How To Develop A Worksite Wellness Program

1
How To Develop A Worksite Wellness Program
2
The Evidence-Based Structure

• Leadership Support
• Data Collection
• A Written Wellness Plan Including Good
  Interventions and Evaluation
• Policies and Benefits to Support Wellness

3
Getting Started

• Leaders need to start by sending a message to
  employees that they care about their health and
  well-being.
• They should introduce the new wellness initiative
  and encourage participation in the health risk
  appraisal.
• They should actively participate in the survey
  and other wellness functions.

4
Getting Started

• How do you know where you are going if you dont
  know where you have been?

5
The Health Risk Appraisal

• A health risk appraisal assesses potential and
  current health risk. Unlike medical claims data,
  which only indicates medical usage, the health
  risk appraisal has the potential to catch a
  problem or indicate a trend before it becomes a
  medical claim.
• Choose a quality health risk appraisal to begin
  collecting baseline health data. Health risk
  appraisals are available through health
  departments, insurance companies, hospitals, and
  private vendors.

6
Sources of Data

• Health risk appraisal (should be done annually or
  semi-annually).
• Health claims data (for companies that can access
  this data-usually companies with 100 or more
  employees).
• Workers compensation.
• Injury records.
• Absenteeism records.
• Health climate/culture audit.
• ETC.

7
Using the Data

• Look at different sources of data to
• determine your top 1, 2, or 3 health risks.
• Keep it simple dont try to do too much!

8
Using the Data To Write a Wellness Plan

• Write a simple plan for each health topic area.
• Each plan should start off with an objective
  statement of what you want to accomplish.

9
Writing An Objective

• Keep these things in mind when writing your
  objective.
• Who is your target?
• What do you want to impact?
• How much do you want to change the behavior?
• When do you want this to be accomplished?

10
A Sample Objective Statement

• Reduce the percentage of employees that use
  tobacco from 22 to 21 by December 2009.

11
Interventions/Action Steps

• Find programs and services that will work for
  your population.
• Sample Programs and Services
• Printed information.
• Brown Bag lunch programs.
• Self-study tapes.
• Web-based programming.
• Personal coaching (telephonic, in-person,
  on-line).
• Support groups.
• Self-administered programs (wellness scorecards,
  on-going incentive programs).
• Policy and benefit changes.

12
Potential Resources

• Local health departments.
• County extension.
• Local wellness councils.
• Local hospitals.
• Local colleges.
• Health and human service agencies (American
  Cancer, American Heart, March of Dimes, etc.).
• Health and fitness clubs.
• Co-workers.

13
Measuring Outcomes

• Keep it simple.
• Re-survey every year or every other year.
• Look at your claims data to see if there is any
  change.
• Look at absenteeism records.
• Conduct simple focus groups.
• Send out open ended email questions.

14
Writing a New Plan

• Write a new plan every time you survey.
• Keep it fresh so that employees do not lose
  interest in your program.

15
Policy and Benefits That Support Wellness

• Tobacco-free campus.
• Work time for wellness programs.
• Lactation rooms for nursing mothers.
• Fitness equipment or release time to exercise.
• Health club reimbursement.
• Class reimbursement for weight loss or tobacco
  cessation.

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Policy and Benefits That Support Wellness

• Healthy vending options.
• Health care coverage.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Paid sick leave.
• Family sick leave.
• Retirement/401K.
• Health insurance premium discounts linked to
  participation in the wellness program.

17
The Governors Excellence in Wellness Award

• This award was created to encourage all
  businesses to offer an employee wellness program.
• After your program has been in place for a year,
  you may be eligible to receive the award.

18
How to Apply

• Go to www.nebraska.gov.
• Click on the Governors Award Icon.
• Click on the log-in box.
• Click first time users create a profile.
• It is FREE to apply!

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More Help

• This power point is just a brief outline of what
  you need to have a good wellness program.
• Nebraska is fortunate to have worksite wellness
  councils to service the state. Full day
  trainings are available to assist you in
  developing a quality wellness program.

20
More Help

• For more information about the council in your
  area, please email
• Lisa Henning
• lhenning_at_lincoln.ne.gov or call
• [phone]
• You will be directed to the council in your area.