Worksite Wellness

Friday, June 01, 2012

Celebrate National Employee Wellness Month

This June marks the fourth annual National Employee Wellness Month, an initiative that provides business leaders with fresh ideas and proven strategies around corporate wellness. At TotalWelllness, we know a healthy workplace plays a key role in preventing and managing chronic disease. As a proud supporter of National Employee Wellness Month, TotalWellness believes that the workplace should be an environment that supports employees by providing resources to improve their health. Here are few of the things we’ve put in place:

On-site Fitness Center:  Makes workouts convenient and allows employees to incorporate physical activity into their daily routine.

Free Assessments:  Employees can choose to complete a Personal Health Assessment and Biometric Screening to get a better understanding of their current health status.

Casual Environment: We allow and encourage employees to wear workout gear to the office to help remove some of the barriers to exercise. We also encourage group walks.

‘Ingredient of the Month”: We pick a healthy ingredient to share with each other during monthly potlucks.

Company sponsored community events: We encourage employees to participate in local events like the Trek up the Tower and the Owl Ride.

What are some well-being initiatives you are thinking of or already have in place within your organization?

Monday, May 21, 2012

7 Ways Wellness Programs Help Your Bottom Line

Looking for ways to lower costs? One of the proven ways is by increasing employee wellness. Wellness is an investment in human capital. Employees are more likely to be on the job and performing well when they are in optimal physical and psychological health. Studies have consistently shown that healthier employees yield better bottom line results by:

- Improving employee morale
- Reducing health care costs
- Reducing sick days taken by employees
- Increasing employee productivity
- Decreasing workers’ compensation claim costs
- Enhancing the work environment and employee morale
- Attracting new employees

For more information on how a wellness program can improve your bottom line contact us at 888.434.4358 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Monday, March 05, 2012

Why Wellness?

More companies are investing in employee health today than ever before. Why? Studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that worksite wellness programs significantly improve productivity and reduce health care costs. Organizations that implement these programs see substantial returns on their investments through reductions in hospitalizations, chronic diseases, and absences.

TotalWellness partners with employers to provide prevention and wellness initiatives that help employees stay healthy and productive. Healthier employees translate to a healthier bottom line.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Three Ways to Promote Wellness

Are you doing enough to show your employees that you value their health? Having a quality employee health and wellness program shows employees, including prospective employees, that you value your employees. Here are a few simple things you can do to create a healthier workplace.

1. Bring the flu shot in.
Bring vaccinations to the workplace for flu season. Providing your employees with flu vaccinations is a smart investment. When your employees avoid the flu, they avoid missing days of work.

2. Put prevention into practice.
On-site health screenings give employees the opportunity to check important numbers such as cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose. Providing this service for your employees can go a long way in preventing serious medical conditions.

3. Provide a coach.
For some employees, coaching may be the way to go. Lifestyle management health coaching pairs employees with health professionals who can guide them through the steps of behavior change.

Monday, February 06, 2012

Five Ways to Pump Up Your Wellness Communications

When we partner with companies to provide wellness solutions, we often get asked the same question: What is the best way to communicate our wellness events to employees? While each organization’s culture is a little bit different, there are a few things that seem to work best:

Survey.
Ask your employees which way they would prefer to receive information about the wellness program. Is it on the Intranet? Face-to-Face or print materials? Just ask them.

Connect the dots.
Clearly explain how the wellness program is connected to the company’s overall strategy. Messages about the wellness program are best received when they come from the organization’s leaders. The wellness program shouldn't be just an "HR program" – it must be an intrinsic part of the organization’s culture.

Keep it simple.
Medical terms can be overwhelming and scary to many people. Wellness programs need to be communicated in a way that makes sense. Use visuals and bullet points, graphics, charts, and FAQs.

Focus on confidentiality and privacy.
Continually reassure employees that their privacy will be protected and the results of any wellness program tests will be kept absolutely confidential.

Communicate frequently.
Ongoing communication with employees is key to building understanding and influencing behavior.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Strategy for Controlling Health Care Costs

According to a report from The Commonwealth Fund, between 2003 and 2010, the cost employers paid for family coverage rose 50% to an average of $13,871 a year. With health care costs continuing to increase each year, employers across the United States are increasingly seeing the value of workplace wellness programs as a way to control premium increases and claims costs.

Ranging from health screening tools to personal health coaching wellness-related offerings will continue to become a bigger part of employee benefits to control health care costs and increase productivity.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

New Year, New Focus

The start of the year signifies endless possibilities. It’s a time for new resolutions, priorities and plans. If your employee wellness program is in need of a fresh start or maybe just needs to start-up, TotalWellness can help. From hosting health fairs, to providing lifestyle management coaching to strategic planning and consulting, TotalWellness offers customized solutions to move your employee wellness program in the right direction.