Wellness Library

Workplace Wellness Programs has become a critical component of companies. It has become apparent in a service oriented economy that staff members are living more sedentary lives than ever before.

As a result, a myriad of health care ailments plague the crew costing the employee quality of life, while the company faces more Medical Care costs.

It is a situation in which no one wins. Waiting until the problem occurs is self-defeating for both the corporation and the employee member. Corporate Wellness Programs only makes good sense by approaching the issue before it happens.

Corporate Wellness Program – Cease and Desist Order

Workplace Health Promotion Programs are like cease and desist orders. These particular orders are instructions on why staff members ought to cease living unhealthy lives and desist from eating junk food.

Let’s face it – employee frequently eat unhealthy food throughout the day. Office workers, line workers, sales associates, and executives – they all fall prey to the temptations of donuts, snack machines food, office party snacks and so on.

The bad habits continue at home. Food that is bad for your health is staples in an abundance of diets. These foods include too much white bread, cakes, alcohol, fast food picked up on the way home and unhealthy snacks like buttered popcorn and sugar rich soda drinks.

Poor diet and little or no exercise outcomes in somber chronic sickness eventually including heart disease and strokes.

Waiting until the ailments occur is expensive. Increasing healthcare costs are taking a genuine financial toll on employers. Every dime that is invested on illness recovery could have been invested on a corporation preventive health and Company Wellness Program.

Prevention means creating conditions such that illness and injury are minimized through diet and exercise and an awareness of what is a great fitness plan.

• workers are screened for potential for serious chronic diseases such as diabetes
• employees are taught the value of great diet and how to develop a dietary plan
• Individual job stress levels are evaluated
• Exercise Programs are made easily accessible to encourage participation
• Frequent classes are helpful on relevant topics of health and Workplace Health Promotion Programs
• Corporation offers incentive programs to maximize participation

Most staff members do not be aware of the long-term consequences of living a life with little or no exercise. Worksite Health Promotion Programs bring the information to the staff members so they can make informed decisions.

The cut back in sick days, fewer injuries and reduced stress expands manufacturing and diminishes costs.

Employee Wellness Program – Resuming New Health

Company Wellness Programs can be elaborate menus of choices or simple plans that show staff members how to improve their quality of life.

The programs can cover all the topics that confront employees during their work day also. These kinds of topics include preventing injury, fitting exercise into a busy schedule, making wholesome fast food choices or decreasing work related stress.

No matter what form the corporation preventive health and fitness program takes the benefits will be rapidly incurred. It only takes a couple of weeks for employees to begin to feel the results of a more active life.

A fitness program instructs on nutrition and provides the opportunity for exercises that tone, strengthen and enhance flexibility.

Corporate Health Promotion Programs only make sense. It establishes a company culture that speaks volumes about the significance of a healthy lifestyle.

Once employees stop their old sedentary habits, they are left with the option of resuming new healthy attitudes and practices.

Corporate Health Promotion Programs are here to stay.

Employer health and fitness are not just words to be spouted so people think the company cares about its staff members. Health and fitness are significant concepts that are just as essential to a company as finance and sales.

That’s because the health of its workers is one of the primary determinants of the health of the organization. Organization workers work long and hard hours and occasionally the price they pay becomes an unhealthy lifestyle.

A concerned company does not want its workers to be troubled with numerous somber health concerns. A Company Health Promotion Program is a merger of an workers desire to fit exercise into a hectic schedule and a company’s desire for a active labor force.

It’s a takeover of poor health affecting business production.

Worksite Health Promotion Programs – Benefits

Bearer bonds are owned by whoever has them in hand. Their value to the person who carries them is realized by ownership. Health operates under the same concept.

An employee and the business must take ownership of the Workplace Health Promotion Program concept. A business has many choices as to how it implements a health and Workplace Health Promotion Programs.

• A professional corporation writes a corporation specific fitness plan
• A Employee Health Promotion Program consultant and the company jointly create a fitness plan
• An internet based fitness professional can be utilized
• A personal trainer at a gym develops a business program
• Organization can create its own plan without assistance from outside professionals.

A Company Wellness Program may center around a program at a fitness center. It can also be based at the worksite itself, making it easily accessible to workers.

Utilizing a professional provides means the organization gets knowledge based assistance in evaluating employees. Each employee gets an evaluation of basic health status. Customized fitness plans are instituted and progress is monitored.

A qualified consultant can be available at the fitness center, or visit worksite as schedules. Some employers hire a fitness trainer to labor directly with employees on an ongoing basis at the workplace. Other employers pay for the services of a trainer at the nearest fitness center.

The employer health and Employee Health Promotion Programs vary. A employer may institute a fitness plan that includes workers and their families by paying for family membership at the fitness center.

The rewards of this plan is that the whole family can use the fitness center, which encourages participation. Many  employers pay for the entire cost of the Company Wellness Program at a fitness center.

Some companies pay a portion while the employee must pay the difference. Others only pay part and the employee pays the balance. Some company fitness plans are multi-layered and offer a wide range of exercise classes and seminars on diet.

There are group activities and daily tips for working on health. Some plans are very simple in that most of the internal Workplace Health Promotion Program is mostly information. All exercise is done outside the business at the fitness center.

It doesn’t matter what form the plan takes. The point is that a Company Health Promotion Program is significant for the success of the employer and the health of the staff members. Taking care of its most significant assets, the staff members, only makes sense.

Workplace Health Promotion Programs – Like Stock Options?

Businesses provide stock options, whereby staff members can buy stock in the business. It is another form of ownership. Employees have many choices when it comes to fitness.

Their health needs, genetics, work environment and current physical condition all play into the structure of the Employee Wellness Program. It is up to the organization to offer a program that involves all employees so that maximum rewards are realized on both sides.

In other words, employees have plenty of options and the corporation realizes real dollar savings through a healthier workforce.

Corporation Fitness Program – Group Effort

Companies are expected to be socially responsible in today’s society. It used to be workers had few amenities, because the employer didn’t see any benefit to the employer.

Times have changed drastically. Organizations now understand that the health of its employee workforce is indicative of the health of the company itself. The company exercise program was introduced to encourage healthy employee lifestyles, even while at work.

Half The Time

Stress is a huge factor in how we handle a heavy workload. Stress impacts our physical and mental wellness. It even generates a chemical that is processed into fat by our bodies. A business fitness program uses exercise and health information to inform workers how to stay personally healthy.

When healthy, the body and mind is much better able to control stress. Stress has a lot of side effects. It can cause inattention, sickness and high Blood Pressure (BP). These effects in turn cost the business a lot of money in absenteeism, poor productiveness and higher medical care costs.

A employer exercise program makes fitness a priority in the employer among its workers. In return, a exercise program provides many rewards to the employer.

• Increased work rate because of changes in health
• Better employee concentration due to minimization of stress effects
• General improved morale
• Reduced absenteeism

You commonly hear people who are under an abundance of stress say, “I do not know why I did that” when they make a mistake. The truth is they probably really do not know that their concentration is misdirected because of stress.

I Want to Participate

A corporation exercise program can take many forms.

• Exercise Program can be set up at the corporation’s facility and managed by an employee
• Business physical activity program  can have a company membership with a nearby fitness club
• Exercise Program can be under contract with a fitness trainer who comes to the employer’s facility and coordinates the program, including employee evaluations
• Physical Activity Program can be managed by an employee onsite using the services of a web based exercise program

A employer physical activity program can be modified in almost any way necessary to accommodate the employer and its employees.

Usually, in any program, seminars are available periodically also to inform employees of current health concerns and trends. As a minimum, a corporation program normally will provide the following:

• Aerobics for cardiovascular conditioning
• Abdomen strength building
• General muscle toning
• Exercises for increased flexibility

More elaborate programs will offer employee classes, seminars and health club equipment. Corporation programs can be adapted to any corporation and any budget.

Why Will This Work

We spend a lot of time at our job. It’s easy for staff members to skip working out, blaming it on lack of time. Using professional fitness services like those found here takes away the excuses that are costing the company money.

Employer Fitness Programs and Wellness – A Clear Message

Corporation culture varies from business to business. Some corporations are strict and formal while others are more laid back. But one thing most have learned is that the health of their workers affects the health of the business itself.

Because of this, many corporations have started corporation health and Company Wellness Programs. By doing so, the company’s owners send a clear message to their workers that health is a priority and ought to be taken seriously.

Just by the fact that the company is willing to spend money to begin and maintain a Worksite Wellness Program indicates by itself that fitness equates to dollars and Worksite Wellness Program equates to healthy employees.

No Smoking

A corporate fitness and Corporate Wellness Program can be as simple as a ‘no smoking’ policy to a menu of health and fitness services. Usually, the programs fall right in the middle. There are many fitness centers that provide Corporate Wellness Programs. A employer has a variety of choices when it comes to deciding on how to deliver a Wellness plan.

• Hire an outside health trainer to deliver an employee program to current facility
• Utilize a professional in the original design of a new facility
• Organize a Company Wellness Program manager responsible for coordinating the corporation fitness program
• Use an internet-based fitness expert as a consultant

The first step in starting any company fitness and Employee Health Promotion Program is to evaluate the condition of the workers. The kind of work a company does will guide the focus of the program.

For example, a warehouse operation may be interested in starting employee strength to avoid back and neck injuries. A building of office staff members with sedentary jobs will need aerobic conditioning. A corporation program is customized to meet the needs of its staff members.

Web-based fitness trainers are professionals at creating programs for different sized groups. They can modify exercises and diets to any postion. They can also save a organization money by planning a plan that is streamlined yet effective.

Result Oriented

A business fitness and Worksite Wellness Program has direct benefits, not just for the staff members, but for the business as well.

• Decreased Healthcare claims as employee health progresses
• Fewer cases of obesity
• Reduced use of sick leave
• Staff Members able to deal with stress better
• Healthy workers less likely to be injured

It is not unusual to find a health club in an office building anymore. Easy access to workout equipment and a fitness trainer encourages workers to follow a program. By using an trainer, a corporation can offer something for everyone – pregnant women, older workers, walkers, active adults, mothers, overweight people, fathers and others.

Business Fitness Programs – A Merger

Business fitness sounds like buzz words, but it has become an important concept in the work place. Employees in the organization world are willing to work long and difficult hours.

In exchange they expect the business to be willing to make accommodations. A business fitness plan is a comprehensive program that mergers business and employee health needs.

Taking Stock

Businesses have a social responsibility. They take care of the environment, donate money to worthy causes and take part in school programs. But for many organizations, the social awareness begins with their very own workers.

The employees who are fit make better employees. Research studies have shown that up to 75 percent of illness is related to lifestyle. So for a business exercise program to work it must inform employees fitness as a comprehensive lifelong plan. Since we spend at least 1/3 of our day on the job, it only makes sense to make fitness available at the workplace.

• Test for concerns that could drive to primary health issues in the future, such as Blood Pressure and glucose levels
• Teach staff members on diet
• Investigate stress levels as a function of employment
• Make exercise equipment or seminars available
• Provide adequate time for involvement in fitness programs
• Provide disease deterence programs such as immunization
• Provide incentive programs for program participation

On A Mission

There are many ways a corporation can create a corporation fitness plan. A professional corporation can be hired to write a complete fitness plan. Or a professional can stimulate a corporation implement a plan the corporation developed. The professional assistance can be internet based, at the worksite, or at a fitness center.

When a professional fitness organization is hired, workers are assessed based on their workload. Individual exercise plans are put into place and progress is monitored. Some employers hire a fitness professional to work directly with workers on an ongoing basis at the worksite.

Other companies pay for the services of a trainer at the nearest gym. To read what personal fitness can do for your company visit this page.

There are many options a corporation can choose among. Corporations often establish fitness plans that comprise of employee families. For example, if the corporation purchased a corporation gym membership, families of staff members are given use of the facilities also.

This promotes family unity in addition to fitness. Some organizations pay for fitness plans in their entirety. Others only pay part and the employee pays the balance. There are elaborate plans that provide classes and group exercises and seminars. There are simpler plans that provide access to basic fitness facilities.

But no matter what form the organization fitness plan takes, as a minimum, the program will instruct on nutrition and provide opportunity for exercises that tone, strengthen and enhance flexibility. A organization that takes care of its workers finds that the workers will take care of the organization.

Growing a Business Exercise Team From Nine-To-Five

People spend much time at work, and work environments are full of stress. Downsizing, mergers, more production specifications and extended hours take their toll on employee health.

It can be gauged in rising absenteeism and more health costs. It is time to reverse the trend. Establishing a corporation exercise team could be the perfect solution. Driving each other to start a physical activity program will reap big outcomes for the workers and the corporation.

Working Overtime

It is simple to find excuses to skip exercising. One of them is always ‘not sufficient time’. But 2 walks for 15 minutes each has the same health benefit as 1 walk for 30 minutes. This fact makes building employer exercise team programs simple.

Most organizations hire a fitness professional. The fitness professional can develop a plan the corporation can manage itself or let the fitness professional begin and monitor. Either way, there are lots of ways for employees to exercise during the day.

• Take walks outside during breaks or lunch
• Go to sponsored exercise sessions at an in-house health club or a local health club before or after work
• Take the stairs rather than taking the elevators, calculating the number of stairs each week
• Do stretching exercises every hour to keep refreshed and alert

But it works even better when teamwork is added to the mix. A organization is as good as its staff members. Every organization operates on the concept of good teamwork to fulfill its mission and provide great customer service. What better way to begin that process than by building a organization exercise group?

The rapport that is created among workers working out together will carry over into the worksite itself. It is a well-known fact that group exercise promote cooperation and exercise provides the perfect common activity.

All humans need to exercise to maintain fitness. With a corporation exercise program, the corporation can convey its belief in team spirit, cooperative objectives and strategy development.

A local personal trainer can be hired to come workplace or the employer can hire a internet-based trainer. Either way, tracking the progress of each employee’s fitness level as they take part in the exercise group projects will encourage participation.

Moonlighting

There are numerous types of physical activity programs that can be available to benefit a workplace.

• A mixture of aerobics exercises followed by strength movements
• Circuit training at the fitness center
• Tai Chi Ch’uan for relaxation and stress control
• Step classes
• Body sculpting
• A series of progressive exercise classes offering steady fitness change
• Specialty courses for people over 55 or for pregnant women

On this page you can locate a personal trainer who can show how building a employer exercise group programs works.

A company will discover that once staff members begin to feel fit, the fitness program will carry over into their individual life. Now that is healthy moonlighting!

Businesses are expected to be responsible in every way. They protect the environment, contribute to local area projects and pay taxes. They also care about the health of their employees.

One of the advantages of wellness programs is they give workers every opportunity to improve their quality of life both at work and after work.

Wellness is not just about executing a few exercises. It is a complete service-oriented program that considers nutrition, central fitness and job fitness.

Advantages of Corporate Wellness Programs

The Advantages of Company Health Promotion Programs form a long list.

• Betteremployee productiveness
• Improvedemployee concentration
• Better morale
• Lower absenteeism

The advantages of wellness programs cannot be underestimated. With one-on-one consultation and group programs, staff members learn to handle stress in a constructive demeanor.

This not only improves life on the job, it improves customer service and the quality of life with family and friends. Everyone who works has experienced those days when work goes home with you because of the consequence stress has on physical and mental wellness.

Stress produces a chemical that expands fat generation in bodies.

A wellness program enables employees to deal with stress in such a manner they 1. decrease stress caused illnesses and 2. don’t carry the stress of work with them throughout non-job activities.

The benefits of a wellness program are the outcome of the use of exercise and nutrition planning to inform workers how to stay physically in-shape.

It is much easier for the body to manage stress when the whole body is healthy. staff members who are not active directly cost the company much money in absenteeism, improved medical care costs and lost productivity.

Employee relations can also suffer as a result of employees who feel daily stress of employment.

Advantages of Employee Wellness Programs – Satisfaction Guaranteed

The Benefits of wellness programs are both tangible and intangible.

• Existing chronic illnesses are discussed to avoid further physical deterioration
• Preventive Corporate Wellness Programs keep medical care costs decreased over time
• Workers experience better energy which stimulates productivity
• Unhealthy snacking in the workplace is discussed
• Ergonomics are studied to decrease employee injury potential
• Employee flexibility is greater
• Self-image of employees is better
• Employee cooperation developed through physical activity programs
• Solutions to health and fitness problems are given

The benefits of business exercise program comprise of on-Site and off-site services customized to match business goals and objectives. Even if a program is in place, it can be developed or expanded to match the needs of the business and its staff members.

Regular assessments, health education, health management and health consulting services are some of the many benefits of wellness programs monitored by Employee Wellness Program professionals. Among the many choices available, a employer program normally will offer the following as a minimum.

• Physical Exercise
• Core muscle strengthening
• Muscle toning
• Improved flexibility
• Dietary analysis and changes

Wellness programs vary depending on the size of the business, location to fitness equipment and budget. But no matter what shape the Corporate Wellness Program takes, the Benefits of Corporate Wellness Programs will enhance overall employee satisfaction. This reaps big rewards for the business.

Help your employees be the very best they can be mentally and physically, by realizing the Advantages of Company Wellness Programs.

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Life on Loan -Advantages of Corporate Health Promotion Programs

It is simple for employees to ignore the facts about their health when they are involved in just getting the job done. One of the big advantages of Corporate Health Promotion Programs is they bring health to the forefront of employer awareness.

Obesity is a primary issue and getting worse every day. But it is just one issue among many. Employee health maintenance has become so expensive that it is the fastest increasing component of many corporate budgets.

An effective Worksite Wellness Program can slow down the rate of increase and help staff members realize they have a responsibility to themselves and their families to care for their own Health Promotion. Each person is given a gift of life and it is imperative that life be cared for carefully.

Rewards of Worksite Wellness Programs

The benefits of wellness programs cover the following:

• Increased awareness of detrimental behaviors such as smoking
• Reduction in employee obesity and subsequent ailments
• Convenience of programs for company and workers
• Tracing of employee physical activity program results
• Location of a fitness consultant

Staff Members are evaluated one-on-one at the organization or where there is organization membership. Professional Corporate Wellness Program instructors create a custom fitted plan that insures the employee will have a exercise program that meets their current physical condition and lifestyle.

One of the primary reasons that exercise program fail is because people set unrealistic expectations. They are always ‘in debt’ to their program, unable to meet the requisites. A employer personal trainer can stimulate each individual set realizable intention and design a program that is progressive.

The benefits of wellness programs are well documented in reports and can be seen in lower medical care costs and higher productivity.

Benefits of Employee Health Promotion Programs

Sometimes a high interest rate can be a great thing for a organization – like when there is high employee interest in a Company Health Promotion Program.

The advantages of Employee Wellness Programs apply to the company and the workers.

• Reducedhealthcare claims as employee health progresses
• Less cases of obesity
• Fewer cholesterol rates
• Better cardiovascular health
• Reduced incidences of high Blood Pressure (BP)
• Less use of sick time
• Better stress management
• Stronger staff members are less likely to be injured
• Fewer disability claims

Today, you can usually find a exercise room at the office for employee convenience. That is an indication of the level of effectiveness of a exercise program.

The rewards of wellness programs comprise of prevention of common medical conditions that once were considered rare.

The increase in employee health nets the business a reduction in medical care care costs and that savings flows directly to the bottom line of the monetary report. There are really no negatives to a Wellness program.

The rewards of wellness programs are so outstanding; it is hard to know why any corporation would choose not to incorporate a fitness plan for their employees. Look on the web and see for yourself the world of opportunity to improve the health of your employees and your corporation.

Information to evaluate your program comes from regularly gathered screening and follow-up data of your program that look at process and outcomes of your program.

The Worker Health Program has available a computerized case-management system which includes queries that allow simple assessment of process and outcome results at any point in time.

Process Assessment

Process assessment looks at the  Company Wellness Program’s impact as seen at various points in time.

Information that is gathered from the various forms that wellness employees fill out should supply you with the following:

• How many staff members were screened?
• How many workers who were referred to a doctor went?
• How many employees who expressed interest in health improvement programs went?
• How many workers who were referred to health improvement programs went?
• How many workers who went to health improvement programs completed them?
• How many workers are in follow-up caseload?

You can use this type of process assessment to evaluate and learn about the health of your program.

Outcome Evaluation

A central goal of the program is to improve the health of workers. Information on how to judge how well your program is meeting this goal is called “outcome evaluation” because you are evaluating the end results or outcome of your program.

In wellness programs, objectives are gauged by specific (outcomes) behavior changes and reductions in health risk levels. Have employees lowered their Blood Pressure (BP)? Have they lost weight? Are they working out more? Is alcohol consumption at a safe level? By way of example these are the types of questions you can ask to discover if you are reaching your objectives:

• For employees with high Blood Pressure (BP) (140 / 90 or higher or on medication) at screening, what percentage have it under control (below 140 / 90) a year later?
• What is the modification in average Blood Pressure levels among all employees with elevated Blood Pressure 1 year after screening? Two years later?
• For workers with high blood cholesterol levels (above 240) at screening, what percentage has reduced their cholesterol to borderline-high levels (200-239)?
• For workers with borderline-elevated blood cholesterol levels, what percentages have reduced their cholesterol to the desirable range (below 200)?
• What is the modification in average cholesterol levels among all employees with high and borderline-high blood cholesterol levels 1 year after screening? Two years later?
• For workers who were overweight at assessment, what percentage have lost 20 pounds or more a year later? Ten pounds or more? What is the average weight loss?
• For employees who were smokers at screening, what percentages have quit smoking? For at least a year?
• For staff members whose level of alcohol consumption put them at-risk at assessment, what percentage have quit drinking alcohol? Are consuming alcohol at levels considered safe by CDC instructions? Have reduced their drinking, but are still at-risk?
• For employees, what percentages are working out at least three times a week for at least 20 minutes?
• If fitness levels were measured, what percentages have improved fitness?

Set a regular time such as every 6 months to look at which employees your program is reaching and how effective it is at supporting them lower their health risks. Use this information to make new decisions about how to direct your program efforts. Then make the change you need to improve your program.

Some may feel that an assessment is unnecessary; it is not. Assessment is a crucial part of a wellness program. You will need to be aware of what is working and what is not. Decision-makers who fund the program need to be updated on the effectiveness of the program. Evaluation will provide you with crucial data to maintain and expand the program and convince management to continue to support the program.

Counselors ought to follow up on employees at least every 6 months throughout the career of the employee at the workplace. The objectives of follow-up are to:

• Involve employees who have health risks in treatment and risk reduction programs.
• Involve all employees in health improvement programs and workplace-wide wellness activities.
• Support staff members in carrying out the risk reduction or health improvement activities they have chosen.
• Help workers comply with their treatment regimens.
• Prevent relapse.
• Prevent workers from dropping out.
• Help employees maintain behavior changes.

Follow-up can be conducted in person, by phone, mail, and via computer if the technology is available. Most preferable is an in-person contact. Computer programs which can do case load management are available to help counselors track information and perform follow-up.

Priorities for Follow-Up

People with multiple health risks should be at the top of the list. People in key positions such as union leaders or department heads with health risks should also be contacted early so that they learn what the program is about and can share the information with others.

People who need a health care assessment for elevated Blood Pressure (BP) or blood lipids ought to also be targeted early. Many staff members will have seen their doctors as a result of the screening, but some will need more encouragement to do so. Those with no health risks can be followed up each year.

A follow-up counseling session can take 20 to 45 minutes. At minimum, follow-up must include those who were told to seek healthcare evaluation for high Blood Pressure readings, high cholesterol readings, or borderline high blood cholesterol readings with 2 or more other risk factors.

It may include those who were identified as at-risk for one or more of the other major risk factors: at-risk levels of alcohol consumption, being overweight, and having low HDL.

Follow-Up With Physicians

A letter (see forms) should be sent to the physician or clinic of each employee who has elevated Blood Pressure, elevated blood lipids, or is under a physician’s care.

The letter ought to explain the program and ought to include the employee’s relevant, current health measurements.

Along with the letter, send a self-addressed return envelope. Follow-up with the physician must be repeated every 6 months until it is shown that the employee is under satisfactory control.

Contacting the physician is significant for three reasons:

• The doctors receive workers’ health measurements taken at the workplace.
• You receive the Blood Pressure (BP) and cholesterol readings the doctor takes and information on the treatment the doctor prescribes. Many times the employee does not have this information or does not remember it. The information can be used when counseling the employee.
• Follow-up encourages physicians to pay closer attention to heart disease risk factors among their patients.

The menu approach offers staff members a range of options to support lifestyle changes. It allows people to choose the kind of help that suits their schedules and preferences.

The four basic types of programs include:
• Classes
• Minigroups
• Guided self help
• Individual counseling

Classes

Classes (8 or more) can be an effective means of offering education and social reinforcement for behavior change. The length of a class can vary depending on topic requirements. It is not sufficient to offer only classes at a worksite.

Many staff members are under time constraints with after work commitments and even though they may be interested they simply cannot take part because of their schedules.

employees may be very eager to begin a program but because of lack of participants to meet class quotas, the program is canceled. Many national employers such as the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Weight Watchers, etc. offer classes; you must have little trouble in identifying a provider for class type programs.

You may want to contact your local hospital, health department, or YMCA for possible options. For selecting a vendor to provide a program you may want to review the section on program structure.

Minigroups

When there is not sufficient interest to create a class, those who are interested in a given health topic can be formed into a minigroup (2 to 7).

The minigroup can cover the same content as a class but do so in a less formal manner. Presentation of information and discussion is the primary format of the minigroup.

Guided Self-Help

Most staff members do not want formal help in making health changes; they prefer to do it on their own. In guided self-help, the wellness counselors offer backing, materials, and encouragement.

Meeting times can be arranged and contact can be made either in person, by phone, or computer. Materials can be made available at the worksite, or mailed to the individual. Some worksites now make information available via intranets or the Internet.

Individual Counseling

One of the most efficacious ways to help individuals change and better their health status is counseling (or coaching) on a one-on-one basis.

In published studies, wellness programs which incorporated individual counseling as part of the program process achieved significantly higher participation rates and achieved greater risk reduction/risk elimination than standard group programs. Studies have established that individual counseling is both cost effective and cost advantageous.

A wellness counselor ought to be trained in evaluation techniques, for in certain situations, they may be needed to both screen individuals and counsel them. They ought to know how to do the following:

• Review employee health risks
• Contact workers who have health risks.
• Counsel workers on a one-on-one basis, helping them set goals, solve concerns, and get expert help when they need it.
• Help workers follow their treatment recommendations and make lifestyle and health behavior changes.
• Recruit workers into health improvement programs, such as weight loss and tobacco cessation.
• Work with staff members on a one-on-one basis using guided self-help.
• Conduct classes and minigroups if necessary.
• Work with Corporate Wellness Program Committee participants to plan and conduct workplace-wide wellness activities.

Wellness counselors are health generalists; they must have basic knowledge about a wide range of health issues and health risks.

Counselors must be able to talk with employees about their medical problems and the treatments prescribed by their doctors. They ought to have a great overview of nutrition, exercise physiology, pathophysiology of disease, pharmacology, psychology, and behavior modification skills.