Posts from — November 2008

Flu Shot Facts & Myths

Myth: The flu isn’t a serious disease.
Fact: Influenza (flu) is a serious disease of the nose, throat, and lungs, and it can lead to  pneumonia. Each year about 200,000 staff members in the United States are hospitalized and about 36,000  staff members die because of the flu. Most who die are 65 years and older. But small children less than  2 years old are as likely as those over 65 to have to go to the hospital because of the flu.

Myth: The flu shot can cause the flu.
Fact: The flu shot cannot cause the flu. Some staff members get a little soreness or redness where they  get the shot. It goes away in a day or two. Serious problems from the flu shot are very rare.

Myth: The flu shot does not work.
Fact: The majority of of the time the flu shot will prevent the flu. In scientific studies, the  effectiveness of the flu shot has ranged from 70 percent to 90 percent when there is a good match  between circulating viruses and those in the vaccine. Getting the vaccine is your best protection  against this disease.

Myth: The side effects are worse than the flu.
Fact: The worst side effect you’re likely to get from a flu shot is a sore arm. The nasal mist flu  vaccine might cause nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat and cough. The risk of a severe allergic  reaction is less than 1 in 4 million.

Myth: Only older staff members need a flu vaccine.
Fact: Children and adults with conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease need  to get a flu shot. Doctors also recommend children 6 months and older get a flu shot every year until  their 5th birthday.

Myth: You must get the flu vaccine before December.
Fact: Flu vaccine can be given before or during the flu season. The best time to get vaccinated is  October or November. But you can get vaccinated in December or later.

For more information, ask your health care provider or call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).  You can also  get more information about flu vaccinations by visiting the following Website: www.cdc.gov/flu

Source: The Department of Health and Human ServicesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention

Advantages of Employee Wellness Programs: Easy to Find

Employer’s are learning that Employee Wellness Programs is an effective way to increase productivity,  improve worker health, decrease health care costs and reduce absenteeism.

A report published in 2003 by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)  highlighted how important it is for corporations to incorporate Employee Wellness Programs as part of  their organization strategy. The report asserts that chronic diseases which are largely preventable  place a heavy toll on employer, including lower productivity and higher medical insurance costs.

The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that $1.66 trillion was spent on health care in  2003 and it attributes a majority of those costs to chronic diseases and conditions such as heart  disease, diabetes, obesity and asthma. Sadly, the money allocated for preventing or controlling these  conditions is negligible.

In a recent article, American Cancer Society CEO John Seffrin reported two thirds of cancer deaths in  the United States could be prevented through lifestyle changes in diet, physical fitness, cancer  testing and “especially” tobacco use. A well-designed Employee Wellness Programs initiative serves the  best interests of employees and corporations alike.

Advantages of Wellness Progams: Return On Investment (ROI)

Ron Goetzel, a nationally recognized expert in the field of health management, data analysis and  applied research, said in a recent interview that with an investment of $100 to $150 per worker per  year in Employee Wellness Programs, an employer can expect an average return on investment (ROI) of  approximately $3 for every $1
invested ($300 to $450 savings per worker per year).  Goetzel says, however, that these returns are not  typically found until two to three years into the Employee Wellness Program.

Advantages of Wellness Progams: Tax Breaks

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) has been an outspoken proponent in seeking legislative solutions for a  strained health care system.

“As a nation, we have a ‘sick care’ system that is focused on helping staff members after they get  sick, rather than a ‘health care’ system which focuses on keeping healthy staff members healthy,” he  says.

Harkin introduced the Healthy Lifestyle and Prevention (HeLP) America Act of 2004. One of the  initiatives under Title II – Healthier Communities and Workplaces, provides tax credits to corporations  that offer comprehensive programs to promote worker health and grants for small employer.

Advantages of Wellness Progams: Getting Started

Implementing a Employee Wellness Programs can be accomplished with simple, low-cost strategies.

• Provide incentives for participation.
• Establish a wellness informational campaign.
• Schedule wellness seminars on diabetes, nutrition, physical fitness and cholesterol.
• Establish initiatives such as fitness, sleep diary, tobacco use cessation and injury prevention.
• Provide onsite chair massages or simple stretching exercises to do at the desk.
• Alter vending machine options to offer healthier, low-fat snacks and drinks.
• Actively promote worker participation in all Employee Wellness Programs.

A successful Company Health and Wellness Program can boost employer morale, enhance productivity,  reduce organizational conflict, attract superior workers and decrease the rate of worker turnover. The  case for establishing a Company Health and Wellness Program is well worth the effort.

Demographic and technological transformations are changing the nature of work in our society. As these  changes occur the comprehensive model of Employee Wellness Programs described above will evolve and  continue to develop. If current trends continue, the workers of tomorrow will be older, more racially  and ethically diverse, increasingly female, and will often be located off-site. In the later case,  technological advances are making it possible for more and more professionals to conduct their work  from their homes. Thus the very character of the worksite will change and so must our efforts to  deliver Employee Wellness Programs. As an example, in the future it is likely that a great deal of  health education programming will be delivered through personalized interactive multimedia formats,  conveniently supplied to any number of employees through telecommunication systems.

As technological innovations increase in the worksite, Company Health and Wellness Program  professionals will face new health related challenges. In the past, some have assumed that technology  would make workers more efficient, thereby allowing employees to work less, while being more  productive. In reality, increases in technological innovation have simply allowed more of us to take  our work with us where ever we go and feel guilty for not being increasingly productive.

This trend may absorb greater amounts of leisure time that is normally devoted to recreation and  relaxation. Subsequent increases in fatigue and stress will ensure the continued need for effective  Employee Wellness Programs.

When considering the scope of Employee Wellness Programs described in this article, many will think of  substantial investments made by large corporations. The reality is that 60 percent of individuals  working in the United States work for a employer of less than 100 employees (U. S. Bureau of Census,  1988). Due to economy of scale, it has been difficult and expensive for small employer owners to supply  adequate health care insurance as well as prevention programming for workers.

Company Health and Wellness Program professionals must understand this challenge and develop the way to  overcome these obstacles. The proof is clear that much more could be done to advance the health of our  society through the worksite. As change agents, health educators must work to empower corporations and  employees through education of the benefits of Employee Wellness Programs.

Worksites do not exist in a vacuum. They are part and parcel of the community in which they are  located. Successful corporate administrators are cognizant of the need for positive community relations  and should do what is necessary to promote good will. What better way to bridge relationships than by  utilizing existing community Company Health and Wellness Program services and initiatives whenever  possible (e.g., voluntary, private and public health agencies) and offering health related services  back to the community. Since the community is also the home of the worker, an effective mode of health  promotion is through programming directed at the larger community. Sponsorship of community related  health fairs is one example more are listed below.

• Encourages worker/employer involvement in the community
  Blood drives
  Sponsorship of fund raising for community schools and social services
  Community recycling initiatives
  Youth league sports sponsorship
  Job training initiatives
• Public relations and media initiatives advertising a healthy employer image, employer newsletters and press releases on health issues to local media
• Environmentally sound use of waste disposal and community resources

At times Employee Wellness Programs have been instituted as public relations vehicles intended to  enhance the organization image with little concern for improvements in worker health. Companies who are  truly committed to enhancing worker health and wellness, are corporations who have worked to include  Employee Wellness Programs into the employer’s mission statement. With this commitment, policies and  procedures can be written to address short and long term goals of increased worker health,  productivity, and morale. These policies and procedures are critical to the establishment of supportive  organizational cultures conducive to worker health and wellness.

• Active worker involvement in Company Health and Wellness Program committees and employer decision  making
• Availability of flextime work schedules
• No tobacco use policy
• Drug use policy and testing
• Motor vehicle seatbelts and the use of other protective/safety equipment
• Sexual harassment policy
• Family leave initiatives
• Consistent and frequent awards and recognition of worker work efforts

The environmental conditions of the worksite can be divided into both physical and psychosocial  domains, both of which influence the culture and climate of a worksite. The cultural norms of a  worksite have been identified as powerful determinants of worker health and behavior (Baum, 1995).  Ultimately, workers benefit most from a healthy, supportive; eustressful worksite community was they  feel valued and respected. Since adults spend approximately one third of their waking hours at work,  one would hope that employees view work as less of a necessity and more of an enjoyable experience.

The climate of a worksite is also more conducive to enhancing health and human performance when the  environment is safe, clean, aesthetically pleasing and ergonomically engineered. While some occupations  maybe inherently dangerous (e.g., fire fighter, military personnel) all comprehensive Employee Wellness  Programs should control exposure to unhealthy conditions including: hazardous chemicals, noise,  temperature, radiation and other risky conditions. Program examples include:

• Employee Wellness Programs grounded in supportive cultural change strategies
• Environmental and safety compliance measures
Lighting
Ventilation
Heating
Control of toxic substances
Noise
Universal precautions
• Ergonomically designed workstations
• Sanitary, clean, well maintained physical environment
• Recycling promoted initiatives
• worker & management training in emergency procedures

An worker’s psychological health can never be neglected in a comprehensive model of Employee Wellness  Programs. Originating out of a need for alcohol abuse initiatives in the worksite, today’s employee  assistance programs (EAP) encompass assessment and counseling for substance abuse and dependency,  stress related disorders, family conflicts and other personal issues.

Evidence of the need for such initiatives is wide spread. In a national survey conducted by the  Northwestern Life Insurance Company (1992) 46% of employees reported that their job was very stressful,  34% thought about quitting their jobs because of worksite stress, and 14% did leave their job because  of stress. Alcohol and substance abuse problems as well as issues of worksite violence and harassment  are common areas of concern. For many the only viable treatment solution is the Employee Wellness  Program.  Exemplary Employee Wellness Programs will include:

• Individualized assessment of worker concerns
• Treatment choice assistance
• Emphasis on prevention as well as treatment
• Individual and family counseling initiatives
• Treatment for addictions:
Drugs
Alcohol
Gambling
• Crisis intervention initiatives
• Stress Management Programs
• Ongoing support groups
• Management and worker training to identify individuals at risk.
• After treatment care

Small and large corporations carry a significant proportion of the provision of health care for  families in this country by offering health care insurance for their employees. With the escalating  increase in health care cost many corporations are attempting to slow the increase of health care  insurance premiums by offering innovative cost control initiatives. Greater emphasis is being put on  primary prevention to keep employees healthy and secondary prevention to identify and treat health  conditions before they can become serious.

At some workplaces, employees are being encouraged to take greater responsibility for their health  related behaviors through risk rated incentive packages. Linking wellness to worker benefits of gain  sharing and co-payment cost reductions will provide new opportunities requiring efforts of  collaboration between the human resource managers and the Company Health and Wellness Program  specialists. These two sets of professionals may also work together for the ongoing evaluation of cost  effective Employee Wellness Programs.

In conjunction with the above initiatives most large corporations also have a nurse or physician on  staff to dispense on-site medical and preventive care. Some initiatives have also found it cost  effective to provide their own physical therapy programming to assist injured and infirm workers in  regaining optimal functioning. A comprehensive selection of health related worker services and benefits  would include the following:

• Free or low cost health screenings provided on site by employer clinical personnel or through outside  contractors:
Serum cholesterol
Colorectal cancer screen
Blood pressure check
Mammography
Vision and hearing testing
Diabetes
• Referral and follow-up procedures (e.g., Hypertension, Cholesterol, Cancer)
• Provision of first aid and emergency care
• Disease control and prevention initiatives
• Onsite Child and adult care services
• Financial and Pre-Retirement planning
• Ongoing learning/educational opportunities
• Coordination of employer picnics and outings
• Parent-child work visitation initiatives
• Workers compensation/rehabilitation

physical fitness and nutrition initiatives have demonstrated effectiveness in delaying the onset of  worker morbidity while enhancing self esteem, stress management and general feelings of well being.  Although many physical fitness and nutrition initiatives are instructional in nature, they should go  beyond educational initiatives by offering enabling supports for the adoption of healthy behaviors.

Quality Employee Wellness Programs encourage and facilitate participation in daily physical activity  for all employees, and when possible retired workers and family menbers. This is accomplished through  access to fitness facilities, (preferably on site) and properly supervised physical fitness classes. In  addition a comprehensive program will provide opportunities for Individualized physical fitness and  nutrition prescriptions from certified professionals. Commitment to the model is demonstrated through  occupational food services and sales consistent with healthy nutrition. Specific initiatives to  include:

• Resistance training
• Flexibility conditioning initiatives
• Healthy cooking classes
• Aerobic conditioning initiatives
• Diet analysis and planning assistance
• Physical rehabilitative initiatives
• Weight/body fat control initiatives
• Team and individual recreational sports initiatives
• Physical fitness assessments and initiatives

Health education is easily integrated into all the areas of comprehensive Employee Wellness Programs  and it is unlikely that any of the areas could survive without an educational component. It is a key  element of every primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention program and a way of promoting wellness  and optimal health. A comprehensive health education program must be based on theoretically and  scientifically sound principles to ensure effectiveness.

Successful health education initiatives will incorporate adult learning theories and encourage active  member involvement in all aspects of program planning and implementation. Health education efforts  should emphasize skill development and the adoption of health enhancing behaviors while being  accessible to all employees, their families and retirees. Methods of delivery may include; one on one  instruction, group presentations, seminars, workshops, educational media lending library and health  literature distribution. Program examples may include:

• Health Risk Assessments (HRAs)
• Individualized health prescriptions and behavior change assistance
• First aid and CPR training
• Nutrition education initiatives
• Stress Management Programs
• tobacco use cessation  initiatives
• Heart disease and cancer education
• Blood borne pathogens education initiatives
• Sexual assault prevention initiatives

• Prenatal care and Postnatal
• Safety education initiatives
• Self care initiatives
• Healthy back initiatives
• Family centered initiatives
• Supplies of literature and educational media available for worker loan