Archive for the ‘Corporate Wellness Tools’ Category

The Best Health Tips You Will Ever Hear

March 16th, 2010 by admin

There are four major health tips that if you follow will increase your chances of living a long life. Number one, do not smoke and if you do, quit. Second, wear sunscreen.

Third, eat a healthy diet. Fourth, exercise regularly. Together, these four health tips when followed will put you on the road to longevity.

Do not smoke. The dangers of cigarette smoking have been well documented so it should come as no surprise that it tops the list of health tips. Long ago, smoking was linked to lung cancer and it has also been shown to lead to heart attacks and strokes. More than any other behavior smoking shortens lives.

Wear sunscreen. This tip may not seem as obvious as the first but it is just as important. Skin cancer from exposure to the sun is on the rise. Melanoma is one of the most dangerous forms of cancer and it is linked to overexposure to ultraviolet rays. Sunscreen can block those UV rays from destroying your skin.

Eat a healthy diet. This seems like common sense but many people may not understand exactly what eating a healthy diet entails. U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) research has concluded that “Americans consume too many calories and too much saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars and salts.” The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends adults get more “calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium and vitamins A, C, and E.” The same USDA report also showed older Americans lacking in “vitamin B-12, iron, folic acid and vitamins E and D.” The report recommends that we consume a variety of foods and beverages rich in these nutrients.

Exercise regularly. The fourth top health tip means that you should engage in some type of physical activity every day. Research has shown that just 30 minutes of light exertion can add years to your life. You don’t even have to do 30 minutes in a row to enjoy the benefits of physical activity; it can be done in ten minute short bursts. The secret is to be active which helps prevent against heart disease, hypertension and weight gain.

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Does Your Company Offer A Wellness Program?

March 10th, 2010 by admin

In an effort to hold down the cost of health insurance, corporations are turning to wellness programs to educate employees on living a healthier life. The effort is not only aimed at improving the health of employees but companies are finding it reduces absenteeism and improves office productivity as well.

The insurance companies first offered the wellness programs as an alternative to huge rate hikes. They figure if the people they are insuring make healthier choices, they won’t have to pay out as much for their medical care. The corporate wellness programs offer help quitting smoking, losing weight and beginning a workout routine. Some places even offer discounted gym memberships to their employees.

A key part of many of the wellness programs is a health assessment test that all participants are required to take. It is usually administered online with the results kept secret. The tests will identify people who may be at risk for heart disease or cancer and set up proper screening programs. The insurance companies understand that the key to treating many of these diseases is catching it early. The cost of procedures like mammograms and colonoscopies are worth the expense because of the money that can be saved in costly cancer treatments later on.

To get workers to participate in the wellness programs many corporations have found it necessary to offer incentives to people who sign up. Often, the cost that the employee must pay for his health insurance is reduced as long as they participate in the program and meet its requirements. Some plans will require yearly physicals, some will make you log physical activity and others will require you to participate in an intervention program if they determine you are at risk for a disease like hypertension.

Even though some may see the programs as an unwelcome intrusion into their personal life, it is worthwhile to participate in these wellness programs. Beyond the money that you might save in insurance premiums, you are gaining important information on how to live a happier, healthier life. The bottom line is that it puts you in charge of your own health and wellness.

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Put The Whole Office On A Corporate Fitness Plan

March 5th, 2010 by admin

As health insurance costs continue to rise, many companies are looking for ways to hold the line on expenditures. One way corporations have discovered that they can save money is by instituting a workplace wellness program. Your company can save money if your employees start a corporate fitness plan.

There are several advantages to corporate fitness plans that extend beyond the cost savings. Research shows that when a workforce is healthier, absenteeism is reduced and productivity goes up. Even if you cannot get discounted insurance premiums through a wellness program, studies show that you will achieve cost savings in other areas. The Wellness Councils of America report a $24 return for every $1 spent on a company wellness program for small businesses and a survey done by The Art of Health Promotion found companies which instituted employee health and wellness programs realized a 30% reduction in medical and absenteeism costs in less than four years.

For a corporate fitness plan to be successful it is absolutely essential that the company’s top leaders participate. Bosses need to put their time in the gym as an example for other workers to follow. In addition to working out, other healthy behaviors should be promoted. Incentives should be given to quit smoking and healthier food options should be made available in the corporate cafeteria and vending areas. Some corporations like the owner of the Cleveland Clinic have gone as far as to ban the hiring of smokers as part of its wellness program.

Companies who start a corporate fitness plan would be wise to offer incentives to get employees to participate. Some offer a reduction in their insurance co-pay if the workers will commit to a regular routine. In other offices, personal trainers are brought in to explain the benefits of working out and how to start an exercise routine. You could set up contests with prizes for the person who logs the most gym hours or loses the most weight.

Anything that can be done to boost participation will pay dividends down the road. Healthier and happier workers will be more productive ones.

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Adopt Your Own Health And Wellness Program

March 3rd, 2010 by admin

The rage across America right now is health wellness programs being instituted by corporations. At the urging of the insurance companies, a number of firms are working with their employees to become more physically fit. The effort is being used to try and hold the line on health care costs, reduce absenteeism and develop a more productive workforce. Health and wellness programs educate people on the keys to living a longer, happier life.

Better health and wellness should be the goal of all of us whether we are part of a program at work or not. It starts with a healthy diet. Most of us know what we should be eating but too often it is easier to just grab some fast food. We make excuses that we don’t have the time to prepare healthier foods or we rationalize that one stop at the burger joint will not hurt us. Planning meals ahead of time will make it easier to make the healthy choices when you are pressed for time.

Scientific research shows that most of us eat too much saturated or trans fats which should be replaced by fresh fruits and vegetables. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed a food guide which encourages consumption of more dark green vegetables, legumes, fruits and low fat milk. The USDA guide spells out the proper amount of servings for each food type each day; 2.5 cups of fruit, 6 ounces of grains, 5.5 ounces of beef or legumes, and 3 cups of milk.

There are other lifestyle changes which should be part of any health and wellness program. If you are still smoking; researchers agree you must quit. The dangers of cigarettes have been well documented and tobacco use will cut years off your life. Having unprotected sex with multiple partners is another activity which must be curtailed. The threats of contracting AIDS or a sexually transmitted disease are too high. Driving drunk is another behavior which can sabotage your efforts at achieving a healthier lifestyle. Drinking alcohol itself is not necessarily bad but it must be done in moderation.

Living healthy and well comes down to making small positive choices each day that over time add up to a lifetime.  Tell us how you’re living healthy in the comments.

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Yes, you can reduce your employee health costs this year!

January 26th, 2010 by admin

The onus is on employers to lower their costs and expenses as much as possible.  One of the areas on which employers are focusing more and more is the costs associate with employees and their health.

Unfortunately, studies have shown that health costs in the corporate world are increasing in leaps and bounds and corporations are actively looking for ways to reduce these, in many cases, needless costs.

Of course, employees will be sick and employers need to realize that they must be sensitive to this.  They must also be corporate responsible and factor this into any of their strategic planning for the next years, however, part of this strategic planning should also include ways to reduce these costs by offering employees Corporate Wellness programs.

Indeed, these programs have started becoming quite popular in the corporate world and have already proven themselves to be a very realistic solution to the ever increasing health costs your company is experiencing.

Making sure that your employees are offered programs that are tailor made for their needs, for example,  blue collar workers may have different wellness needs than white collar workers,  and ensuring that these programs are well promoted and encouraged are key components in cutting your employee health costs.

It is obvious that healthier and happier employees will end up costing you less in the end, as they will be taking fewer sick days, as well as short term and long term leaves.  These are all incredibly expensive costs to any organization and even a small reduction in these leaves will immediately show on your bottom line.

Work place accidents are also incredibly draining on your corporate budget.  This is also an area that can be focused on and part of your Corporate Wellness program.  Make sure that your employees are well trained if they are handling toxic materials.  If heavy machinery is used, it is your responsibility to ensure that those using these machines are properly trained.

Ergonomically proper chairs, desks and computers are also important contributions towards your employees continued health.  Many employees have complained about poor backs and sore necks due to an improper office set up.  Although the costs of these changes may be considered higher in the front end, you will see a substantial reduction in paramedical costs and missed days of work.

Corporate Wellness programs are definitely the answer to your escalating employee health costs.

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So, you have the wellness program in place, now what?

January 22nd, 2010 by admin

Fortunately, many employers are now offering their employees well structured corporate wellness programs. However, as with many new offerings, once the initial “thrill” of participation has subsided, many employers find themselves in the difficult situation of seeing decreases, at times quite significant, in the employee participation, over the longer run.

This is quite unfortunate and can be avoided if a longer strategic plan is drawn up and implemented as part of the initial launch of the corporate wellness program.  Everyone agrees that employee wellness is a number one priority for both employees and employers.  A healthy and fit employee will certainly be a happier and more rounded employee – prone to taking less sick days and, in turn, being more productive and diligent.  So, how do employers create interest in the corporate wellness program and more specifically, how can they make sure that this interest in maintained?

Motivation here is the word!   Diligent research needs to be done on what the key components of your wellness program will be.  These should definitely meet the fundamental needs of your particular employees and should be tailored made for them.  Enlisting the assistance of employee representatives will be quite helpful and is a logical step.  If the employees feel as though they are involved in the process, they will be more invested in having a successful end result.

Once the wellness program is launched, buzz should be created around it.  Market and sell the program to your employees through various communication methods and encourage them to do “a trial run” and to make sure to let you know their thoughts and comments.  Be clear about what the program offers and make sure that there are plenty of resources available to help the employee understand all the components of the program.

Communication and structuring is important, but realistically, we must also consider more tangible methods of encouraging and retaining participation and here is where you  can get creative by building up the “compete” aspect by setting up  types of various competitions between team of employees – with fun prizes given to the “winning” team.  You could also consider working on a “points” system where the employee would be given points for participation and could, in turn, redeem these points towards prizes or perhaps days off ?

There are several ways to promote and encourage employee participation in your corporate wellness programs and yes! You do get extra points for thinking “outside” the box!

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Company Wellness is your responsibility

January 22nd, 2010 by admin

One of the biggest issues for employers today is company wellness – not only on the financial side, but also on the overall management of the wellness of their employees.   This is an area where costs have been dramatically increasing and an area that more and more employers are focusing on for the present and the future.

Strategizing for this type of issue is difficult as the company wellness relies heavily on the overall wellness of its employees.  It is astounding how expensive sick days, long term and short term absences as well as workplace accidents turn out to be at the end of a year.  It is important to have a strategy both short term and longer term in place to prevent these costs from escalating.

In short, the solution is Company Wellness – which starts with an employer who is willing to find solutions to employee absenteeism and work place accidents.   More and more employers are incorporating a well structured and tailored made corporate wellness program – which addresses the needs of the employees from both the physical and the mental aspects.  Encouraging employees, through programs and job fairs, to get knowledgeable about exercise, fitness and nutrition as well as to stop smoking or drinking  are excellent ways of reducing these costs as you will benefit from healthier and happier employees.

Company Wellness also defines an employer that offers its employees a healthy workplace, with clearly indicated dangerous materials.  If heavy or dangerous machinery is involved, you need to make sure that your employees are well trained on how to use them.  Issues such as toxic fumes, emergency exits and greener work environments should also be priority number one.   What about those candy and pop machines that you have in the cafeteria?  How about offering some healthier alternatives?

Finally, you may consider restructuring your internal policies, rewarding those employees who choose to participate in the corporate wellness programs but offering them prizes or perhaps, small salary increases or some type of corporate recognition that would make your employee feel as though their commitment to their health is also your commitment.

There are many ways to foster healthy company wellness and it starts from the top down.

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The Challenges of Hosting a Wellness Fair

January 19th, 2010 by admin

You are considering hosting a Wellness Fair?  As with any type of event, the devil is in the details and there are many to consider when organizing this type of fair.

Firstly, it is crucial to determine exactly what you would like to offer at this fair.  You should definitely plan this type of event at least 6 to 8 months in advance if possible.  Ideally, you should enlist the assistance of other people and create a planning/coordinating committee.

Once the committee is in place and the date has been decided, the next step would be to figure out exactly what you wish to offer at this fair and exactly who your target audience will be.  You are, no doubt, planning on having information booths so you need to address what topics you will be presenting?  Are there any “hot” topics that are coming up on the horizon? Remember that you are planning these months in advance, so what might be pertinent today, may not be in 6 months!   Are there corporate themes that keep repeating? For example, the need for more paramedical information or perhaps, absenteeism has increased dramatically? These are issues that would need to be focused on and could easily be part of a workshop or keynote speaker type of presentation.  Remember that the information you ultimately choose to diffuse will vary depending on the audience that you are hoping to engage.

You should also consider offering practical booths such as perhaps offering health screening (cholesterol is a good choice).  What about blood pressure?

Make sure to have lots of timely information and invite exhibitors who have strong reputations behind them and are knowledgeable about the subject matters they are discussing.  Make sure that there are lots of takeaways – people like to read information, in their own time, in their own homes – so documentation is crucial.

The main goal in offering and hosting a Wellness Fair is to inform.  Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation out there about issues such as health, fitness and overall wellness and your goal should be to use this Fair as a vehicle to gather the facts and present them to your target audience.

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So many tools, so little time

January 14th, 2010 by admin

Wellness, health and fitness have become incredibly important topics to our generation.  Never has the public been so aware of all the pros and cons associated with these subjects.  However, there is just so much information out there that knowing which resources are the best tools to use when it comes to building and creating a Corporate Wellness Program can be tricky.

A well structured plan will definitely rely on some “cornerstone” resources that have been proven to be reliable, up to date and timely.

Interactive tools such as the Body Mass Calculator as well as the Target Heart Rate Calculator are crucial in assessing your body and its needs.  The Target Heart Rate Calculator will be used to create and manage a tailored made workout plan that will give you a maximum workout, without adding additional stress to your body.

Goal setting and tracking can also be a very popular tool.  Studies have shown that people who monitor their goals stay more committed and tend to push themselves a little more than those who do not keep track of their progress.  Goal setting and tracking can be done for both exercising and nutrition.

Another popular feature is the menu planning and creation.  Many people have no idea where to start when it comes to redesigning a food plan.  Sure, everyone knows about the “daily recommended” portions that should be eaten, but how do you integrate those into a healthy and balanced diet?  Online tools can instantly create tasty and varied menus for you – and these tools can also keep count of calories.  This is an instrumental tool is keeping you honest about the amount of food you consume.  Unfortunately, it appears that many people underestimate the amount of calories they consume in a meal, so this tool will keep you on the right track.

If you suffer from any medical afflictions such as, for example, diabetes, many online tools can offer you detailed and timely information on the subjects.  These sites have been proven to be accurate and are updated as the information becomes available.

Finally, all of these online tools are available to our employees, on a confidential basis so your staff need not worry about their employers monitoring their progress or getting access to confidential medical information.

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