The corporate wellness trend has picked up its pace in 2010 as employees have decided that the workplace is a good place to take care of their health and as employers have figured that a healthy work force is a more productive workforce.
"Businesses are realizing that (on-site wellness programs) are a good thing from the standpoint of cost and engaging employees. Employees want it because they spend a good portion of their day at work," said Sheri Gatto, wellness coordinator for State Farm Insurance Cos.
Wellness programs at work aren't new. What's new is a gradually increasing number of businesses offering health screenings, walking programs, nutrition or stress management classes. Health professionals predict the trend will slowly pick up steam despite the recession.
Employers' demand for programs offered by the Center for Healthy Lifestyles at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington, dipped during 2009 because of the recession, said director Erin Kennedy. More employers were interested in one-time programs rather than a comprehensive approach, Kennedy said.
This year, businesses are requesting more programs, said Kennedy and Allison Slocum, Advocate BroMenn's regional outreach specialist. More employers want the full package: personalized health risk assessments and wellness planning, education programs and ongoing wellness activities such as lunch and learns, Kennedy said.
Slocum thinks more employers are interested because they experienced an increase in health insurance claims and health insurance premiums and want to control costs.
Businesses are recognizing that the costs of a good wellness program may be more than offset by healthier, happier and more productive employees, Slocum said.
Meanwhile, more employees are realizing the value of knowing their health screening numbers, eating healthfully and being physically active, Slocum said.
"Employees are more invested in their wellness," said Mary Donnelly, supervisor of benefits, projects and support with Country Financial.
"The wellness bug is hitting more people," Slocum said. "Seventy-five percent of health care costs are related to preventable conditions. If we can catch them early, we'll be in much better shape.
"The workplace is a great opportunity to capture the attention of employees," Slocum said. "Employees are at work for at least 40 hours a week and a lot of decisions are made there," including what to eat for lunch and snacks and whether to exercise.
Less healthy employees are more likely to be sick and absent from work or at work but not working hard. But when people eat well, exercise, get proper rest and manage their stress, their health improves at home and at work.
"Eventually, there will be a return on the investment (in wellness programs) and that will be healthier, more productive employees with less time off, decreased absenteeism, fewer work injuries and more teamwork," Kennedy said.
Advocate BroMenn's program for employers is called H20 (Healthcare-to-Organizations). Offerings include visits by an onsite wellness specialist; a monthly e-newsletter for employees; health fairs; lunch and learn presentations on topics such as stress management, men's and women's health, and sleep; health risk assessments; smoking cessation classes; and fitness room orientations.
St. Joseph's Center for Healthy Lifestyles offers presentations on topics such as heart disease, mental health and stress management; health screenings, health risk assessments and personal wellness profiles; healthy cooking and exercise classes; and health seminars on such topics as weight control and diabetes management.
State Farm's Live Well, Be Well program has included a tobacco cessation program, a know-your-numbers program to encourage employees to get cholesterol, blood glucose, triglycerides and blood pressure screenings; and Operation Move, an exercise tracking program that ran from February through December 2009.
"By the end of the year, 23,000 employees (of 67,000 State Farm employees nationwide) were tracking and logging 2,361,271 miles," Gatto said.
That included 7,968 State Farm employees in Bloomington - more than half of the employees here.
"We have been blown away by the participation," Gatto said.
State Farm offers yoga, pilates, zumba and walking exercise classes; Weight Watchers; seasonal wellness initiatives; health articles on the company intranet site; online wellness programs; health screenings; and is working with its food vendor to offer healthier alternatives in State Farm cafeterias.
In 2009, State Farm increased its employee preventive care benefit (for health screenings) from $500 to $1,000. This year, State Farm has added a cancer screening benefit.
"We're creating an environment of health and wellness throughout the company," Gatto said.
Country's Live Well Work Well initiative - which also is open to Illinois Farm Bureau and Growmark employees in Bloomington - offers health and lifestyle fairs, lunch and learn presentations, walking programs and health screenings, Donnelly said. A 12-month Shape Up the Nation employee exercise and weight loss program begins this month with a 12-week team competition.
By Paul Swiech
Pantagraph
http://www.pantagraph.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/article_ceed3574-2543-11df-82b9-001cc4c03286.html