What is a Workplace Health Promotion Program?

A Worksite Health Promotion Program is an organized program to support and assist staff members in establishing healthier lifestyles. This can include enhancing worker awareness on health topics, offering behavior change initiatives, and/or establishing business policies that support health-related goals and objectives. Programs and policies that promote increased physical activity, tobacco use prevention and cessation, and healthy food selections are a few examples.

What are the Dimensions of Wellness?

Wellness means more than just being physical fit. The Dimensions of Wellness may include:

• Spiritual Dimension of Wellness,
• Emotional Dimension of Wellness,
• Social Dimension of Wellness
• Intellectualual Dimension of Wellness and
• Physical Dimension of Wellness.

The dimensions of wellness are sometimes depicted as a "wellness wheel" with examples of wellness components that include fitness, nutrition life purpose, financial planning, social connections & support systems, mind-body health, stress management continued learning and career planning. The key to personal wellness is maintaining a balanced "wellness wheel". A comprehensive Wellness Program addresses most, if not all, of these dimensions of wellness.

Why Provide a Workplace Health Promotion Program?

Staff Members spend a great deal of time at work, and research show that our traditional work-week is expanding. In fact, the average American now works about 47 hours per week. Plus, technologies such as laptops, mobile phones, voice and email have blurred the boundary between work-life and home-life. These realities lower the amount of time that the average American is able to devote to health & wellness activities, and yet staff members are expected to be at peak performance when on the job.

A study by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses found that Corporate Wellness Programs are successful in helping staff members make positive health changes due to several factors such as convenience, environmental support, and social or co-worker acceptance.

What's the Connection between Wellness and the Worksite?

Corporate Wellness Programs and Policies that promote healthy behaviors can make a significant impact on employee wellness AND have an impact on the organization's bottom line. Research indicates that for every dollar invested by corporations in Corporate Wellness Programs, there were savings ranging from $1.49 to $4.91 with the average wellness program ROI being $3.14*. In businesses terms, that's more than a 3:1 minimum wellness ROI - a number that is difficult to ignore, and a best practice that should garner serious consideration from corporations. In fact, a Workplace Health Promotion Program literature review posted in Health Promotion Practitioner Journal found:

• 19 research studies found a 28.3% reduction in sick leave
• 16 research studies demonstrated a 5.6:1 return on investment
• 23 showed a 26.1% reduction in healthcare costs
• 4 showed a 30% reduction in direct healthcare and workers' compensation claims

There is little doubt that a Workplace Health Promotion Program targeted to meet a organization's specific needs can save money by lowering absenteeism, lowering health care costs, lowering worker turnover, and enhancing productivity.

* US Department of Health & Human Services, 2003 and Wellness Proposals