Workplace Wellness Programs - Level 2
| Typical Program Steps | This level is a more Traditional Approach to health and wellness with activity highly rewarded. The programs still help employees feel good about themselves, their job and overall working conditions, but also places much more focus on health screenings, lab reports and additional services like disease intervention programs. |
| Collect Data and Set Benchmarks |
Health Screenings and annual health fairs are promoted in concert with tangible incentives for participation. The results of lab tests are provided to participants, and in some cases, are tracked at the employer level. This permits some basic opportunities for benchmarking – number people with high cholesterol, overweight, etc. Here employers are more aware of their overall healthcare costs and are beginning to understand the cause and related risk factors driving the costs. |
| Identify Areas of Need and Set Goals |
The results of the data collection are used to define areas in need of attention, such as a formal weight loss program, the need to promote smoking cessation, the importance of lowering high cholesterol levels, or development of specific disease intervention and management programs. Specific goals are set to help communicate the company’s objectives of the program – usually on an annual basis. |
| Programming and Lifestyle Management |
In addition to general programming like health and wellness newsletters, topical health posters, bulletin boards and health fairs – programs at this level include an emphasis on fitness, and additional information outlets from personal health assessments and risk identification for each individual, to online resources about health issues and self care guides to assist employees with understanding health care needs and options. |
| Interventions and Disease Management Services |
Smoking Cessation Programs and Group Weight Loss classes are very popular activities at this level. Employers often subsidize participation in local fitness center memberships, and encourage employees to seek support and enroll in individual intervention programs by increasing incentives and rewards for those who participate. |
| Incentive and Reward Programs |
Incentives recognizing participation in various programs are still very important at this level. People need to feel good about their attempts to modify lifestyle and take on healthier habits. Additional incentives, like fitness club discounts, and increased recognition such as “health and wellness” award winners are great motivators. |
| Outcome Review and ROI Calculations |
Employers at this level can begin to identify specific areas of improvement. Lower health care claims over time, reduced absenteeism and lower turnover rates begin to emerge at this level of programming. |