Employer Wellness

When creating a inclusive Employee Health Promotion Program, make sure that it consists of a variety of awareness, lifestyle change, supportive environment programs, policies and activities that target risk behaviors, and the needs and interests of the staff members. It will be valuable to review and revise existing policies governing such areas as smoking sections and the employee cafeteria.

Tips on starting a Worksite Wellness Program:

• Create activities based on your intended objectives and goals approaching the specific needs of your workers. Focus on those issues that are of greatest interest to your workers and the greatest needs of your company, in that order. Avoid issues with narrow appeal.
• Keep it simple. Design the Worksite Wellness Program so it’s simple for the participants to understand and track.
• Integrate a combination of activities to include awareness, educational, and behavior elements.
• Identify activities in which every employee can take part.

Suggestions for your Worksite Wellness Program:

• Challenges. Activities that focus on practicing a desired behavior that continues for 4-8 weeks and focuses on specific issues (such as physical exercise, diet, or stress management).
• Learning experiences. This includes sessions, videos, and classes.
• Behavior changes (such as smoking cessation). You may or may not offer interventions at the worksite. Nevertheless, you must promote individuals to make lifestyle changes that they want to make even without an external incentive.
• Education on disease management. For example, support and education groups for diabetes, high Blood Pressure, etc.
• Learing new skills. For example, CPR and first aid.
• Preventive screenings like Blood Pressure (BP), cholesterol, and vision.

Source: Adapted from the Building Healthy Texans Job Site Wellness Toolkit.