Wellness Program Toolkit

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Wellness Program

Toolkit

8 Easy Steps to Creating Your

Own Wellness Program

Chester County Health Department www.chesco.org/health

This guide will assist businesses in implementing a wellness program for their worksite, school or community organization. This toolkit contains easy-to-follow steps, resources, and templates to aid in this process.

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How to Start Your Own Wellness Program

Congratulations on taking the first step towards starting a worksite wellness program! Below are EIGHT key components and up-to-date resources to assist in the development of a worksite wellness program for your company/organization.

The language in the toolkit is largely directed toward worksites; however, the toolkit can also be used by church groups, schools, or other groups of individuals that desire a healthier environment.

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Below is a checklist to help keep organized and on track. The more tasks checked, the higher the chances for a more comprehensive program.

 Check the box as you complete the task or enter N/A if the benchmark/task

does not apply to your organization.

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1. Capture Senior and/or Administrative Level Support

2. Create cohesive wellness teams

3. Collect data to drive health efforts

4. Craft an operating plan

5. Choose appropriate interventions

6. Incentive ideas

7. Create a supportive environment

8. Evaluate outcomes

Suggestions, resources and more details of how to accomplish each step are included in this Toolkit. For more information on starting a Wellness Program, email [email protected] or call 610-344-6490.

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Based on the Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA) benchmarks of success, there are eight key steps to help start a wellness program. These steps are recommendations only. Every wellness program is different, as is every worksite. Not all worksites can accomplish every benchmark; however, we encourage worksites to start with the benchmarks that apply to you and keep other benchmarks in mind as future goals.

Several sample materials are available at the end of this toolkit.

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Capture Senior and/or Administrative Level Support

First and foremost, support from the CEO and administration of an organization can be the backbone of any wellness program.

Support from management and leadership is key to a successful wellness program. The top tier contributes to whether a program or policy, such as valuing personal health among employees, is embedded into practice in an organization. Having support from senior staff and/or

administration will benefit your program because they can:

• Allocate resources such as staff and a program budget.

• Incorporate a “healthy workforce” into the company’s vision or mission which can ensure longevity of the program.

Create Cohesive Wellness Teams

Creating a cohesive wellness team is a vital step in developing a results-oriented wellness program.

Teams are essential because they help to distribute the responsibility for wellness throughout the organization. A ‘team’ can consists of two or more people, although more than two is recommended - the more people, the more ideas, and the more support!

According to WELCOA, the following steps will lead to creating a successful, cohesive wellness team:

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• Team members. Create a wellness team. If possible, have “wellness” written into their job description. Include people from different departments and levels.

• Announce the formation of a Wellness Team. By promoting the individuals who make up the team, others will see that wellness is an organizational priority — so much so that a team of people has been appointed to address this topic. The second reason is so that others will see that team members are there to help, support, and assist them.

• Strong leadership. The leader doesn’t necessarily need a background in health. They should, however, be able to establish an agenda, manage a variety of different personalities, define priorities, meet goals and deadlines, motivate others, and communicate effectively.

• Meet regularly and communicate frequently. Teams should meet on a regular basis to share ideas, challenges, successes, and evaluate the outcomes of the programs. Plan the meetings with agendas and distribute meeting minutes to record and monitor the team’s activity and progress. These steps are essential in the event of team turnover.

Collect Data to Drive Health Efforts

The team’s first and primary responsibility is not to start offering programs, but rather to step back and gather important data.

Data collection is extremely important because it:

• Provides a snapshot of the overall health and well-being of your organization

• Ensures that senior level executives are kept in the loop as to what's happening in the arena of employee health and well-being

• Provides accountability and allows you to definitively measure change

• Allows you to demonstrate the value of wellness program to shareholders

The following are examples of data that should be collected. Some of this information can come from your Human Resources Department or your insurance carrier:

• Employee Needs and Interests Survey. Survey data can be used to determine employee interests in health and wellness topics, preferred times of programs, preferred

locations, and barriers to participating in programs. Employee surveys also make all staff feel like a part of the process.

• Organizational demographic data such as number of employees/group members, gender, age, and job type.

• Worksite Wellness Employer Checklist to determine what areas of health you can consider addressing through your program.

• Employee health data such as health risk assessment information or health screening data

• Health care claim, prescription use, and disease incidence data.

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• Employee productivity data such as absenteeism, disability, and workers' compensation.

• Health Risk Appraisal – This is an electronic or hard-copy questionnaire that is used to gather important information about employee health. Once completed, employees receive a customized individual report detailing their personal health status, health risks, and recommendations for lifestyle improvements. To find an assessment, check with your insurance provider or see suggested HRAs in the resource section below.

Craft an Operating Plan

The operating plan is the central document that serves as the key piece of communication for your wellness program and outlines what you hope to accomplish. It provides details on organizational and individual alignment and approaches. A plan can include:

• A mission statement that incorporates your organization’s philosophies and vision

• Specific goals and objectives addressing priority health issues

• Timelines for implementation

• Roles and responsibilities

• Itemized budget and resources

• Identified marketing strategies

• Desired outcomes and evaluation measures

Choose Appropriate Interventions

It is now appropriate to begin choosing and implementing the appropriate interventions depending on what your data revealed.

Choosing appropriate interventions is a critical step in developing and delivering a results-oriented wellness program. Interventions should reduce health risk and promote better health whether it’s quitting smoking, weight or disease management, or stress reduction; the issues that need to be addressed are almost always the same.

Here are some sample interventions you can consider: • Educational presentations at lunch

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• Health screenings (blood pressure, cholesterol, weight or BMI) • Ongoing ‘quit smoking’ programs or peer-support groups • On-site chair massage for mid-day stress relief

• Walking programs or weight loss challenges

When choosing and offering appropriate interventions, the wellness team should consider the following questions:

• How will the intervention be promoted?

• How often will the intervention be offered?

• Will this intervention be offered at multiple locations and for multiple shifts?

• What will be the cost to deliver the intervention?

• What incentives will be used to increase participation? • How will the intervention be evaluated?

• Who will the intervention be offered to (employees, dependents, retirees)?

RESOURCES: Local health agencies

• Worksite Insurance Carrier - many insurance carriers offer subscribers free preventive screenings, reimbursements on gym memberships, or free consultations with a

registered dietitian

• Occupational Health Care Provider - find out if your organization has an occupational health partnership and ask them to provide safety and other programs

• Local Health Departments. Many health departments offer screenings and other educational health-related resources. Not all counties have health departments - they may be served by other government agencies. Check your county government website for details.

• Local Hospitals often have a Community Health Education Department

• Fitness Centers or Health Clubs - may provide fitness classes or demonstrations for low or no cost

• Non-Profit Health Organizations such as local chapters of the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, or Alzheimer’s Association

• Colleges or Universities that have health programs and work with nursing students or interns may be able to provide educational programs or screenings for your worksite.

• Boy Scout & Girl Scout Troops often need community service work to earn a badge. Activities could include creating walking trails distance markers at your worksite.

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Consider Incentive ideas

Who doesn’t like to be rewarded? If used effectively, wellness incentives can significantly increase participation and improve the likelihood that employees will embrace, and ultimately adopt, healthier behaviors. Read below to learn how to leverage incentives to improve your company’s wellness programming efforts.

There are many incentive types to choose from:

• Merchandise such as T-shirts, gift cards (local sporting goods store), or movie passes

• Periodic prize drawings

• Well days off

• Cash incentives for completing a HRA or getting an annual check-up

• Health plan contributions or medical plan coverage enhancements

• Medical or flexible spending accounts

Find what the best fit is for your company. For more

information on the above ideas, contact the Chester County Health Department.

Create

a Supportive Environment

Creating a supportive, health-promoting environment makes adopting healthy behaviors easier. It takes much more than just educational opportunities to bring about ongoing changes in personal health behaviors. It is essential to develop specific strategies for systematically improving the physical working environment for your organization. In order to lead healthier lives, employees should have environmental support in six key areas. Examples for each area are listed below.

1. Physical Activity

• Obtain a corporate/organization discount at local fitness facilities. • Offer reimbursement to individuals who use an offsite fitness facility.

• Place promotional posters/signs that encourage exercise during the workday or using stairs instead of the elevator.

• Promote community resources such as walking trails or create a walking trail around your property.

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• Create a flex time policy so that employees have flexibility in their schedule to fit physical activity into their day.

• Install bike racks in a safe place to encourage employees to bike to work.

2. Tobacco Use

• Create a policy to make all areas of property 100% tobacco-free.

• Cover the cost of nicotine replacement products or other quit smoking aids. • Reimburse employees for taking a tobacco cessation course.

• Promote community resources such as local cessation and quit smoking programs.

3. Nutrition and Weight Management

• Offer healthy food options in cafeterias and vending machines. • Offer healthy snacks/food at staff meetings. (see sample)

• Write a suggestion list or create a policy for healthy meeting food options.

• Start a Make your Own Salad Bowl Lunch program for meetings and participants each bring a salad ingredient (e.g. greens, dressings, toppings, vegetables, etc.).

4. Workstation and Ergonomics

• Conduct workstation assessments to examine such things as computer monitor height, keyboard and mouse position, chair mechanics, and lighting. Be sure to follow through on results, making changes as recommended.

• Provide employees with information on ergonomic issues—especially as it relates to back pain and wrist/hand discomfort.

5. Mental Health and Stress-Management

• Offer employee assistance provider programs and counseling support.

• Provide employees with information on stress management and coping techniques.

6. Safety and Emergency Procedures

• Develop safety and emergency procedures that can include; emergency medicine protocols, fire evacuation, bomb threats, natural disasters, information system failures, violence prevention, communicable disease outbreaks, and reacting to acts of terrorism. • Implement a clear, concise policy about seatbelt use while operating a company vehicle.

Evaluate Outcomes

The final step is to carefully evaluate outcomes. Evaluation measures help determine which elements of the program are working and which need attention. The information you collect

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can help you appropriately allocate resources and reshape programs. Evaluating outcomes also helps to:

• obtain feedback so that you can improve your programming efforts

• demonstrate the value of your program

• measure change

• secure continued funding

• establish accountability

• compare the efficacy of different interventions

Short term program outcomes such as participation, participant satisfaction, and utilization of incentives helps obtain feedback that can improve programming efforts and demonstrate the value of the program.

Long term program outcomes seek to assess the following: Were objectives achieved? Did employees adopt healthier behaviors? Did our workplace environment encourage healthier behaviors? Outcomes such as personal health indicators, utilization of health care services, and changes to the environment help to measure change and establish accountability for use of resources, and compare efficacy of different interventions.

Evaluating behavior change can be difficult. As your employees or participants become accustomed to the shift toward wellness, behavior change will more likely follow.

RESOURCES

• Participant Feedback Forms – Distribute after programs to determine short-term

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Free Help, Technical Assistance and Resources

For more information or assistance in setting up a program or campaign, contact the Chester County Health Department at 610-344-6441 or [email protected].

Web Resources

Chester County Health Department Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) Independence Blue Cross

Pennsylvania Department of Health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) CDC Lean Works

National Wellness Institute

Well Steps – Return on Investment Calculator

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Sample Agenda

INSERT YOUR LOGO

Wellness Committee

Meeting

INSERT YOUR LOGO

Date: Time: Location: Agenda Items Topic

Welcome and Introductions (INSERT AGENDA ITEM) (INSERT AGENDA ITEM) (INSERT AGENDA ITEM) (INSERT AGENDA ITEM) Q&A: Open discussion

Other Information

Next Meeting:

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Sample Meeting Minutes

<Insert Logo>

Wellness Committee

Meeting Minutes

<Insert Logo>

Details Date : Time: Location: Attendees

Absent The following were unable to attend the meeting:

Purpose of Mtg

Items Discussed Items which were discussed are as follows:

Topic Decision

Action Items

Topic Discussion, Decision or Action Taken Responsibility

Next Meeting <Insert Date> and <Insert Time> <Insert Location>

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Sample Mission

Include a commitment to wellness in your employee handbook, on your intranet site, on your careers or job opportunities page, and during your employee orientations. Below is example language for a

wellness mission for your organization.

Example One: Commitment to Wellness

We value the total wellness of our associates; physical, mental and emotional wellness. We offer the highest quality benefits coupled with attractive incentives making (INSERT COMPANY) an employer of choice for our associates.

Example Two:

(INSERT COMPANY) is committed to the health and welfare of our employees. We're pleased to offer an employee wellness program (INSERT NAME) designed to help our employees and their families reach their health and wellness goals.

Health Risk Assessment Resources

1. Your insurance provider – You may be able to receive a cumulative report of the results from your

insurance provider.

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Tobacco-Free Policy Samples

To protect and enhance our indoor air quality and to contribute to the health and well-being of all employees, (INSERT COMPANY) shall be entirely smoke free effective (INSERT DATE).

Smoking is prohibited in all of the enclosed areas within (INSERT COMPANY), without exception. This includes common work areas, the manufacturing facilities, individual offices, conference and meeting rooms, private offices, hallways, the lunchrooms, stairs, restrooms; employer owned or leased vehicles, and all other enclosed facilities.

The only designated smoking area in (INSERT COMPANY) is outdoors, on the (INSERT LOCATION) of the building. No one may smoke along any path way or walk way leading to or from the designated smoking area, nor may employees smoke at the picnic tables nor outdoors in any of the grassy areas or the parking lots.

Additionally, employees may smoke in their personal vehicles, but the smoke and tobacco products must be completely contained within the vehicle. It is not acceptable that either smoking or non-smoking employees are subjected to smoke that they must walk through to reach their vehicle or any other destination on (INSERT COMPANY) premises.

While (INSERT COMPANY) makes these areas available to smokers, it in no way has any legal

responsibility to do so. Employees who choose to use these smoking areas do so at their own risk. No additional breaks are allowed to any employee who smokes. Finally, smokers and users of tobacco products must dispose of the remains in the proper containers. This helps to keep a neat and clean environment for all employees and our visiting partners and customers.

Failure to comply with all of the components of this policy will result in disciplinary action that can lead up to and include employment termination.

I acknowledge receipt of, and understanding of the (INSERT COMPANY) Smoke Free Workplace Policy. The policy is effective (Date) until further notice.

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Lunch or Dinner

Breakfast

Beverages

Healthy Meetings:

Food Recommendations

The importance of healthy behaviors, particularly making better food choices and getting enough physical activity is apparent. Your Healthy Lifestyle Employee Wellness Program recommends that healthy choices be available at workplace gatherings (e.g. meetings, celebrations, trainings) where food is served. Offering options for healthy eating supports the mission of your wellness program and encourages healthy living for yourself, your co-workers and those you serve in the community.

General Guidelines:

1. Decide if food is necessary at the meeting. Avoid offering food between meal times.

2. Be aware of individuals with food restrictions (e.g., peanut allergies, gluten allergy or vegeterian preferences).

3. Try to incorporate physical activity into your meeting or event. For example, instead of a “refreshment” break, have a “stretch” or “walk” break. Just by saying we will have a “walk” break will trigger people to get up and walk.

• Ice water or bottled water

• Regular or herb teas, hot or cold, unsweetened • Coffee, regular or decaffeinated

• Low fat/skim milk

• 100% fruit or vegetable juices

Refreshments

• Whole fresh fruits - bananas, oranges

• Bite size fruits-apple slices, grapes, melon cubes, clementines • Baked pita chips, salsa and hummus

• Unsalted pretzels, popcorn, baked chips, trail mix

• Fresh vegetables with low-fat dressing or hummus • Whole-grain crackers and low-fat cheese • Trail mix of nuts, seeds, or dried fruit

• Low-fat yogurt with toppings (cinnamon, honey, fruit)

• Fresh fruit (cut up and easy to peel/eat options) • Hot oatmeal or cold, high-fiber cereal packets • Fruit toppings (raisins, dried fruit mix, fresh fruit) • Hard boiled eggs

• Yogurt - flavored, Greek, non-fat or fat-free

• Whole grain bagels (cut in half or mini’s) served with fruit jams or peanut butter

• Granola bars

• Salad that includes a variety of mixed greens served with low-fat dressing

• Broth-based soups instead of cream

• Pasta dishes with low-fat cheeses and extra vegetables • Vegetables – steamed, fresh or cooked without butter or

cream sauces

• Whole grain breads, rolls, and wraps

• Lean proteins such as turkey, beans, chicken

• Sandwiches presented in halves, so people can take a smaller portion

• Raw vegetables or pretzels instead of potato chips or french fries

• Mustard and low-fat mayonnaise as condiments for sandwiches

Wellness Program Toolkit