
• To ensure high attendance at assessment events, it is advisable to begin promotion of the event with reminders to staff members.
• Supply staff members with “screening preparation” instructions to remind them how to prepare for the most accurate assessment results.

Resources for workplace screenings:

1. Consult with a wellness consultant or health evaluation business.
2. If employee participation is meager for onsite health screenings, or if offering additional workplace assessment is an option, check with the community health or outreach department of your local hospital, health education department, occupational health department or workplace health department as to screenings they might offer.
3. Local health clubs may also employ qualified employee for some types of screenings, such as fitness testing or body fat measurement.

Points to Keep in Mind

Hiring Certified Professionals

Hire professionally certified instructors to lead fitness classes (whether on or offsite) or to run worksite lunch and learn sessions.  It’s also a good idea to ask the instructor for references.

When you hire instructors, make sure that your insurance protects both the instructor and your business.

Risk Management

Whether we like it or not, liability is a concern these days.

Risk management plans do not have to be complex or expensive. For example, part of the plan might require that staff members fill out fitness appraisals and sign statements accepting the possible risks involved in physical activity. It pays to be prepared. Safety and emergency policies and procedures reduce the risk of loss both to individuals and to your organization.

Ask workers to fill out a waiver when participating in both onsite and offsite activities. For liability reasons, workers must be aware of the risks involved in participating in the exercise and understand that they are waiving their right to sue.

The employee must not be asked to sign the waiver just before the activity. The waiver may be invalid if staff members claim that they didn’t totally understand the risks.

Other Safety Tips

Here’s a list of some other safety tips to keep in mind when creating physical exercise.

Look at the environment where staff members are active:

• Sidewalks should be clear of ice and snow, away from falling debris or snow, and have clearly marked curbs and safe crosswalks.
• Stairwells should be well-lit and in good condition and have handrails and safety features, so that workers are not locked out of floors.
• Fitness facilities must have proper flooring, good ventilation, and access to water and an emergency telephone.

Offer medical assessment for staff members participating in activities:

• PAR-Q
• PAR-MEDX for Pregnancy

Below are some other significant safety factors:

• First-aid kit and automated external defibrillator on site.
• Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place and practised.
• Commercial grade fitness equipment (not donated, “hand me down” equipment).
• Documented equipment inspection and maintenance schedule.
• Orientation of equipment and programs done by certified professional with a physical exercise background.

To make a difference in the lives of your fellow employees, you first need to see that getting active is not only a matter of choice. Some things are within our individual control, but others are shaped by the people and circumstances in which we live and work.

It’s Easier to Be Active When…

• We know what to do and have the confidence, skills and opportunity to do it.
• It’s fun. “Working out” at the gym does not appeal to everyone. Activities need to reflect what individuals enjoy.
• Our friends, family or co-staff members are active with us (or at least support us).
• We feel safe, thanks to well-lit streets or stairways.
• Sidewalks, walking/biking trails, parks and gyms are nearby.
• We have money to pay for equipment, instruction or memberships.
• We can walk, bike or take public transit to work.
• Active choices such as taking the stairs, having stretch breaks at gatherings and going outside at lunchtime are “normal” in the worksite.
• Managers support and recognize employee efforts. Better yet, they participate.
• We can juggle our work hours to fit in physical exercise.

Consider how you could create some of these conditions in your workplace. By taking these steps, you’ll make it more likely that staff members both want and are able to be active during working hours.

Workplace physical activity drives that focus only on individuals have limited success. Research shows that reaching people in various ways gives the strong chance of long-term success.

A plan directed at multiple echelons is also called an “ecological approach.”

The type of assessment you choose depends on when you do it and the kind of information you gather.

This section describes when to use three types: formative, process and summative evaluations.

During the Planning Stage

Use formative evaluations in the planning stages to see that your program is based on solid information. These evaluations also help you to advance effective and appropriate materials and procedures.

Examples of formative evaluations include:

• records of management commitments to the program
• employee interest surveys
• workplace environmental assessments
• pre-testing of program materials

During Your Initiative

A process assessment is used when the program is underway. These evaluations help you:

• track what is going well and what isn’t (and how to revise your program)
• learn if you are reaching the staff members you want to reach
• describe the plan to others
• monitor who is participating in the initiative

During or Following Your Initiative

Summative evaluations happen when the initiative is already in place or completed. Use this sort of assessment to measure what employees like about the initiative and what might be improved.

All three types of evaluations are useful. The assessment you choose is dependent upon the time and financial resources you have available.

What Do You Seek to Achieve?

Think about why you’re evaluating and what your assessment is going to measure.

If you’re trying to find out whether program has been efficacious, see if you stuck to your mission statement and met your goals.

If you do not have a mission statement or goals, agree with management and your employee Employee Health Promotion Program Committee how your organization will measure success.

For example, you can track success by changes in:

• Physical measures (e.g., strength, flexibility, waist circumference of workers).
• Psychological measures (e.g., employee morale, satisfaction levels, stress levels).
• Productivity measures (e.g., decline in absenteeism rates, increased employee productivity).

Thinking About workers

If you’re considering making improvements to the plan, think about whether the plan is still relevant and appropriate for staff members. See if there are any barriers to participation in the program or to participation in physical activity during work.

As workers are the ones participating in the program, it’s valuable to give them a chance to provide feedback on the physical exercise program.

Choosing an Evaluation Method

Decide on your evaluation method. Both measurable results (e.g., absenteeism rates or questionnaire responses) and descriptive results (e.g., one-on-one interviews or focus groups) can be used to evaluate. The method you choose will depend on the time and funding available and what you want to measure.

Deciding How to Do the Evaluation

Plan when and where you will do your assessment (and who will be evaluated). For more information, read the “Types of Evaluations” section on this website.
You may want to pilot test your assessment (e.g., with participants of the Employee Health Promotion Program Committee) before sending it out to staff members. The employee Employee Health Promotion Program Committee may also want to evaluate the initiative’s planning process.

Doing the Assessment

• Compare your results to baseline information (i.e., evaluation results from before the launch of your plan). If you do not have this information, save your evaluation results to compare with later results. You can also look at other information you may have, such as employee satisfaction survey results.
• Analyze and share meaningful and simple-to-be aware of results with upper management and staff members.
• Assessment results can be used to improve the current physical exercise program and/or to foster new drives in future.

Prior to kicking off your Workplace Physical Activity Program, summarize the information you’ve collected and plan your next steps.

At this point, you have

• gained support from upper management for the Workplace Physical Activity Program
• formed an Workplace Wellness Program Committee
• assessed what is possible in your workplace
• found out what employees want and need in a Workplace Physical Activity Program.

Based on this information, you’re now ready to advance your action plan to stimulate physical exercise at your workplace.

With the Workplace Health Promotion Program Committee, take the following steps.

• Combine the results of the employee survey with the workplace environmental assessment, and report to senior staff and workers.
• Prioritize the possibilities at each of the “levels” (individual, social, employer, community, policy) in the workplace listed in “Keys to Success”. By way of example, suppose a big group of employees show an interest in biking to work. Since these individuals may want to shower and change after their commute each day, you could give showers and changing facilities priority in your workplace. Bike racks could also be important for making employees’ bikes secure during work.
• Consult the list of practical ideas found this website.
• Establish a mission statement (one which aligns with your organization’s overriding mission statement) to define your purpose and help guide your process. Setting objectives and goals will help you achieve your mission statement.
• Put together a plan or blueprint approaching what you have learned. Make program and exercise recommendations with timelines, identify resources and assign responsibilities. Revisit the list of tasks outlined in “Step 2: Forming an Employee Committee.” Seek senior staff approval to move ahead.
• Once your program is in place, it’s valuable to reward it to staff members. Organizing a launch is a good way to do this. A formal launch also demonstrates senior staff responsibility. If staff members don’t know about the program, they can’t take advantage of it!
• Decide what you need to track to show that you have reached your goals and objectives. Measure these factors before you start. This way, when you evaluate later, you will know if there has been a change.