There is no single right way to approach workplace wellness programs but winning programs share common success factors. These include commitment from management, employee involvement, adequate resources, and a policy on workplace health that goes hand in hand with the organization’s mission, vision and values.

A Range of Approaches
Although the goal is to eventually have a long-term, comprehensive workplace wellness program, some companies prefer to begin with a single program at a basic level. For example, the first steps could be as simple as offering lunch-hour sessions on first aid or healthy eating; or they could launch a pilot project to find out how interested employees are to ensure employees needs are being met before taking on anything more ambitious. This approach provides a chance to show the impact on employees and the workplace so management will be more willing to consider a larger and more far-reaching strategy.

Other companies plan a variety of initiatives to meet the needs of the different types of people that make up their workforce. And some decide to develop a sound business case, complete with a health strategy, before attempting any type of program. Companies want to ensure that a new program is fully integrated with their overall business vision and mission.

Success Factors
Whether your company chooses to think big from the outset or to start with something smaller, always keep in mind the following key success factors:

• support and participation from management;
• employee involvement in planning;
• programs that meet employee needs;
• a realistic budget; and
• continuous review.

In sports, a game plan is a series of steps that a team must follow to accomplish its goal of winning. Most winning teams plan to win. Organizations also need game plans, even if they don’t call them by that name.

Good planning will help to ensure that your workplace wellness program happens the way you want it to, and that costs can be identified in advance and kept within budget. Good planning prevents small problems from becoming bigger.

Steps in Planning a Program

Obtain management support. You may need to develop a business case to convince managers that workplace wellness is a business strategy—that employee health and job satisfaction affects their productivity. Employees need to see evidence that senior management believes in and is committed to employee health.

Establish a planning committee. Members can include representatives from employee groups as well as from human resources, health and safety, and communications.

Collect information. To prove that your program is beneficial, establish a benchmark before the program begins. You may wish to look at employee satisfaction, absenteeism rates, stress levels, drug costs or WCB expenses. Assess what workplace facilities are available to support employees to make healthy choices such as showers and change areas or a secure place to store a bicycle. Assess employee needs through a survey or questionnaire, suggestion box or focus group. Communicate the results.

Develop the plan to reflect the information gathered. Include program objectives, activities and how you are going to measure whether your objectives were met. Keep the plan flexible. You may have to change direction in response to employee feedback or changes in the company’s structure.

Get management approval. Support for staff time and a budget are needed.

Put activities in place. Offer a variety of activities that create awareness, increase knowledge, develop skills, and provide social interaction. (Activities could include walking clubs, participation in national campaigns such as Workplace Wellness Week, SummerActive, WinterActive, corporate challenge, golf days, and newsletters that provide information about community resources.) Workplaces can also make it easier for employees to make healthy choices by providing flextime to allow employees to fit activity in when it is convenient or by subsidizing programs in cooperation with community or private fitness facilities. A policy on catering for meetings can ensure that healthy foods are offered.

Evaluate the plan. Share your successes with others, learn from your mistakes and modify activities.

A workplace wellness program doesn’t have to be complicated or a huge investment. Just do it. Get support from management, bring a few committed people together to generate some ideas and get started.

Source: HealthyAlberta.com

The vast majority of Americans work for companies with fewer than 100 employees.

Can a small business support workplace wellness? Absolutely! In fact, in some ways it is easier to create a healthy workplace in a small company than in a large corporation.

Limited resources, especially in small companies, can prevent an employer from setting up a workplace wellness program. Reasons can include:

* lack of budget resources;
* lack of staff;
* lack of senior-level support;
* little knowledge of the wellness concept and;
* concern about making wellness available to all employees.

According to the Wellness Councils of America, some small business owners may have the wrong idea of what is involved in having a workplace wellness program. Some employers aren’t sure a program would really work and others feel that trying to change personal lifestyle behaviours is intruding and “none of their business”. Perhaps they don’t understand that it doesn’t need to be costly and that they don’t need special staff. They may not realize that some staff would like to see some healthy changes and would help make things happen in their workplace.

It Can Be Done

Many small businesses have found ways to have a workplace wellness program that works for them. They keep the cost and effort to a minimum and still have results that are positive for everyone. In 2006, Graham Lowe wrote a report on the best places to work in Calgary. He said that healthy workplaces often have a “positive workplace culture”. In a workplace with a positive culture, people feel appreciated, valued, and trusted.

Dr. Lowe says it is easier for a small workplace to have a positive workplace culture than for a large workplace. Many employees prefer to work for a small business, he says, because it provides more opportunities to work closely with others and develop a sense of community.

In his report, Dr. Lowe says the most successful companies with fewer than 100 employees have:

* excellent employee benefits;
* policies that promote a balance between work and personal life;
* flexible schedules;
* competitive salaries;
* excellent leadership with an emphasis on teamwork;
* environmentally responsible company policies;
* procedures for seeking employee input; and
* a focus on placing employees’ personal well-being ahead of the personal gain of company leaders.

All or most of these elements are also components of a good workplace wellness program.

Tips and Ideas

There are many ways to include health and wellness in a small business. You don’t necessarily need a wellness professional or a fancy gym. What you do need is support from management and a committee of a few committed people. Here are some ideas that your workplace can consider.

Communications and Promotion

* Send out a regular “wellness” newsletter in hard copy or online. Or send out a simple message such as the weekly Healthy U Hot Tip.
* Use promotions that are already designed such as Healthy Workplace Week.

Active Living and Healthy Eating

* Encourage staff to sign up for the Stairway to Health stair climbing competition.
* Get pedometers for employees and track their steps.
* Rent a nearby school or community gym and offer exercise classes.
* Hire a local fitness instructor to give classes or lead stretch breaks. Costs can be shared with employees.
* Install secure bike parking.
* Serve healthy alternatives at company meetings and lunches.

Policy and Organizational Initiatives

* Hire an ergonomics specialist to assess workstations.
* Develop policies to support work-life balance (for example, mandatory vacations, flextime, limits to work and e-mail on personal time).
* Provide a wellness subsidy for a variety of health and leadership activities and courses.
* Offer financial incentives to be healthy.
* Offer wellness incentives as rewards and recognition for a job well done.
* Conduct an organizational health audit (NQI Healthy Workplace Week).
* Become a partner with the community (for example, daycare, gyms, festivals, parks, restaurants).
* Spread the workload. Set up a wellness committee.

Small businesses may not have a lot of time, money, or human resources available for a workplace wellness program. But they often have a huge advantage over large companies—a positive workplace culture. That is a great foundation for a workplace wellness program. When employees are satisfied, enjoy their work environment, they are more productive, and tend to be healthier. With a little creativity and passion, small businesses can develop successful workplace wellness programs. Get support from management, form a committee of two or more and discover the possibilities!

Source: HealthyAlberta.com

Workplace wellness is evolving.

Early efforts to create healthy workplaces focused on safety at the worksite and injury prevention for workers.

More recently, programs are designed to assist employees to choose healthier behaviours like being more physically active or quitting smoking. Campaigns to raise awareness, educational sessions to increase knowledge, opportunities to learn new skills, and changes to policies to make it easier for employees to make healthy choices are often included. This approach is taken because the workplace is a good way to reach people, since most adults spend a large part of their day at work.

While safety and lifestyle programs are two aspects that contribute to the health of employees, workplace wellness is more effective when a third factor is brought into the equation—the environment at work.

How the workplace affects health.

Increasingly, it is recognized that the workplace itself has a powerful affect on people’s health. When people are satisfied with their job, they are more productive and tend to be healthier. When employees feel that the environment at work is negative, they feel stressed. Stress has a large impact on employee mental and physical health, and in turn, on productivity.

Consultant Graham Lowe has identified five components of workplace culture that directly affect employees’ health and the health of the organization overall—credibility, respect, fairness, pride, and camaraderie. The underlying idea is that companies must genuinely care about the well-being of their employees.

Companies today who want to attract and keep good workers have leaders who understand the connection between employee satisfaction and employee health and believe that workplace wellness is a business strategy. Their management practices include making reasonable demands on time and energy, involving employees in decision making, rewarding work well done, openly communicating, and providing support to balance work and home life.

Employers know that workers are looking for jobs that pay well, have good benefits, are interesting, and include excellent health and safety programs. So in today’s competitive hiring market, it’s become more important than ever for companies to enhance job satisfaction and ensure that workers enjoy being on the job. Workplace wellness benefits both employers and employees.

How does workplace wellness benefit the employer?

A workplace wellness initiative can help a company to:

• attract and keep employees;
• reduce the costs of disability, drugs, and absenteeism;
• reduce the effects of a stressful workplace;
• reduce health costs or keep them contained; and
• improve morale by creating a happy, supportive environment.

How does workplace wellness benefit employees?

Employees of companies that have a workplace wellness program are likely to have:

• increased awareness and knowledge of ways to improve their health;
• a better (less stressful) workplace;
• increased protection from injury;
• improved health and well-being;
• higher morale and greater job satisfaction;
• increased productivity and effectiveness at work;
• reduced personal health care costs; and
• a more relaxed/flexible approach to health issues.

Both employers and employees have a responsibility for creating a healthy workplace. Employees are expected to arrive at work in good health, and the employer is expected to provide an environment that allows employees to maintain good health, enjoy their work, and contribute to the company’s success.

Workplace wellness is more than a “lunch and learn” program. It’s about developing a “people first” approach to doing business. It’s about taking care of employees, establishing a positive work environment, and paying attention to the factors that keep employees healthy and happy at work. A good workplace wellness program has an impact on employees’ mental, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.

Ideally, you will develop an overall plan for a workplace wellness program before beginning to plan specific wellness programs. For example, you can begin by getting the following elements in place:

* support from senior management
* a wellness committee or team
* information about the wellness needs and interests of employees
* a budget
* program objectives
* an evaluation plan

Even if you have few financial and/or human resources, you can still take a “micro” approach. For example, you could focus on only one specific issue or problem. Creativity, enthusiasm and planning can help you overcome limitations.

This article will give you some ideas for setting up workplace wellness programs. Even the smallest steps can have an impact.
Whether you choose to begin with a single program or develop something larger, planning is essential. First think about the big picture and then look after the details.

Ask yourself these questions:

* Identify an action. What health-related program will fit the bill and best suit the employees and organization?
* Promote. How can you most effectively get the word out to employees? What are the opportunities for promotion? Consider everything, because employees have access to and pay attention to different types of messages. In a typical workplace, employees get information from e-mail, newsletters, bulletins, brochures, meeting announcements and fellow employees.
* Deliver. Who is the best person or group to put the program into action? Ask other companies about approaches they have used. Decide on your budget before making a decision.
* Evaluate. What should you evaluate to determine success? Do you need hard data and/or testimonials from individual participants?

The American Centre for Occupational Health and Safety recommends the following when planning your initiative:

* creating and communicating clear objectives
* targeting your audience
* deciding on the type of program or campaign

The Elements of Workplace Wellness Programming

Initiatives to promote wellness in the workplace don’t need to be restricted to a single area. You might think workplace wellness only involves promoting positive personal health, e.g., blood pressure clinics, brochures on heart disease, “lunch and learn” seminars on eating habits and short-term physical activity programs.

These activities are important, but workplace wellness should also be part of a company’s business strategy and go beyond traditional programming.

Taking a broader approach, the National Quality Institute recently identified three key elements of a healthy workplace:

* physical environment
* social environment and personal resources
* health practices

Specific Program Ideas

Physical Environment
Look after workers’ health and safety and establish regulations to support their health and safety. Consider providing the following:

* Safe bike storage and shower and/or change facilities for cyclists and other commuters.
* Fridges for employees to keep snacks and meals fresh and/or healthy snacks in vending machines and cafeterias.
* Ergonomic assessments.
* Subsidies to help employees join local recreation centres.
* Classrooms/conference rooms available for booking activities such as yoga, pilates, tai chi, meditation and aerobics.
* Safe and pleasant stairwells that invite employees to use them.
* Assessing the potential for violence at work with plans to deal with such risks.
* Good lighting and sound and air quality.

Social Environment

Human relationships and communication, as well as ways of doing business, can affect an employee’s mental and physical health. Companies should consider the following:

* respectful workplace policies that provide safe worksites
* policies on flex time
* policies on working from home
* employee satisfaction surveys
* leadership coaching
* resiliency training
* employee assistance programs

To foster a positive social culture or climate, consider employees’ needs, which include:

* being respected
* a sense of belonging, purpose and mission
* freedom of expression
* protection from harassment and discrimination

What you’ve “always done” may not address current employee needs. Ensuring that people enjoy being at work is not an easy task, but making the right changes can have a huge impact.

Health Practices

Offer programs and set policies that help employees remain healthy or improve their health while at work. Consider offering the following:

* “Lunch and learn sessions” on healthy habits such as sleeping better, eating on the run, healthy snacks, using a pedometer, pole walking, work-life balance, time management, stress management, resiliency, parenting and reading nutrition labels.
* Stop smoking clinics or subsidies to help employees quit.
* Health risk appraisals, including fitness assessments.
* Programs to address the issues raised in the health risk appraisals.
* Healthy snacks served at meetings and conferences.

Personal Workplace Wellness Tips

If there is no wellness program at your worksite, don’t let that stop you from keeping healthy. Perhaps your example will spark a movement toward a healthier workplace.

Here are a few ideas to think about:

* Be active at work. There are many ways to bring activity into your workday. Walk to work, even if it’s just one way. Hold walking meetings. Bike to work. Use the stairs. Walk to a workmate’s office instead of sending an e-mail.
* Eat well at work. Pack a healthy snack and meal. Place a bottle of water at your desk or workstation. Eat breakfast and eat regularly during the day. Take turns bringing a basket of fruit for co-workers’ snacks. Order healthy snacks for meetings.
* Maintain work-life balance. Work efficiently so you can leave on time. Conduct short, effective meetings. Leave your work at work and don’t take it home. Minimize social chit-chat. Set up your office to enhance your work. Avoid clutter. Plan and prioritize to ensure that the most important things get done first.

There’s no limit to the number or variety of workplace wellness programs. A key to success is planning well and ensuring that you can evaluate the results so that you can sustain momentum.

Talk to other wellness practitioners to find out what works well for them. Listen to your co-workers to determine their needs and interests. And don’t forget to promote, promote, promote.

Source: HealthyAlberta.com