Business Wellness Initiatives

Project of Excellence:

Inquiring into Corporate Wellness Initiatives:

Perspectives from Employers and Employees

by Fran & John Roy.o

© Fran & John Roy.o - - Project of Excellence - - Concluding Paper, p.1

Project of Excellence: Inquiring into Corporate Initiatives:

Perspectives from Employers and Employees

by Fran & John Roy.o

This paper summarizes the journey Fran took during her Project of Excellence (the equivalent of a “thesis” in this Master’s degree program). I set out to research organizations that have already implemented workplace wellness in some fashion and to document the ways in which wellness appears in the workplace. From there, I wanted some first-hand knowledge of how workplace wellness was playing out in organizations, and I chose to focus on businesses in my local area. I planned to speak with local business owners and with employees about how they see workplace wellness showing up in their organization.

BACKGROUND Arriving at this Project of Excellence was a journey that began with the formal coursework of the Applied Healing Arts program. From there, I ventured into the independent phase, where I combined a pursuit of my interests with work that would touch the world.

THE JOURNEY BEGAN WITH FOUR STEPS … FOUR INDEPENDENT STUDIES I began the independent phase of my journey by “Rediscovering My Creativity” during my first Independent Study. I designed with the belief that this would help lead me closer to pursuing my passion. I created a “tool box” of activities that I used to rediscover my creativity, with the intention of sharing these tools at my seminar for women (my original intention for my Project of Excellence). Looking forward at how to apply this Study to my current POE, it was the process of creativity that honed my project to its current state. From that point, I designed my second Independent Study to examine two sides of “stuckness” that were bubbling up in my life. In my “Dancing with Fear & Excitement, Resistance & Flow” study, I took on a greater way of being and applied it to relationships and interactions with strangers. I looked to see if my current “dance partner” (e.g., fear or excitement) was serving me. If not, I chose the other side of the dichotomy as my partner so as to live in a more large-minded manner. My original intention was that a greater way of being would be necessary for me to complete my seminar for women. It is that very greater way of being that


was bold enough to hold space for the unknown as I transitioned my ideas as well as to step forward to further the discussion between traditional healthcare and wellness care. I continued my quest to release disempowering beliefs and “install” empowering beliefs in my third study, “Empowering Self & Others” through the use of Emotional Freedom Techniques® (EFT). This was a tool I was exploring to be used in my women’s seminar to help the ladies release disempowering beliefs. It was through the use of EFT, that space was created to see possibility of a revised Project of Excellence. With my fourth study, “Mind-Body & Business Connection”, I explored what has been done and what possibility is around wellness care in a corporate setting. From this research, I “inserted the needle” of entering into a discussion about corporate wellness in the workplace in my Project of Excellence. With my Project of Excellence, I wanted to reduce unnecessary suffering resulting from disease and illness, to elicit wellness, and to create more possibility in people’s lives. This is the gift that I offer through my work. My work will also expand the realm of wellness to touch the lives of people as employers facilitate an increased awareness of wellness. As “corporate wellness” becomes present in the workplace, there will no longer be a separate “outside of work” compartment, which will in turn establish a sustainable sense of body-mind-spirit, thus creating a wider world.

PURSUIT OF MY MERLIN HEADLINE Because I am combining my passion and my “job”, my work is from the depth of my soul. As I look at my Merlin Headline: “No more work! The only job people have is to let their light shine!”, and look at my Project of Excellence, I see that I am blending the line between work and pleasure, which is the intent of my Merlin. In my Project of Excellence, I am looking to make the workplace a more comfortable place to be. By helping provide a workplace that supports the mental, emotional, and physical wellness of the employee, the employee can derive more fulfillment from work and also be more productive - and by looking at a job less as “work” or a tedious task, the employee is reducing unnecessary suffering and allowing more possibility to let his/her light shine, which promotes more possibility for our common life.

NEXT STEPS After the conclusion of my Project of Excellence, I want to continue my work by adding an educational component for the general public. In a seminar, that might be named “The Spirituality & Business Connection”, there would be pieces from various wellness modalities (e.g., acupuncture, massage, chiropractic). The workshop would blend components from these modalities and show how they can be applied to a corporate setting, similar to the way that


Applied Healing Arts students “Walk the Circles”. With this continuing work, I want to focus on the link between business performance and a balanced soul’s purpose, that is, I want to help create a new kind of “wellness” initiative that grounds business performance in the soul’s desire for purpose. Also, I wish to create a short video that would open the conversation about “corporate wellness” in both the minds of employers and employees. I would begin by asking the questions that I developed for my survey. Furthermore, I might “Walk the Circles”, asking questions to open possibility around “corporate wellness”. I see this work continuing within the work I do for my living. As a Nutritional Cleanse Coach, I assist people in taking back control of their health through nutrition and internal whole-body cleansing of toxins, which helps restore balance in the body. This work is a wonderful segue into the “corporate wellness” conversation, and can help me get in front of employers. I will use my services to help expand the number of organizations that offer “corporate wellness” programs to their employees.

THE NITTY GRITTY OF MY PROJECT OF EXCELLENCE Originally, my Project of Excellence was titled: “Applied Collaborative Wellness: A Model for a Corporate Wellness Initiative”. As my work progressed, this title did not appropriately reflect the contribution I made during this work, so the name was changed to: “Inquiring into Corporate Initiatives: Perspectives from Employers and Employees”. The main part, or action step, of my Project of Excellence was to carry out the inquiry (aka “survey” that I developed) that was formed during my fourth Independent Study. I equate this with “inserting the needle”, as an acupuncturist would do during a treatment. I intended to carry out the survey with at least two employees and one employer. My goal was to find out if organizations have considered a “corporate wellness” program for their employees. In entering into this conversation, I intended to find out if something was in place. If that “something” showed up as missing, I would then continue the conversation to see what steps can be taken to put “something” in place. For this purpose of this work, I defined “corporate wellness” as a workplace-based program that offers a variety of resources to employees to help them maintain or regain health and live a healthier life, thus living a life of “wellness” rather than “sickness”. The focus would be on keeping employees well and prevention of disease and illness, rather than waiting until employees develop disease or illness and then treating them with medication, operations, or other medical interventions. In order to support my action step, I researched businesses that had implemented corporate wellness programs and had identified what worked, what challenges they faced, and how they approached the discussion of wellness. This research gave me ideas to share with the


employer and employees I surveyed as well as helped me formulate questions to ask about the corporate wellness program. I determined several specific action steps that I would take during my project:

1. Research existing corporate wellness models / case studies,2. Develop an inquiry, or script, used to present my request for participation in

my survey, as well as creating a brief presentation to include an offering from me of services that could be offered to employees as part of a wellness program, including modalities such as acupuncture, massage, and chiropractic,

3. Delivery of my survey and presentation, and4. A method of reflection to assess my personal journey through this project.

In order to provide readers with a full experience of how the survey was developed, what existing surveys were consulted, and my learnings from working with the survey, Appendix F contains a copy of my Independent Study Concluding Paper.

Also, in order to provide some more insight into knowing me better, I offer: My Promise, Mission, Purpose, and Merlin Headline. For students in the Applied Healing Arts Program, these are guiding principles for each student’s individual work. I thank all of my teachers from Tai Sophia who helped me hone these identifying characteristics of myself.

My PromiseFor the sake of all beings,I, Frances Royo, Promise that …No matter what,Wherever I am,In my presence, Life does, and will, show as …Deep, Passionate, Fiery Love!

My MissionTo sneeze a smile across the world

My PurposeTo help others reclaim their power and rediscover their authentic selves

My Merlin HeadlineNo More Work! The only job people have is to let their light shine!


RESEARCH In the proposal for my Project of Excellence, I identified six case studies that formed the basis of my research, survey development, and inquiry presentation. During the time that I worked on my Project of Excellence, I was concurrently working on my fourth Independent Study. In that study, I performed research that lead to the development of the surveys I administered in this project. As I continued research for both my study and my project, I unearthed a host of additional case studies. All of the studies are referenced in the Bibliography. Let me point out a resource called Lead by Example. This 24-page document contains 24 separate case studies, providing the number of employees in the organization, the program goals and components, key findings, and a quote from the CEO about the wellness initiative. This document is helpful in many ways. First of all, it provides a large number of case studies all in one place - a researcher’s dream! Secondly, it uses the same format throughout the document so it’s easy to compare / contrast and look for similarities / differences in programs. Thirdly, every case study is addressed from the point of view of the CEO. This is done purposely so that if another CEO is wondering about the “why” or “what will the benefits of this be” of implementing a wellness initiative, well, CEO’s would prefer to hear from another CEO who’s done it. Another valuable resource is the article about the Arlington County Government, an entity that expanded on their existing wellness program and added a “health culture” component. With this new focus, they surveyed their employees (on a voluntary and anonymous basis) to find out how conducive the workplace environment was to a healthy lifestyle, and they found two main issues: stress and interpersonal relations among employees. Rather than trying to “fix” their employees, they focused on adjusting the actual work environment within individual departments, since each department had different issues (rather than implementing countywide programs). In one department, employees were invited to provide ideas for structuring new office space. In another department, daily “quiet time” was implemented, where employees had a block of time where they were not to be interrupted so that they could spend concentrated time working. Another department addressed stress issues by providing on-site seated massage, weekly meditation programs, and regular blood pressure checks. The Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA) puts out a magazine called Absolute Advantage. In one edition of this magazine, they highlighted the Washoe County Public School District, in Reno, Nevada, which took a unique approach to funding its wellness program. It has based its program on two principles: individual responsibility for modifiable risk factors and voluntary participation in behavior change programs that are incentive-driven. In the article, this is how Aaron Hardy explains how the program works:


“This simple program requires a $40 per month Good Health Incentive Contribution (GHIC) from all District employees and retirees. The annual Good Health Incentive Screening—which includes screenings for blood pressure, tobacco use, and body mass index—can reduce the monthly contribution. Here’s how it works. If a District employee completes the screening, his or her monthly contribution is reduced $10 per month (meaning the employee now pays only $30 per month). If the screening reveals that the employee is not at risk for high blood pressure, tobacco use, or high body mass index, their monthly contribution is reduced to zero. If however, an employee is at-risk for any or all of the above-mentioned risk factors, he or she can take part in programs or actions to reduce these risks, and in so doing, reduce their contribution by $10 per month for each health risk addressed. Simplified, this means that employees who take part in the screening—and then take action to address identified health risks—would contribute nothing to the GHIC, the same as an employee who took part in the screening and was found to be risk-free.”

What a great way to self-fund a wellness initiative, I say! The school system employs approximately 7,000 people, and of them 5-7% contribute at least $10/month into the fund. Having read through more than 30 case studies, I have summarized my findings. I found commonalities in the goals of the wellness initiative, the components or ways that the initiatives were implemented, and in outcomes of what happened once wellness initiatives were implemented. I have also included challenges that were addressed by the companies as well as some miscellaneous notes.

RESEARCH - GOALS• decrease health care costs,

• weight management,

• reduce / prevent use of tobacco,

• increase presenteeism,• decrease absenteeism,

• increase productivity,

• increase physical activity,

• positively impact / empower employee’s health / lifestyle decisions,

• improve health status of individuals, and


• improve nutrition.

RESEARCH - COMPONENTS• employees complete a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) to help then understand the state of their

health and to provide a basis of comparison for the future,• health screenings for: blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes,

• weight loss programs,

• tobacco cessation programs,

• fitness club access (some have on-site clubs; some incentivize use of local clubs, i.e., the company adds an incentive to make access to local clubs easier, such as paying for all or a portion of the monthly membership),

• discounts on health products, including personal fitness equipment, sneakers, bicycles,

• disease prevention / early detection + management of existing conditions,

• flu shots,

• vending machines include healthy snacks,• phone / internet health counseling,

• incentives for healthy habits / lifestyle choices,

• health education programs - including educating about how health risk factors can affect chronic and serious health conditions,

• referral assistance with childcare & eldercare, • 3 companies have a component focusing on ergonomics,

• addressing high-risk populations while keeping low-risk populations at low risk,

• incentivizing monthly health care deductibles (i.e., providing an incentive that reduces the employee’s out-of-pocket expenses for health care, such as reducing employee’s monthly contribution for health insurance if the person does not smoke or eliminating co-pays for annual physicals to encourage employees to get checked by a health care practitioner on a regular basis),

• mind-body techniques, such as: mental imagery, relaxation skills,

• alternate medicine and supplements covered (acupuncture, massage therapy, chiropractic care, vitamins, minerals), and

• Washoe County School District employees have a $40/mo Good Health Incentive Contribution, which self-funds the wellness initiative; this amount is reduced, and in many cases eliminated, if the person is taking steps to living a healthy lifestyle.


RESEARCH - OUTCOMES• employees who improved their health risk status experienced measurable improvements in

work productivity,

• employee satisfaction improved when complementary health care benefits were provided,

• when companies focus on work environment, employee retention increases,• Aetna Inc. found that “employees at higher health risk levels not only have higher medical

costs, they are also miss more work days and are less productive while at work”, specifically: employees who improved just ONE risk factor improved their presenteeism by 9% and reduced absenteeism by 2%,

• Jackson Kelly: 33% decrease in absenteeism the first year of wellness initiative,• Union Pacific Corporation: 10% decrease in lifestyle-related health care claims,

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: 12% reduction in health care costs in first year after wellness initiative implemented, 6% increase the following year, which was well below the market’s double-digit increases,

• City of Holland, MI: two years in a row, since implementing a wellness initiative, this municipality’s claims were less than average for similar organizations.

RESEARCH - CHALLENGES• employee participation - incentives help increase the number of employees that participate in

voluntary Health Risk Assessments, especially, as well as in other programs, such as weight loss or smoking cessation,

• controlling the rising costs of health care,

• the cost of wellness initiatives - when will ROI be seen (typically in 3-5 years, says WELCOA),

• administrative support is necessary for employees to warrant spending time and energy on wellness and in order for them not to view the initiative solely as a way for the organization to save money; it was noted that not only is support from upper management key, but mid-level / departmental management support was just as important; without this support initiatives did not do well.


RESEARCH - MISCELLANEOUS• larger organizations put more emphasis on implementing Health Risk Assessments and health

risk education, with a goal of reducing the number of health risks,

• a handful of companies approached wellness initiatives from the standpoint that their medical care has been focused on curing and treating disease; now they’re turning their focus to keeping people healthy,

• a larger number of employers had program goals centered around controlling rising costs of health care,

• according to WELCOA, “Wellness programs yield a proven return on investment. Research indicates that for every dollar an employer invests in effective wellness programs, the employer realizes $3-$5 in return through reduced health care costs, health insurance premiums and costs of attrition.”,

• many companies are using the book The Culprit and The Cure by Steven G. Aldana (2005), Maple Mountain Press, to use as a basis to elicit lifestyle change. Some organizations discuss the book during screening programs, others during health education programs, for example.


INQUIRY - SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT, DELIVERY, & PRESENTATION As I designed the script for my inquiry, I had intended to make a formal presentation, to the employer not to the employees, that would last 10-15 minutes. Then as I saw the time restraints on the prospective respondents, I realized that I would not have the luxury of that much time, especially since my survey / inquiries were to be delivered during the month of December, right in the middle of holiday season. I then re-worked my presentation so that I incorporated it into the actual delivery of the survey. By doing this, I was able to provide an educational component to each of the three employees as well as with the one employer surveyed. I was pleased to see that I was able to provide some education to each person, and that became part of the grateful gift that I was offering by undertaking this Project. My original presentation included many open-ended questions to help further the dialogue about workplace wellness. In looking back at it, I see that my questions seemed to lead the employer into a discussion that tried to push for the implementation of the action step chosen during the survey. This was not the intent that I wanted. While I did want to elicit an action step, implementing that step was beyond the scope of my project. At the beginning of my survey, I specifically noted that no implementation or action was required, and I wanted to stay true to that. I turned my focus toward creating a presentation that educated the respondent on what options had been implemented by other organizations so that this knowledge could be used as a springboard of ideas, maybe offering the respondent with ideas he or she had not considered or was not aware existed or was possible, while maintaining a discussion around a possible action step, but without implementation of that step. With this modification in place, it flowed more easily, and I felt that it opened up more dialogue during the delivery of the survey. Three of the respondents inquired of me, at some point during the survey, “What have others done?” I was well equipped to answer this question due to the original way of delivering the presentation to the employer. Rather than a monologue, which is what my original presentation had become, it was able to remain a dialogue, which was interwoven among the questions of the survey. When I implemented the script for “Administration of Survey & Delivery of Presentation” to the employer, I did not strictly follow the script. In fact, I interlaced my educational component within the delivery of the questions, putting a piece here and a piece there. As I administered the survey, the presentation seemed to “come to life” and the best way to serve it and the employer with whom I was speaking was to weave the education into the questions I was asking. I danced with it as it showed up. I had contacted some faculty members at Tai Sophia and asked for referrals to employers who might be willing to take my survey. From this inquiry, I was referred to Jody Cutler, who is


a partner with Conscious Corner, which operates Roots market, Great Sage restaurant, Nest, and Bark. Wanting to collect some additional data, I visited the “Columbia East” location of My Organic Market and spoke with the manager, who referred me to Stephanie and said that she could complete the survey on behalf of the store. I made my presentation to Stephanie on the spot and asked if she would be willing to take the survey, and she agreed. I briefly overviewed the questions, and she began sharing her responses. Due to job and time commitments (on both her side and mine), we were not able to complete all of the survey questions at that time. I left a paper copy with a self-addressed stamped envelope with her. As of the last weekend of December I had not received the survey in the mail nor did I catch up with her again at the store. I intend to go back and speak with her after the completion of my paperwork in order to receive complete responses, mostly because I was intrigued by the responses she had provided and I would like to know more about her workplace’s practices. In looking at the scripts that I developed for employees, my intention was to collect data to compare with the research I had conducted. I wanted to see if what was actually being implemented matched with what was being touted in the literature. Also, I was very curious to see how employees viewed the concept of “workplace wellness”. Originally, I sent out an email to family, friends, colleagues, and fellow classmates to request assistance in looking for employees to take my survey. From that email, I received two referrals, and both of these people took my survey. I contacted a third person directly, who agreed to take that survey. See Appendix C for the specific scripts and presentation that were developed.


INQUIRY - SURVEY RESPONSES A quick note about the origin of the survey that I administered. During my fourth Independent Study, I researched the ways that organizations went about surveying employees and determining what types of initiatives to offer. I found that most surveys looked at the employee’s current health. Other surveys examined job satisfaction, productivity, or the health culture at the organization. The majority of surveys had the respondent check off on a rating scale: not interested, somewhat interested, very interested. I noticed a lack of open-ended questions that would allow the employee to make offerings and to voice his/her opinion, so this is what I developed in my study and is what I used in this project. All total, I completed the full survey with three employees and one employer. As mentioned in the previous section, a second employer was contacted, although the full survey was not administered. I was not surprised by the responses that I received from the employees. I was pleased with the responses I received from the employers. In administering the survey to the employees, I found that I was offering many of the points of my “employer presentation”, mostly because the employees were asking me questions as well as responding to my questions. They were curious to know what other employers were offering, wanting to compare what was offered at their workplace. A gift that arose out of this exchange was that all three employees were given a voice with regards to the topic. Jim and Nancy both noted that their workplaces had wellness initiatives in place. They also both commented that their place of work never asked for input from employees before implementing nor has input been requested on the wellness program offerings. Both of them voiced frustration around the ways in which their respective initiatives were implemented.

Nancy explained that her employer, a pediatric hospital, considers wellness to mean “not smoking and losing weight”. The majority of her comments centered around the wellness initiative not being focused on the true needs of the employees, rather on the areas that the administration perceives will lower employee healthcare benefit costs. She felt:

• that she’d like to know what other similar organizations offer to see how her workplace compares,

• the wellness initiative only addresses smoking cessation and weight loss,

• newly hired employees are oriented about aspects of wellness, but existing employees are not actively involved in this same process,

• wellness initiatives have been implemented to save the organization money, and it’s a side benefit if employees get healthy along the way,


• that she would like to see an increased sensitivity to significant suffering and loss by employees, noting that this is in place for the patients and their families, but it is missing for employees.

Jim’s biggest frustration with his workplace wellness initiative is that employees were threatened into participating: “We were told to fill out this on-line health survey by a certain date or else we’d lose our health benefits, and the benefits for our entire family!” He also noted:

• he’d like to know what other companies are doing,

• he’d like to see more education on disease risk factors,

• he feels that the company really needs to put more emphasis on exercises appropriate to his line of work (transportation) and an emphasis on walking, perhaps at the beginning of each shift,

• the company has encouraged employee weight loss with a “Biggest Losers” contest,

• he’d also like to see a complete overhaul of what’s offered in the vending machines - “It’s all junk!”, and

• the quarterly employee newsletter has articles that educate on diet, provide recipe suggestions, and have suggestions for exercise.

Marsha, had never heard of “workplace wellness”. Her responses focused on reducing stress in the workplace. She also noted:

• her biggest concern and issue was the lack of an employee break area - there’s only one office space, and it cannot be used if a manager is on the phone so employees are often left with no place to take their break, and there’s no place to get a healthy snack,

• she’d like to see training to reduce stress in a retail environment,

• there are many things that happen in the store that promote stress, and many of them seem to come from management,

• she believed that management hired only part-time sales associates purposely so that they would not have to pay benefits, and

• she had the intention to ask her employer to offer a bowl of fruit so that the employees could have a healthy snack during their breaks.

Jody’s companies employ approximately 150 people across six locations. She said that workplace wellness is implemented one-on-one as needs arise among the employees, “We know


our people,” she said. Her business partner, who handles the majority of the daily employee interactions, has a great intuitive sense of knowing if someone needs an acupuncture, massage, or other alternative medicine treatment. He’s really in-tune with them, she commented. He’ll incentivize an employee who’s committed and ready to quit smoking, for example. Also, managers have received massages on special occasions, such as workplace anniversaries or birthdays. Other things she noted include:

• employees run the gamut of interest in personal wellness - some are not interested at all, and for others it’s an intrinsic way of life,

• she added: there’s a sense of “healthy peer pressure” to fellow employees who may not take as avid an interest in their health,

• there’s lots of education about planet health,

• she’d like to see “happy, healthy people” develop out of a workplace wellness initiative,

• she and her partner have entered into discussions about starting up a Flex Spending account for managers to pay for alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, massage, and chiropractic care, since that is not covered by their health insurance,

• she’d like to know statistics of job retention and satisfaction in relation to the implementation of workplace wellness,

• surveying employees to see what they’d like to see in a workplace wellness program is a possible small step to take: “We think we know what they want, but we’re not sure,”

• she said it could be beneficial to the employees, as well as the store, to cross-train employees on supplements and natural medicine: “It makes sense to increase awareness”.

Stephanie’s responses mostly addressed the specific question of what is already in place in terms of workplace wellness. She spoke mainly about planet health and said that at their one-year employment anniversary, employees receive an “energy saver” package which includes things like energy-saving light bulbs, and that after three years of employment, employees receive a bonus towards the purchase of a hybrid vehicle.

Having surveyed a handful of people, I found results similar to the literature: companies that address weight loss and smoking cessation are the most prominent, not all companies offer or are even aware of the concept of “workplace wellness”, and a small, but growing, percentage


of companies implement “workplace wellness” in a way that leans toward prevention rather than treatment or early detection of disease and illness and that also foster a work environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle. I feel that my Project was successful in that everyone surveyed walked away with two things: 1) a broader knowledge of possibility around how workplace wellness can show up, and 2) a small step that could be taken to broaden the reach of workplace wellness within their organization, whether or not they, personally, were able to control that step’s implementation.

See Appendix C for specific survey questions. See Appendix D for specific survey responses.


WALKING THE CIRCLES It was very helpful to me to Walk the Circles around workplace wellness. For one thing, it helped keep me centered at the beginning and conclusion of my Project of Excellence. At the beginning of my study, I realized that I was mesmerized by the infinite possibilities before me. As I walked the circles, I saw that I had to choose one possibility, whether it was “right” or “wrong”. I needed to get into action. Concluding my journey, I reflected that I gave a cheer after administering five surveys during the month of December - a month filled with holiday parties, vacations, holiday shopping, and distracted minds. That’s a testament to my power of intention and visualization! Also in walking the circles I came to realize that I had defined “workplace wellness” to equal “alternative medicine”, that I had created a certitude about what phrase meant and that anyone who did anything other than alternative medicine was not practicing workplace wellness. I saw the opportunity to adjust my belief and broaden it to include the spectrum of how workplace wellness is already showing up. See Appendix A for my specific responses to walking the circles.


MISCELLANEOUS My Project of Excellence had a couple of “false starts”, where I had a flurry of ideas, laid them out, and then let them sit for while, then some time later, upon revisiting these ideas, I realized that my focus had changed or I wanted to adjust something so I had another burst of possibilities, followed again by a time of marinating. My advisor, Douglas Drewyer, was called upon several times to goose me on, to pull my ideas out from the marinating pot, and put them in the oven to cook them, and to support me in creating form from my many ideas as well as honing what was possible to complete during my collapsing time frames. During one of our dialogues, Douglas encouraged me to seek guidance from a wisdom reading to help focus the needle of my Project of Excellence into the world. As a result, we consulted the I Ching. The question I held in mind while tossing the coins was: “How shall I consider proceeding, and what might a grateful gift look like?” I asked Douglas to share in throwing the coins with me, and we came up with the 61, Chung Fu (inner truth), hexagram: “SUN - the gentle, wind” above, “TUI - the joyous, lake” below. Douglas and I then went through the commentary together. I have included some of the notes from this dialogue. First we discussed that I needed to rid myself of all prejudice so that I could understand the corporate values of the organizations I’m surveying. From there, it was a natural progression to see that I would want to identify a corporation where wellness matters and speak with that employer. We ended the discussion with some questions, some for me and some for the employer surveyed:

• how does wellness show up in your company,

• where is the inquiry of the corporation to see where you stand with wellness, where it may not have been brought before,

• what questions need to be asked in order to find out the values of the corporation around wellness, and

• what do we do about what’s showing up as missing?

In looking back on the work of my project, I did not incorporate the third question (from the bullet points above) into my surveys nor into my presentation. I did find the answer obvious for the employers that were interviewed - they were in the business of wellness and did make wellness of employees and the earth a priority. However, of the employees that were interviewed, only one of them worked for an organization that claimed to have sensitivity for the health and welfare of the people that the organization served, yet it fell short of this task with regards to its own employees, according to this one person. The other two organizations were coming from a


place of domination, not dominion, yet I am not sorry for interviewing employees from these companies because it gave me a broader picture of what is showing up in the world. I did address the final bullet point, from above, in my surveys and in the presentation. When I interviewed Jody, she had placed emphasis on establishing the Flex Spending account, but there were issues beyond her control preventing that reality. In listening to her, I heard her saying that it could be relatively easy to cross-train staff to work in the supplement / natural medicine area of the store, and that not only would this add value to the store and the customers, it would broaden the knowledge of the staff, allowing them to take more advantage of natural medicine for their own wellness. I pointed this out to Jody, and she appreciated the broadened sense of possibility. Also, Marsha left with the intention to take action - to make a small request that her boss provide a bowl of fruit for employees. A simple step, one that she may not have contemplated if she had not taken this survey. Jim and Nancy were both able to identify a step that could be taken, although the implementation of that step was beyond their control. This wisdom text helped me move into action. After that, I held the questions that bubbled up as a result of reading the text with me through my work. Not all of them were answered, and all of them were held. I say the reading served. See Appendix E for the full commentary of this hexagram.

At one point, after the above-mentioned dialogue with Douglas and before the completion of my study, during another phase of “circular motion”, I used an Emotional Freedom Techniques® (EFT) tool called “Feel the Feeling” to assist me in getting back into forward motion. In this activity, I stood on one side of a room and walked toward the other side of the room, where I had an object representing the completion of my Project. As I walked toward completing my Project, I stopped every time I experienced tension and tapped on the issue(s) that arose. This cleared my stuck energy, and I was able to do the work necessary to conduct my surveys and complete my work. The EFT was a great complement to walking the circles because it addressed issues that had not surfaced while walking the circles. Issues that came up for me included:

• If I complete my schoolwork, what will I do with all the time that’s freed up,

• John will be jealous if I finish my work,

• I won’t have any more excuses for putting off my “real work” when this is done,

• How will I continue my work, and


• I don’t want to let go of my work - I’ve been holding onto it for so long that it feels like I’m identified with it / Who will I be when I finish this work?

My third Independent Study focused on EFT and implementing it in my life. I concluded that study with the intention of incorporating EFT into my regular routines in life, as a form of self-care to help me better handle periods of difficulty. I say that it has served me well.


CONCLUSION I learned that there is a really broad spectrum to the implementation of workplace wellness initiatives. The size and scope varies depending on the size and needs of the organization where it is being implemented, as well as on resources available. Most wellness programs consist of a component that assesses the current health of the employees. In administering my survey, the results I obtained reflect those noted in the literature. The main themes of why organizations implement wellness initiatives include:

• saving money on health care (top motivation),• increasing productivity and employee retention,

• helping employees live healthier lives. Along this journey, I had some personal revelations about my certitudes and perspective. I also faced some challenges that I was able to overcome because I implemented tools I had picked up along the way during my other Independent Studies. In this work, I also danced with fear and excitement, which was the focus of my second Independent Study. There were many opportunities to practice creativity during this project, which pulled in work I had incorporated into my first Independent Study. It was a pleasure to see how all of the work during the independent phase of my program pulled together and came to my assistance at this time.

One of my outcomes for this project was to find out if organizations had considered workplace wellness programs for their employees and to continue the conversation to see what steps could be taken if nothing was in place. I, too, was to research the ways that wellness was showing up in workplaces. My needle has been placed and my objectives have been met. However, my work does not end here. In the next phase of my work, I am planning a workshop that would create more awareness of workplace wellness and wellness initiatives. It also ties in my work as a Nutritional Cleanse Coach. By combining my work, which teaches people how to restore balance in their bodies through nutrition and internal whole-body cleansing of toxins, with alternative medicine, which includes massage therapy, acupuncture, and chiropractic care, and then adding in a component around workplace “health culture”, this would provide a starting ground of a “wellness insurance” model that could be presented to corporations to help reduce “health insurance” costs, reduce employee sick leave, reduce employee stress, and increase employee productivity, while eliciting wellness and creating more opportunity in people’s lives.


BIBLIOGRAPHY

ARTICLESAdams, T. (n.d.) ROI Calculator: A New Tool To Help You Calculate Your Wellness Return On Investment. Absolute Advantage. Retrieved November 28, 2008, from http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/aa_roi_calculator2.pdfAuthor not given (2006). Case Study: International Truck and Engine Corporation. Absolute Advantage, 5(10), 14-33. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http://www.welcoa.org/ freeresources/pdf/case_study_international.pdfAuthor not given (2006). Cianbro. Absolute Advantage. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/cianbro_case_study.pdfAuthor not given (May 27, 2008). Employers Learn to Maximize Results and Avoid Legal Pitfalls in Their Corporate Wellness Initiatives. Business Wire. Retrieved November 17, 2008, from General OneFile - Infotrac Database, Record Number: A179429716.Author not given (December 4, 2006). Fit for office: corporate wellness boosts productivity, lowers health costs. Los Angeles Business Journal, 28, i49 pS18(1). Retrieved November 17, 2008, from General OneFile - Infotrac Database, Record Number: A156137258. Author not given (2005). Lifestyle: The Culprit and The Cure. Absolute Advantage, 5(1). Retrieved October 28, 2008, from http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/ aa_5.1_novdec05.pdfGood, C. (n.d.). Wellness Matters. Absolute Advantage. Retrieved October 31, 2008 from http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/wellness_matters_jk.pdfHardy, A. M. (n.d.) Ahead of the Class. Absolute Advantage. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/ahead_of_the_class.pdfHunnicutt, D. (2006). City of Gainesville: A Platinum Well Workplace Case Study. Absolute Advantage. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/ casestudy_gainesville.pdfKertesz, L. (April 9, 2007). Corporate wellness programs help shape a better bottom line; Companies benefit as healthier workers file fewer claims. Business Insurance, 41, i15 p15. Retrieved November 17, 2008, from General OneFile - Infotrac Database, Record Number: A161865346.Olson, S. (February 4, 2008). Highway to health: trucking firm Celadon drives down costs with innovative wellness plan. Indianapolis Business Journal, 28, i49 p17A(2). Retrieved November 17, 2008, from General OneFile - Infotrac Database, Record Number:


A174973389. Olson, S. (April 9, 2007). People v. pounds: Ten local law firms vie to shed weight in friendly contest to promote wellness. Indianapolis Business Journal, 29, i5 p19(3). Retrieved November 17, 2008, from General OneFile - Infotrac Database, Record Number: A162576345. Rahn, G. (n.d.). Civic Success: The City of Holland, Michigan Integrates Wellness Into The Way It Does Business… And Saves Money In The Process. Absolute Advantage. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/civic_success.pdfReynolds, J. (Winter 1999). Arlington County Employee Wellness Program Uses Health Culture Audit to Guide Programming. Wellness Management, 15. Retrieved December 16, 2008, from http://www.healthyculture.com/Articles/Arlington.html Stephens, S. (September 2008). Creating a healthy corporate culture: Integrating wellness is a key factor for success. Indiana Business Magazine, 52, i9 p518(1). Retrieved November 17, 2008, from General OneFile - Infotrac Database, Record Number: A186688899.Tozier, D. (June 15, 2006). Scotts raises bar on corporate wellness: New $5 million wellness center and zero-tolerance smoking policy anchor Project Excellence. Employee Benefit News. Retrieved November 18, 2008 from General OneFile - Infotrac Database, Record Number: A147048533.Williams, A. (May 2008). Corporate wellness--programming for profit: both employers and employees can enjoy the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, including fiscal fitness. IDEA Fitness Journal, 5, i5 p36(6). Retrieved November 17, 2008, from General OneFile - Infotrac Database, Record Number: A179387620.

ELECTRONIC MEDIA RESOURCESPartnership for Prevention. (n.d.) CEOs on the Business Case for Worksite Health Promotion. Retrieved December 23, 2008, from http://www.prevent.org/images/stories/Files/docs/ Leading_by_Example.pdfPartnership for Prevention. (n.d.) Leading by Example: Leading Practices for Employee Health Management. Retrieved December 23, 2008, from http://www.prevent.org/LBE/ LBE_USCC_FullBook.pdfPartnership for Prevention. (n.d.) Leading by Example: Profile Sheets. Retrieved December 23, 2008, from http://www.prevent.org/images/stories/Files/docs/LBE_Profile_Sheets.pdfTuzar, U. (n.d.) For Procrastination: The “Feel the Feeling” Technique, EFT: Emotional Freedom Techniques® , Retrieved November 7, 2008, from http://www.emofree.com/articles/


feeling-technique.htmWellness Councils of America. (2000) Worksite Health Improvement Strategic Operating Plan. Retrieved November 18, 2008, from http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/ worksite_health_improvement_strategic_operating_plan.pdfWilhelm, R. (n.d.) Chung Fu / Inner Truth, Yi Jing - I Ching, The Book of Changes, Retrieved October 29, 2008, from http://www.afpc.asso.fr/wengu/wg/wengu.php?l=Yijing&tire =998899&no=61&lang=en

WEBSITEShttp://www.healthyculture.com - Human Resources Institute, LLC website, where you can access

the Lifegain Health Culture Audit and other healthful resources.http://personalhealthassessment.com/ - a resource developed by WELCOA to provide an

affordable, user-friendly personal health assessment that provides employees with the

information they need to monitor and improve their health status.

http://www.prevent.org - Partnership for Prevention, a membership organization of businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies advancing policies and practices to prevent disease and improve the health of all Americanshttp://www.welcoa.com - the website for the Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA), North America's premier resource for worksite wellness.


APPENDICES

List of Appendices1.Appendix A: Walking the Circles2.Appendix B: Inquiry Script Development & Presentation3.Appendix C: Survey Questions4.Appendix D: Survey Responses5.Appendix E: I Ching: 61, Chung Fu Reading6.Appendix F: Independent Study #4: Concluding Paper


APPENDIX A: WALKING THE CIRCLESWalking the Circles - Beginning My Journey

A.Pathway to 5 1. Oneness is in place - YES 2. Partnership is in place - YES 3. Movement between the two is in place - YES 4. Is there form created by this movement? - YES 5. The 5 Circles (move into specific questions of the Elements)

B.Fire / Summer / Red1. How am I experiencing passion?• excited to begin the final phase of my TAI journey• bustling with ideas of where to start & how to approach my POE

2. How may this experience touch others?• another TAI student may build on my work or find inspiration for another project

based on my work• employees may gain a healthier work environment, which will bring them one step

closer to enjoying their work and workplace - and that brings them one step closer to letting their light shine (which is my Merlin Headline)

3. What small-minded conversations need to be let go?• “ideas alone will complete my POE” - so many choices, I’m having a difficult time

deciding where to begin• “I have plenty of time to finish”

4. In what areas are perseverance required?• while I’m excited, I’m also dragging my feet because I don’t want my time with TAI

to end, so I must keep myself motivated, knowing that TAI and I will forever be connected

• implementing my many ideas - because ACTION is what I need to complete my POE! (aka: stop procrastinating!)

C.Earth / Late Summer / Yellow1. How am I keeping my center at this time?• am I? my enthusiasm, mixed with procrastination, seems to have assisted in getting

me off-center

2. How are the gifts that are already present being celebrated?• very thankful for WELCOA website and its many resources• verbally and through email have thanked Douglas (my advisor) for assisting me

with my POE


3. What is the harvest today?• ideas are nice, action is better• there are so many possibilities that I’m afraid to pick the “wrong” one, so I’m

avoiding starting my POE or committing to a plan of action• no matter where I start, I can alter my plan, if needed

D.Metal / Autumn / White1. What no longer serves?• procrastination

2. What inspires me?• walks in the park, where I can “clear my head” and think through my POE• having an “empty canvas”, of sorts, on which to create my POE - the form to be

created by my actions - lots of possibility

3. How are the unique and precious gifts of all involved being acknowledged?• acknowledged mostly in my head, because that’s where I seem be spending most of

my time lately

E. Water / Winter / Blue1. What resources are available?• WELCOA website• Douglas, my advisor• Kathy, my IS#4 adjunct faculty member• my TAI family• our beloved husband John - and all of his support

2. How does stillness show up?• procrastination• walking the circles and pausing to reflect on my progress

3. How am I experiencing unknowing?• examining possibility and looking to determine which path to take regarding my

POE• where to start with my POE

F. Wood / Spring / Green1. What small step can I make to grow?• make another appointment with Douglas to talk through my ideas


• walk the circles as a starting point

2. How is creativity showing up?• lots of possibility and ideas• looking at the parts of my POE that will be designed: a survey, an inquiry, etc.

3. How do success and failure give a platform to move forward?• looking at time constraints, seeing that one of my original ideas may not succeed

because there’s not enough time to complete it, so re-hone to better fit with allotted time frame

• Douglas checking me to make sure that all parts of my POE are set up to help me succeed with my work, within the allotted time frame

Walking the Circles - Concluding My JourneyA.Pathway to 5

1. Oneness is in place - Yes 2. Partnership is in place - Yes 3. Movement between the two is in place - Yes 4. Is there form created by this movement? - Yes 5. The 5 Circles (move into specific questions of the Elements)

B.Fire / Summer / Red1. How am I experiencing passion?• excited to be complete with my schoolwork!• seeing where I fit within the developing field of workplace wellness and how I may

continue to offer gifts to the field by collaborating with WELCOA and/or other related organizations

2. How may this experience touch others?• provide more possibility on how to survey employees / ask for input • gave voice to employees I surveyed• helped employees examine what they did and did not have in place

3. What small-minded conversations need to be let go?• “workplace wellness = alternative medicine”; it really means helping employees

become more aware of the state of their health• if I finish my work, John will be jealous

4. In what areas are perseverance required?• continue making my offerings and maybe even WELCOA may broaden their ideas

of how to survey employees• sit down and do my work so I can complete it! Ideas in my head cannot be gifted to

others, so put them on paper!


C.Earth / Late Summer / Yellow1. How am I keeping my center at this time?• taking small steps to complete my work - one survey at a time, going through my

final paper, etc.• using EFT to keep me in balance, when became upset, frustrated, or at a loss for a

next step, procrastination, missing Jody’s calls, and panic at the thought of not finishing in time

2. How are the gifts that are already present being celebrated?• preparing my POE, my grateful gift, for presentation to TAI - want it to look good• I’ve thanked each of the 5 people who participated in my survey• gave a very loud “yahoo!” that I was able to administer my survey FIVE times

during the month of December! Yahoo!

3. What is the harvest today?• it was all worth it - every class, every paper, every IS, every article read for my POE• this stage of my journey is complete, yet I have more work to do, outside of the

walls of TAI

D.Metal / Autumn / White1. What no longer serves?• equating workplace wellness with alternative medicine and holding only one possibility of how workplace wellness may show up

2. What inspires me?• typing up my work, handing it in, and being COMPLETE! (at least for now because

I have plans for my “next step” so as to continue the work begun in my POE)• seeing all of the case studies of businesses that implemented various levels of

workplace wellness - it’s becoming more mainstream

3. How are the unique and precious gifts of all involved being acknowledged?• I reached out to Richard Bishop and he checked in with me weekly - support system

acknowledged• continuing to presence gratitude for WELCOA and other web resources• sent thanks to Anne Baker & Barbara Davenport for introducing me to EFT - I

tapped my way through this work!

E. Water / Winter / Blue1. What resources are available?• our husband John, who held space for me


• our classmate Richard, who answered my call for assistance and goosed me on, checking in with me weekly

• EFT• a variety of web resources:

• WELCOA• Partnership for Prevention• Human Resources Institute / Lifegain Health Culture Audit• The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians• National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

2. How does stillness show up?• while sleeping! there’s a LOT to finishing a POE!• walking the circles• EFT tapping when stuck, frustrated, or at a loss for a next step

3. How am I experiencing unknowing?• now what do I do after graduation??• who will be there to assist me after graduation?

F. Wood / Spring / Green1. What small step can I make to grow?• spend more time researching Partnership for Prevention’s website• contact WELCOA and their HRA vendors and begin a dialogue

2. How is creativity showing up?• summarizing my work (no easy task) :-)• ways of finding people to take my survey - calling out to family and friends and

contacting people I’ve never met, based on “__ referred me to you.”• using EFT to keep me moving forward with work when I got stuck (again) - helped

me recognize what was holding me back and released that energy

3. How do success and failure give a platform to move forward?• Douglas was sooooo correct in reigning me in as to what was possible within my time frame - he set me up for success. Thanks.


APPENDIX B: INQUIRY SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT & PRESENTATION

This appendix is divided into two sections. The first section deals with the scripts used with employees, and the second section is for scripts used with employers. Each section is further divided. For the employees, there is a script that was used to request participation and a script used to administer the survey. For the employers, first there is a script used to contact prospective employers for participation in the survey. Next is my “original” presentation, which was never used because of time restraints, focusing on implementation of an action step, and coming across as more of a monologue than dialogue. This script was re-worked so that it was shorter, provided an educational component and removed the implied request to perform an action step.

SECTION 1: EMPLOYEE

EMPLOYEE - INTRODUCTORY CONTACT / REQUEST TO PARTICIPATE IN SURVEYHello <first name>, How are you today? As you may know, I am a student at Tai Sophia Institute for the Healing Arts, and I am currently finishing up studies in the Applied Healing Arts program and am seeking your assistance with my studies. My last class is called a “Project of Excellence” and it’s like a thesis. I am looking to “deliver” a survey to employees that looks to see if “corporate wellness” or “workplace wellness” is in place. I am looking to speak with people who are employees, that is, who work for somebody else. So I’m calling upon you and your resources to see if you, or someone you know, could spare 15-30 minutes to answer a few brief questions about “corporate wellness”. This is not an in-depth questionnaire. It’s designed to open a conversation around “corporate wellness”. I define “corporate wellness” as a workplace-based program that offers a variety of resources to employees to help them maintain or regain health and live a healthier life, thus living a life of “wellness” rather than “sickness”. The focus would be on keeping employees well and prevention of disease and illness, rather than waiting until employees develop disease or illness and then treating them with medication, operations, or other medical interventions. Please let me know if you or someone you know would be willing to assist me. Also, if you can refer me to someone who can refer me to someone that would also help! I appreciate your assistance and consideration with this work that I am doing.


Peace & blessings,Frances Royo, AHA J’04<my phone number><my email address>

EMPLOYEE - ADMINISTRATION OF SURVEY Hello <employee’s first name>, how are you today? Thank you for taking time to answer my survey about “workplace wellness”. I have 10 questions to ask you. Let’s get started. <Conduct survey at this point.> Well, that’s it. Do you have any questions for me? Thank you so much for your time. I greatly appreciate it.

SECTION 2: EMPLOYER

EMPLOYER - INTRODUCTORY CONTACT / REQUEST TO PARTICIPATE IN SURVEY Hello <employer’s first name>. My name is Frances Royo, and I am a graduate student at Tai Sophia Institute for the Healing Arts. Currently I am finishing up studies in the Applied Healing Arts program and am calling to ask your assistance with my studies. In my Project of Excellence, which is like a thesis, I am exploring “corporate wellness” or “workplace wellness”. I would like to speak with you, initially, for about 10 minutes to explain my Project, have you complete a brief survey, which will take 15-20 minutes, and then speak with you again, for about 30 minutes, to discuss the results of the survey and go over any questions I have about the completed survey. You can reach me at <my phone number> or by email at <my email address>. Thank you for your consideration. By the way, this is not a solicitation.

EMPLOYER - ADMINISTRATION OF SURVEY / DELIVERY OF PRESENTATION, original Thank you, <employer’s first name>, for your time. I am researching “corporate wellness”. I have defined this term as a workplace-based program that offers a variety of resources to employees to help them maintain or regain health and live a healthier life, thus living a life of “wellness” rather than “sickness”. The focus would be on keeping employees well and on prevention of disease and illness, rather than waiting until


employees develop disease or illness and then treating them with medication, operations, or other medical interventions. What I’m looking to do is survey a number of business owners and find out what, if any, offerings they provide toward “corporate or workplace wellness”. Once I have this information, I’m going to see how it compares to the results I found in the literature during my research phase. Basically, I’m looking to see if I’ll find the same types of offerings in “real life” as I did through my research. The reason that I’ve contacted you is that you’re in the “wellness” business - you already cater to helping your customers live a healthier lifestyle, so I was curious to see how this bent might show up in terms of benefits and “workplace wellness” for your employees. <Conduct survey at this point.> <The next portion of this script can either be done immediately following the delivery of the survey or can be delivered during a subsequent conversation.> In my research, I had expected to find “corporate wellness” programs that looked at physical health issues in “new ways”, such as allowing for acupuncture or massage treatments to reduce employee stress, with these funds coming from the employees Health Flex Spending account. I also wanted to see encouragement of other types of prevention, through physical exercise, diet, and lifestyle changes. I learned that most workplaces looked at wellness as the “early detection of disease or illness” and then focused on treating these illnesses at an early stage in order to reduce health insurance costs later down the line by preventing complications or costly treatments. Illnesses and diseases that were screened included hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, prostate issues. I was pleased to see that most “workplace wellness” initiatives had a component that looked at weight loss. Some of them provided nutritional consultations in conjunction with weight loss for employees that were severely obese. Please remember that I’m not looking to implement any type of program with you, however I do want to point out what stood out to me.

• In looking at the responses that you provided to my survey, I see that a possible next step for you would be __ .

• How does this step resonate with you?

• How do you see this step fitting into your organization?

• How do you think your employees would feel if this step were implemented?

• Why might you want to implement this step?

• How might implementing this step affect employee productivity?


• One last question: Do you have any questions for me? Thank you so much for your time. I greatly appreciate it.

EMPLOYER - ADMINISTRATION OF SURVEY & DELIVERY OF PRESENTATION, revised Thank you, <employer’s first name> again, for your time. The purpose of this survey is to open a dialogue around workplace wellness. I am not looking to sell you anything or to request that you take any specific action. I’m conducting research. Workplace wellness initiatives are becoming very popular, and they range in scope. Some organizations simply offer a bowl of fruit to employees that’s available, free of charge, during their breaks. Some companies ask employees to complete a Health Risk Assessment to provide early detection and treatment of disease and illness. Other companies implement smoking cessation and weight loss programs. Still other companies provide incentives around exercise and nutrition. Some companies take workplace wellness to a level where there’s a culture of wellness, that includes: team building programs, massage and meditation programs to reduce stress, involving employees in the office layout design of new office space, and instituting “quiet time” where employees are not to be interrupted during that time block so that they can stay focused on their work. When you answer the questions in this survey, there are no right or wrong answers. The questions are designed to help open a dialogue and help you determine a small step that you can take toward workplace wellness. Whether you decide to implement that step is beyond the scope of my work. <Conduct survey at this point.> Well, that’s it. Do you have any questions for me? Thank you so much for your time. I greatly appreciate it.


APPENDIX C: SURVEY QUESTIONS

EMPLOYEE SURVEY1. What do you expect from a Workplace Wellness Program?2. What are your first thoughts about a Workplace Wellness Program?3. What do you think your employer thinks about Workplace Wellness?4. What does the company already do to promote wellness?5. What would have to change if a Workplace Wellness Program was put in place?6. What would motivate your employer to participate in or develop a Workplace Wellness

Program?7. What resources would be needed to implement a Workplace Wellness Program? Resources

could include: time, money, location, equipment, people.8. What would you like to know about a Workplace Wellness Program?9. What first step would you like to see or be willing to make?10.What would you like to see in a Workplace Wellness Program?

EMPLOYER SURVEY1. What do you expect from a Workplace Wellness Program?2. What are your first thoughts about a Workplace Wellness Program?3. What do you think your employees think about Workplace Wellness?4. What does the company already do to promote wellness?5. What would have to change if a Workplace Wellness Program was put in place?6. What would motivate your employees to participate in a Workplace Wellness Program?7. What resources would be needed to implement a Workplace Wellness Program? Resources

could include: time, money, location, equipment, people. 8. What would you like to know about a Workplace Wellness Program?9. What first step would you like to see or be willing to make?10.What would you like to see in a Workplace Wellness Program?


APPENDIX D: SURVEY RESPONSES

I completed surveys with four people: three employees and one employer. I also spoke with a second employer representative and partially completed the survey with that person; these brief responses are included. The names of the three employees have been changed for privacy issues, since they completed their survey “anonymously”. Brief information about the type of employer is provided, although the name of their organization has not been used.

Employee responses were received from: 1. Nancy, a full-time care provider at a large pediatric hospital,2. Jim, a full-time driver for a medium-sized transportation / logistics company, and3. Marsha, a part-time sales associate at a small, upscale clothing store.

Employer responses were received from:1. Jody Cutler, one of the partners of Conscious Corner Enterprises, which includes: Great Sage

restaurant, Roots market, Bark, and Nest, (entire survey completed) and 2. Stephanie, designated representative at My Organic Market, Columbia East location (partial

survey completed).


SURVEY: NANCYSTATUS: EMPLOYEE / FULL-TIME CARE PROVIDEREMPLOYER: LARGE PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL (NOTE: Nancy had heard about Tai Sophia and had an idea of some of the community programs offered)

1. What do you expect from a Workplace Wellness Program?

• More holistic modalities offered - HR offers smoking cessation and weight loss. I can’t take advantage of what they offer.

• Things need to be modeled from the top down. Administration needs to model - our director has NO clue, no modeling for support.

2. What are your first thoughts about a Workplace Wellness Program?

• I’d like to see acknowledgement that we’re all people and have lives outside of our jobs.

• Honoring family and family time. • Honoring wellness initiatives that look at more than disease prevention and actually promote

wellness, like Tai Chi.

3. What do you think your employer thinks about Workplace Wellness?

• It means “Not smoking and losing weight” or going to Target’s Minute Clinic instead of your doctor because that saves them money.

4. What does the company already do to promote wellness?

• There was a Yoga class offered during lunch.

• There’s been some fitness initiatives within the work place - more applicable to office employees, but not available to home-based employees who make visits to family’s homes.

• smoking cessation & weight loss.

• when have annual re-enrollment, they do have a health fair, but it’s not held at my site so I can never make it -- I can’t even take advantage of it.

• newly hired employees are oriented about “wellness”, but there’s been very little done for existing employees.

5. What would have to change if a Workplace Wellness Program was put in place?

• I shouldn’t have to sit in a meeting during lunchtime! I should have my own time.


• Service excellence is not promoted within the employee base. “Super tasks are rewarded” - you get a trinket for being recognized, but it doesn’t really acknowledge my work because it’s not genuine. It’s not very conducive to a healing environment.

• Making programs accessible & sensible to individual employee’s needs - not just fat people & smokers.

• Need a top-down model - that’s understood and practiced by management and then brought to the rest of us.

6. What would motivate your employer to participate in or develop a Workplace Wellness Program?

• No clue - they’re so big I wouldn’t know where to begin.

7. What resources would be needed to implement a Workplace Wellness Program? Resources could include: time, money, location, equipment, people.

• No clue.

8. What would you like to know about a Workplace Wellness Program?• I’d be curious to see what other large hospital organizations are doing, and how we compare.

9. What first step would you like to see or be willing to make?• For our department director to take that health class you guys offer (i.e.: Redefining Health).

10.What would you like to see in a Workplace Wellness Program?

• An increased sensitivity to significant suffering and loss by employees - not at all for employees. This is in place for the patients & their family’s, but it is totally missing - kind of like our society - for employees!


SURVEY: JIMSTATUS: EMPLOYEE / FULL-TIME DRIVEREMPLOYER: MEDIUM-SIZED TRANSPORTATION / LOGISTICS COMPANY

1. What do you expect from a workplace wellness program?• education on disease risk factors,

• complete overhaul of vending machines at work to offer healthy choices,

• program that talks about exercise & movement,

• education about alternative medicine / CAM - what it is, what it does, & how it’s helpful.


• eliminating smoking on company property,

• eliminating junk food from vending machines.

3. What do you think your employer thinks about Workplace Wellness?• minimal cost to implement,

• decreasing costs of healthcare insurance.


• education on diet, recipe suggestions, suggestions for exercise, all through a quarterly newsletter,

• had a “biggest losers” contest,

• they collected the data through a threat: if you don’t do this, you lose your health insurance for you and your entire family. I found that kind of “big brother-ish”. Yet, knowing these guys, my fellow employees, they may not have completed it otherwise.


• they’d probably have to stock the vending machines themselves rather than having a service; it’s all junk!,

• bring in folks to educate about exercise and movement.


• seeing decreases in healthcare costs by employees through insurance.



• need to provide instructors for exercise & stretching,

• need to change the food offered in vending machines,

• need to encourage people to be healthy, through some sort of incentive to get their attention.

8. What would you like to know about a Workplace Wellness Program?• what are best practices that are being used by other companies.

9. What first step would you like to see or be willing to make?• I’d stock the vending machines with healthy stuff & recommend products to put into the vending machines.


• I’d like to see the insurance provide for CAM practitioners,• to see folks on-site at beginning of each shift to work on / teach proper movement & stretching,

• to see encouragement of walking before beginning your shift.


SURVEY: MARSHASTATUS: EMPLOYEE / PART-TIME SALES ASSOCIATEEMPLOYER: SMALL, UPSCALE LADIES CLOTHING STORE

1. What do you expect from a Workplace Wellness Program?• Expectations of employees makes a big difference. At this store, manager makes judgements on

whether you need off due to family issues.

• A workroom or breakroom that facilitated some sort of relaxation.

• Healthy snacks available for purchase.

• Set up an evaluation or way to voice concerns - perhaps monthly or quarterly. • Might have some sort of discount to local gym or ways to earn coupon to local gym.

2. What are your first thoughts about a Workplace Wellness Program?• The environment would be conducive to being stress-free or set up to ease / reduce stress.

3. What do you think your employer thinks about Workplace Wellness?

• I think my boss has her own version of it. I chose to work with her because she expressed that she had worked in many retail settings that included a lot of stress, and her goal was to keep stress down and find ladies to work there that would get along.

• Everyone hired gets along. There are three full-time employees: General Manager and 2 Assistant Managers, the rest are part-time, with a maximum of 20 hours/week.

• There’s no breakroom, only the office.

• There are things in the store that promote stress - and they come from management. Don’t get much notice when need to rearrange the store, which happens almost weekly.


• Nothing really.

• We get a big discount, so psychology that kind of offsets stress. But there’s not really anything that stands out.

• They specifically look for part-time staff so that they don’t have to pay benefits. • No training to help reduce stress in retail environment, no disease or illness awareness.



• There’s not a lot to do because we’re not working long hours. Not a lot of stress because there’s no commissions - don’t lose job or get punished if don’t meet a minimum. There’s a bit of a bonus if you exceed expectation - it’s about $25, so it’s not huge.

• Offering a breakroom is really needed, and some way to get a healthy snack while in the shop. There’s not enough space for these, but might be able to take a portion of stock room. If work 4 hours, get 15 minute break. Over 5 hours, get 1/2 hour. Max hours at a time is 6.5 hrs. Can’t use the office for a break if manager’s on phone. But there’s no place to take our break in the shop. There’s no place nearby for the short break. There is a Target, but you can’t get there and back on a 15-minute break, only on a half-hour break.


• If it would increase bottom line, or if it reduced absenteeism, which they’re not so concerned about since we’re all part-time. That might be why they hire part-time employees, because they solve a lot of issues that way.


• There is an employee bulletin board with notices; there’s a daily promotional sheet on there. Other than that, there isn’t really any broadcast information, other than corporate-sided email.

8. What would you like to know about a Workplace Wellness Program?

• I don’t know. What’s your (interviewer’s) image of it? (interviewer offered: bowl of fruit available to employees, points for not smoking while on break, or points for bringing healthy snack & then accumulate points toward gym membership for next month).

9. What first step would you like to see or be willing to make?

• A great first step would be offering a bowl of fruit for employees.

10.What would you like to see in a Workplace Wellness Program?• A newsletter wouldn’t be a bad idea - one sheet with tips - natural things you could do to keep

well during flu season, or needing 64 oz. of water for every cup of coffee you drink to combat dehydration.

• A flyer like this has a good chance of being posted on bulletin board, if requested of manager.


SURVEY: JODY CUTLERSTATUS: EMPLOYERCOMPANY TYPE: 6 WELLNESS STORES(stores include: Roots market, Great Sage restaurant, Nest, and Bark)


• She and business partner have talked about setting aside money for the managers for alternative medicine - acupuncture, chiropractic, massage because health insurance doesn’t cover it. Not yet implemented.

• Often give managers a massage on important dates, like their work anniversary or birthday. • Jody’s acted as a resource to connect employees with alternative medicine practitioners.


• Given that business is based on wellness, we want to support wellness within the workplace. It’s integrated into who we are. Most of staff is living the lifestyle so there is peer-to-peer pressure.

3. What do you think your employees think about Workplace Wellness?

• Some think “they’re in for it”, that they have to make all these changes if they accept work there. Some don’t buy in. Some it’s intrinsic. We see the whole spectrum of interest from employees.


• Tom Balles has worked for years training on Sophia distinctions & interpersonal issues: phenomena, working with each other. It’s more for the manager level, those that are in that conversation.

• Business partner incentivizes employees to quit smoking if he feels they’re ready, committed. It’s done 1-1.

• Lots of green / planetary wellness - environmental education. Not much on physical level.

• Business partner encourages people to seek alternative medical treatment if he senses a need.• Conscious around what’s going on within the business - investment in larger life well-being.

We know what’s going on with our people.

• Wellness is in place on an intuitive level, awareness is there.

• 150 employees, still run like small business & we know our people.



• Already has aspects in place.

• Could put aside money for Manager Flex Spending Account for alternative medicine. Commit to it and set money aside.

6. What would motivate your employees / employer to participate in / develop a Workplace Wellness Program?

• Wanting to be the best they can be - most would buy in because of the nature of the business, many intrinsically motivated by healthy lifestyle.

7. What resources (time, money, location, equipment, people) would be needed to implement a Workplace Wellness Program?

• Money for flex spending.

• Should educate employees about health issues, not only have education about planet health. Could provide monthly or quarterly education. Maybe even newsletter, someone else can produce.

• Could bring everyone up to speed on supplements and natural medicine area of store - the staff in that area, who are mostly women, are educated but other employees, that work in other departments, are not. Makes sense to increase the awareness.

8. What would you like to know about a Workplace Wellness Program?• Stats about worker retention / satisfaction.

9. What first step would you like to see / be willing to make?• Surveying employees to see what they’d most like - we think we know what they want, but not

sure.

10.What would you like to see in a Workplace Wellness Program?• Happy, healthy people!


SURVEY: STEPHANIESTATUS: EMPLOYERʼS REPRESENTATIVECOMPANY TYPE: 5 WELLNESS STORES(My Organic Market, Columbia East location)



3. What do you think your employees think about Workplace Wellness?


• There’s a lot of planet health education and gifting. • After 1st year of employment, employee receives an energy-saver package, that has things like

light bulbs.

• After 3rd year, you get a bonus toward the purchase of a hybrid vehicle.


6. What would motivate your employees to participate in a Workplace Wellness Program?

7. What resources would be needed to implement a Workplace Wellness Program? Resources include: time, money, location, equipment, people.

8. What would you like to know about a Workplace Wellness Program?

9. What first step would you like to see or be willing to make?



APPENDIX E: I CHING: 61, CHUNG FU READING

1/2/09 12:41 AMI Ching, the Book of Changes - Yi Jing I. 61.

Page 1 of 5http://www.afpc.asso.fr/wengu/wg/wengu.php?l=Yijing&tire=998899&no=61&lang=en

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<=>=YI JING – I CHING, THE BOOK OF CHANGES

This famous system of 64 hexagrams plus their commentaries and transformations is

at the root of Chinese thought. Tr. Wilhelm (en, fr).

The Hexagram

Chung Fu / Inner Truth above SUN THE GENTLE, WINDbelow TUI THE JOYOUS, LAKE

The wind blows over the lake and stirs the surface of the water.

Thus visible effects of the invisible manifest themselves. The

hexagram consists of firm lines above and below, while it is open

in the center. This indicates a heart free of prejudices and

therefore open to truth. On the other hand, each of the two

trigrams has a firm line in the middle; this indicates the force of

inner truth in the influences they represent.

The attributes of the two trigrams are: above, gentleness,

forbearance toward inferiors; below, joyousness in obeying

superiors. Such conditions create the basis of a mutual confidence

that makes achievements possible.

The character of fu ("truth") is actually the picture of a bird's foot over a fledgling. It suggests the idea

of brooding. An egg is hollow. The light-giving power must work to quicken it from outside, but there

must be a germ of life within, if life is to be awakened. Far-reaching speculations can be linked with

these ideas.

The Judgment

INNER TRUTH. Pigs and fishes. Good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water. Perseverance furthers.

Pigs and fishes are the least intelligent of all animals and therefore

the most difficult to influence. The force of inner truth must grow

great indeed before its influence can extend to such creatures. In

dealing with persons as intractable and as difficult to influence as

a pig or a fish, the whole secret of success depends on finding the

right way of approach. One must first rid oneself of all prejudice

and, so to speak, let the psyche of the other person act on one

without restraint. Then one will establish contact with him, understand and gain power over him.

When a door has thus been opened, the force of one's personality will influence him. If in this way one

finds no obstacles insurmountable, one can undertake even the most dangerous things, such as crossing

the great water, and succeed.

But it is important to understand upon what the force inner truth depends. This force is not identical

with simple intimacy or a secret bond. Close ties may exist also among thieves; it is true that such a

bond acts as a force but, since it is not invincible, it does not bring good fortune. All association on the

basis of common interests holds only up to a certain point. Where the community of interest ceases,

the holding together ceases also, and the closest friendship often changes into hate. Only when the

bond is based on what is right, on steadfastness, will it remain so firm that it triumphs over everything.

The Image

Wind over lake: the image of INNER TRUTH. Thus the superior man discusses criminal casesIn order to delay executions.

Wind stirs water by penetrating it. Thus the superior man, when

obliged to judge the mistakes of men, tries to penetrate their minds

with understanding, in order to gain a sympathetic appreciation of

the circumstances. In ancient China, the entire administration of

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CHINESE CLASSICS& TRANSLATIONS

Welcome, help, notes,introduction, table.

! Shi JingThe Book of Odes

" Lun YuThe Analects

大 DaxueGreat Learning

中 ZhongyongDoctrine of the Mean

字 San Zi JingThree-characters book

易 Yi JingThe Book of Changes

道 Dao De JingThe Way and its Power

唐 Tang Shi300 Tang Poems

兵 Sun ZiThe Art of War

# 36 JiThirty-Six Strategies

Français / English

Chinese on / off

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the circumstances. In ancient China, the entire administration of

justice was guided by this principle. A deep understanding that

knows how to pardon was considered the highest form of justice.

This system was not without success, for its aim was to make so

strong a moral impression that there was no reason to fear abuse

of such mildness. For it sprang not from weakness but from a

superior clarity.

Lower line

Nine at the beginning means:Being prepared brings good fortune. If there are secret designs, it is disquieting.

The force of inner truth depends chiefly on inner stability and

preparedness. From this state of mind springs the correct attitude toward

the outer world. But if a man should try to cultivate secret relationships of

a special sort, it would deprive him of his inner independence. The more

reliance he places on the support of others, the more uneasy and anxious

he will become as to whether these secret ties are really tenable. In this

way inner peace and the force of inner truth are lost.

Second line

Nine in the second place means:A crane calling in the shade. Its young answers it. I have a good goblet. I will share it with you.

This refers to the involuntary influence of a man's inner

being upon persons of kindred spirit. The crane need not

show itself on a high hill. It may be quite hidden when it

sounds its call; yet its young will hear its note, will

recognize it and give answer. Where there is a joyous

mood, there a comrade will appear to share a glass of wine.

This is the echo awakened in men through spiritual

attraction. Whenever a feeling is voiced with truth and frankness, whenever a deed is the clear

expression of sentiment, a mysterious and far-reaching influence is exerted. At first it acts on those

who are inwardly receptive. But the circle grows larger and larger. The root of all influence lies in

one's own inner being: given true and vigorous expression in word and deed, its effect is great. The

effect is but the reflection of something that emanates from one's own heart. Any deliberate intention

of an effect would only destroy the possibility of producing it. Confucius says about this line: The

superior man abides in his room. If his words are well spoken, he meets with assent at a distance of

more than a thousand miles. How much more then from near by! If the superior man abides in his

room and his words are not well spoken, he meets with contradiction at a distance of more than a

thousand miles. How much more then from near by! Words go forth from one's own person and exert

their influence on men. Deeds are born close at hand and become visible far away. Words and deeds

are the hinge and bowspring of the superior man. As hinge and bowspring move, they bring honor or

disgrace. Through words and deeds the superior man moves heaven and earth. Must one not, then, be

cautious?

Fifth line

° Nine in the fifth place means:He possesses truth, which links together. No blame.

This describes the ruler who holds all elements together by the power of

his personality. Only when the strength of his character is so ample that




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his personality. Only when the strength of his character is so ample that

he can influence all who are subject to him, is he as he needs to be. The

power of suggestion must emanate from the ruler. It will firmly knit

together and unite all his adherents. Without this central force, all external

unity is only deception and breaks down at the decisive moment.

Upper line

Nine at the top means:Cockcrow penetrating to heaven. Perseverance brings misfortune.

The cock is dependable. It crows at dawn. But it cannot itself fly to

heaven. It just crows. A man may count on mere words to awaken faith.

This may succeed now and then, but if persisted in, it will have bad

consequences.

The Hexagram

K'un / The Receptive Above K'UN THE RECEPTIVE, EARTHBelow K'UN THE RECEPTIVE, EARTH

This hexagram is made up of broken lines only. The broken lines

represents the dark, yielding, receptive primal power of yin. The

attribute of the hexagram is devotion; its image is the earth. It is

the perfect complement of THE CREATIVE–the complement, not

the opposite, for the Receptive does not combat the Creative but

completes it. It represents nature in contrast to spirit, earth in

contrast to heaven, space as against time, the female-maternal as

against the male-paternal. However, as applied to human affairs,

the principle of this complementary relationship is found not only in the relation between man and

woman, but also in that between prince and minister and between father and son. Indeed, even in the

individual this duality appears in the coexistence of the spiritual world and the world of the senses.

But strictly speaking there is no real dualism here, because there is a clearly defined hierarchic

relationship between the two principles. In itself of course the Receptive is just as important as the

Creative, but the attribute of devotion defines the place occupied by this primal power in relation to the

Creative. For the Receptive must be activated and led by the Creative; then it is productive of good.

Only when it abandons this position and tries to stand as an equal side by side with the Creative, does

it become evil. The result then is opposition to and struggle against the Creative, which is productive

of evil to both.

The Judgment

THE RECEPTIVEbrings about sublimesuccess,Furthering through theperseverance of a mare. If the superior manundertakes somethingand tries to lead,He goes astray;But if he follows, hefinds guidance.




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It is favorable to findfriends in the west and south,To forego friends in the east and north. Quiet perseverance brings good fortune.

The four fundamental aspects of the Creative–"sublime success, furthering through perseverance"–are

also attributed to the Receptive. Here, however, the perseverance is more closely defined: it is that of a

mare. The Receptive connotes spatial reality in contrast to the spiritual potentiality of the Creative.

The potential becomes real and the spiritual becomes spatial through a specifically qualifying

definition. Thus the qualification, "of a mare," is here added to the idea of perseverance. The horse

belongs to earth just as the dragon belongs to heaven. Its tireless roaming over the plains is taken as a

symbol of the vast expanse of the earth. This is the symbol chosen because the mare combines the

strength and swiftness of the horse with the gentleness and devotion of the cow.

Only because nature in its myriad forms corresponds with the myriad impulses of the Creative can it

make these impulses real. Nature's richness lies in its power to nourish all living things; its greatness

lies in its power to give then beauty and splendor. Thus it prospers all that lives. It is the Creative that

begets things, but they are brought to birth by the Receptive. Applied to human affairs, therefore, what

the hexagram indicated is action in conformity with the situation. The person in questions not in an

independent position, but is acting as an assistant. This means that he must achieve something. It is not

his task to try to lead–that would only make him lose the way–but to let himself be led. If he knows

how to meet fate with an attitude of acceptance, he is sure to find the right guidance. The superior man

lets himself be guided; he does not go ahead blindly, but learns from the situation what is demanded of

him and then follows this intimation from fate.

Since there is something to be accomplished, we need friends and helpers in the hour of toil and effort,

once the ideas to be realized are firmly set. The time of toil and effort is indicated by the west and

south, for west and south symbolize the place where the Receptive works for the Creative, as nature

does in summer and autumn. If in that situation one does not mobilize all one's powers, the work to be

accomplished will not be done. Hence to find friends there means to find guidance. But in addition to

the time of toil and effort, there is also a time of planning, and for this we need this solitude. The east

symbolized the place where a man receives orders from his master, and the north the place where he

reports on what he has done. At that time he must be alone and objective. In this sacred hour he must

do without companions. So that the purity of the moment may not be spoiled by fictional hates and

favoritism.

The Image

The earth's condition is receptive devotion. Thus the superior man who has breadth of characterCarries the outer world.

Just as there is only one heaven, so too there is only one earth. In the

hexagram of heaven the doubling of the trigram implies duration in time,

but in the hexagram of earth the doubling connotes the solidity and

extension in space by virtue of which the earth is able to carry and

preserve all things that live and move upon it. The earth in its devotion

carries all things, good and evil,, without exception. In the same way the

superior man gives to his character breadth, purity, and sustaining power,

so that he is able both to support and to bear with people and things.

All lines

When all the lines are sixes, it means:Lasting perseverance furthers.

When nothing but sixes appears, the hexagram of THE RECEPTIVE changes

into the hexagram of THE CREATIVE. By holding fast to what is right, it gains

the power of enduring. There is indeed no advance, but neither is there




!

"

#the power of enduring. There is indeed no advance, but neither is there

retrogression.

Prétendre à la filiation familiale d'un Lê n'est pas un destin réservé à tous les mortels. Un

abus d'une telle mansuétude n'est donc pas à redouter.

Lê Van an ninh 27/07/08

an ninh – 2007/12/08

On peut entreprendre même les affaires les plus dangereuses, telles que la traversée de

grandes eaux, et ces actions seront couronnées de succès...

Dom – 2007/12/01

la reponse au doute...

moi – 2006/12/09

love sent

Anon. – 2006/12/09

evol rel h f 2 3 7

lena – 2006/12/03

evol sent f

lena – 2005/11/03

Yi Jing I. 61. (61) Previous page

Next page


APPENDIX F: INDEPENDENT STUDY #4: CONCLUDING PAPER

In this section I am including the concluding paper that I wrote for my fourth Independent Study. This will provide some background for the survey I created - the survey that I administered in this project. It also contains information about my journey through that study. This study was a research project that examined the ways in which organizations conducted surveys in order to determine what types of wellness initiatives to offer in the workplace. By discovering how employees were surveyed and what other types of surveys were conducted, I was able to find an area that was not addressed, then I created the piece that was missing by developing my surveys. These surveys were then administered during my Project of Excellence. The underlying purpose for this Independent Study as well as my Project of Excellence is that I want to help businesses realize that by spending money now on wellness and prevention, that they will ultimately save more money later when they do not have to pay for sickness care, pay for sick leave, and other costs generated by employee illness and lost time due to absence. My fourth Independent Study and Project of Excellence were steps along the path to creating a world where my purpose is realized, with an end goal that if employees work in an environment that is conducive to wellness that that environment will contribute to a greater sense of well-being and overall health and happiness and their job is less like “work”. As part of my study, I conducted research, mostly through the Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA), which is North America's premier resource for worksite wellness, is dedicated to helping organizations of all kinds build and sustain results-oriented wellness programs. I also engaged in dialogue with a number of health insurance agents so that I could find out what incentives can be offered to a business to offer wellness initiatives. Also, I engaged in a method of reflection to assess my personal journey through this project, which was performed by “Walking the Circles of the Elements” at the beginning, middle, and end of this study. So here is the Concluding Paper of my fourth Independent Study.


Mind-Body & Business ConnectionA Journey to Research “Workplace Wellness”

by Frances Royo

This paper summarizes the journey I took during my fourth Independent Study, titled Mind-Body & Business Connection. I set out to research the existing models of wellness offered by businesses for the employees that work for them and then develop a survey that can open a dialogue to bring or expand wellness into the workplace.

RESEARCH

The first thing I found through my research is that the term I was using, “corporate wellness”, was not used. The term used in the literature was “workplace wellness”. After this verbiage issue, I found that almost all workplace wellness initiatives focused on weight loss and smoking cessation. Some initiatives went further and added early detection of disease and illness, such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and prostate issues.

As I delved into my research, I quickly realized that the amount of information was enormous and would be too much to handle for this particular Independent Study, so with the permission of my Adjunct Faculty member, Kathy Sumner, I divided the research into two sections. The first area of research I identified focused on assessing needs or developing surveys for employees, and this is the research that I have included in this Independent Study. The other area of research, which looked at specific case studies of organizations that had implemented wellness programs in the workplace, I included in my Project of Excellence.

Continuing with the research that was pertinent to my Independent Study, I looked at the types of questions that were asked to evaluate the needs of a workplace in order to establish a wellness initiative. I again was surprised by my findings, and I was also disappointed. The research showed that employees were surveyed about their specific health issues (e.g., if they were overweight, if they smoked, if they exercised) in order to assess the person’s risk of disease or illness. Other surveys focused on asking employee’s what types of programs would be of interest to them, programs that included: prevention of disease or illness (cancer, heart disease, stroke), managing chronic conditions (diabetes, hypertension, chronic pain), and exercise programs. I saw this as limiting wellness to disease and illness management, with minimal focus on “wellness”. Yet as I persevered with my research, options opened up before my eyes.


The Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA), which is North America's premier resource for worksite wellness, is dedicated to helping organizations of all kinds build and sustain results-oriented wellness programs. I found the WELCOA website (www.welcoa.org) to be my most helpful resource for this study. In the numerous articles available on this site, I read that employers were encouraged to offer incentives to employees in order to increase participation in wellness initiatives, I came across pre-made surveys (see the Appendix for examples), and I discovered many things about workplace wellness and my certitudes.

Some of the incentives that I discovered include:

• Company policy that offers flex time and assistance with childcare,

• Establishing an indoor walking path or encouraging employees to take healthy breaks,

• Corporate recognition of employees who participate in wellness programs,

• Small gifts, such as T-shirts or water bottles,

• Merchandise, such as movie tickets or gift certificates,

• Discounts, such as healthcare discounts, and

• Tax-advantaged cash incentives.

Now let me share some of my discoveries about workplace wellness and my certitudes. First of all, I had visions of workplaces offering the following as part of health insurance: massage and chiropractic care to help reduce employee stress, nutrition information to help employees live a healthy lifestyle as well as prevent disease, and other programs that focus on prevention of disease. I stress prevention. I found programs that focused on “early detection of disease and illness”, that would then be treated with pharmaceuticals, rather than with a more holistic approach (which would have focused on prevention from the outset, rather than treatment once disease had formed). My certitudes showed up as disappointment when I found very little of what I wanted to see. As I continued my work, I adjusted my certitude to include wider possibility, such as: education about early treatment of heart disease is helpful. My idea of workplace wellness came from an “eastern medicine” point of view that focuses on prevention of disease, which is not the point of view that most American businesses share. That space between the two is where I made an offering. I developed a survey to help open a dialogue that could include conversation that goes beyond early diagnosis.


When I first began my research, I was disappointed (I am aware that this was a choice - I could have chosen non-attachment) that the surveys at which I looked were all based on “early detection of disease and illness”.

In one WELCOA article titled, “The 12 Steps to Successfully Implementing Your Health Risk Appraisal”, the author states,

“As an important aside, we would discourage you from leading with the message, “Healthcare costs are increasing and we need to do something about it.” If you lead with this message, employees will be very skeptical about the role of the Health Risk Assessment (HRA) and the primary motivations of senior management.”

I fully agree. Additionally, I felt that the author overlooked the importance of pre-survey DIALOGUE with employees! In this particular article, I felt that there was an underlying tone of MONOLOGUE with employees - “We, the management, are going to command you, the employees, to fill out this health survey, whether you like it or not.” To give credit to WELCOA, in other articles they do point out that forming focus groups among employees, performing Health Culture Audits, and obtaining employee suggestions and feedback can help direct the types of programming offered after the health survey results have been received.

This particular article, and ones with similar undertones, are what I came across during the first half of my Independent Study. Honestly, I chose to feel discouraged. I felt that WELCOA, the leader of workplace wellness initiatives, was not continually stressing dialogue with employees. By choosing discouragement, I then slowed down my research and also kept coming across data that showed similar discouraging results. By staying in that place of discouragement, I got stuck in a loop - only coming across findings that discouraged me, so I did not want to continue my research, and eventually I stopped.

When I resumed my research several weeks later, I came at it with a different perspective. I was determined to find something “different”, something that provided more possibility. And that’s what I found.

There was one article, “When It Comes From You: The Power of CEO Support in Advancing a Small Business Wellness Initiative”, that was divided into two sections. The first section spoke more directly to employees, specifically someone who might become the wellness liaison or advocate, and looked at ways to help get the CEO of the organization to back a wellness program. The second section then addressed the CEO as well as the wellness liaison about how to create a culture of wellness that began at the top, with the CEO, and filtered down to the employee. This was encouraging since it came from an undertone of establishing an


environment or culture of wellness from the top (CEO) down (to the employee). The article also provided tips on how to use a bottom-up approach, in case a CEO was not encouraging workplace wellness. It was really a one-two punch in that the article showed both how an employee could get a CEO to support workplace wellness as well as the importance of the CEO-backing of that wellness program. The article stressed that the most effective and most used wellness programs are ones that are backed by CEO support.

As mentioned, as I delved deeper into my research later during my Independent Study, I changed my opinion (and became less attached to the outcome) as more possibility surfaced (at least in my mind) around wellness. In particular, I found topics covered that I had originally hoped to find and some that were unexpected:

• Individual Interest Survey, where employees have a say about what’s important to them with regard to wellness,

• Health Culture Audits that examine the health consciousness, environment, and culture of an organization,

• Measuring employee health issue changes through a Personal Health Analysis (PHA) or Health Risk Assessment (HRA), so each employee can build up a progress chart, of sorts, to compare how s/he is doing over time,

• Various types of programming could be offered: awareness, education, behavior modification, health assessments, and/or disease management,

• That communication is key when looking to implement a workplace wellness initiative,

• Encouragement of employers to provide health coaching,

• Examining the costs of unhealthy lifestyle choices by employees, which also looks at productivity in light of absenteeism and loss of performance on the job,

• Looking at the cost of a healthy employee, which also looks at productivity in light of absenteeism and loss of performance on the job,

• Addressing stress and providing education around stress reduction,

• Promoting community health efforts, such as a “fun run” or a health fair,

• Discussion around offering wellness interventions to multiple locations and multiple shifts and difficulties as well as advantages of doing so,

• Sending out a health newsletter on a regular basis (e.g., monthly, quarterly),


• Establishing a work-based wellness library (either physical resources or online resources),

• Providing workstation ergonomic assessments,

• Providing fresh fruit and / or healthy snacks for employees,

• Addressing financial wellness, which I learned is a growing request that has stemmed from Individual Interest Surveys, and which solidified my notion that employees must be given an opportunity to voice their opinion.

Through this research I regained hope (a personal choice on my part) that there are companies who do care about their employees and not just their bottom line. I also learned the recommended 12 steps, from WELCOA, for establishing a health and wellness initiative:

1. Select Your Health Risk Assessment (HRA) Provider—At least 16-weeks in advance of launch

2. Determine Who Is Eligible To Participate—15 weeks prior to launch

3. Identify An Open Enrollment Period—14 weeks prior to launch

4. Select Your Incentive—13 weeks in advance of proposed launch

5. Create Your Communications Campaign/Plan—12 weeks prior to launch

6. Format Your Eligibility File—About 11 weeks prior to launch

7. Finalize and Distribute Your Initial Correspondence—8 weeks prior to launch

8. Finalize and Distribute Your Formal Invitations—1 week to 1 day prior to launch

9. Launch HRA—First day of open enrollment

10. Monitor Completion Rates—Every 48 hours

11. Schedule Roundtables & Follow Calls for Individual HRA Review and Discussion—1 week after the close of open enrollment

12. Review Aggregate Report—2 weeks to 1 month after the HRA is completed

From what I read, most companies took these steps and used wellness primarily as a tool to decrease their health insurance premiums. These companies entered into a monologue with their employes, using the message “We care about you,” but not backing that up with a


supportive environment or culture in the workplace. I based this conclusion on evidence such as: “benefit plan redesign”, which is the path that some companies take. With a benefit plan redesign, a company mandates that all employees who will re-enroll into the company’s health insurance benefits for the following year will complete a Health Risk Assessment. I see this as negative reinforcement that could anger employees rather than incentivize them into using and seeing the benefits of a workplace wellness program. For my POE, I interviewed three employees, and one of them works for a company that took this approach. He felt disempowered when it came to his health. “They just care about their bottom line, not me,” he said! Another employee surveyed mentioned that her employer focused on smoking cessation and weight loss, neither of which she needs. She added, “I feel that there’s nothing for me,” that they only care about the health of employees that cost them (the employer) the most money. In addition, various articles referred to incentives, stating how likely it was for employees to complete a Health Risk Assessment based on the type of incentive provided. These articles only mentioned the incentives (such as T-shirts, movie tickets, or $25 cash bonus); they never mentioned altering the culture at the workplace to complement the Health Risk Assessment. With the literature, there was only one article that mentioned the “health culture” of a workplace, and the remaining articles focused on implementing a Health Risk Assessment, types of incentives, or other issues.

I also found that a smaller number of organizations really focused in on assessing the needs and interests of their employees and provided a top-down approach that provided a wellness-focused working environment. For these companies, they entered into meaningful dialogue and then implemented small changes, many which were suggested by employees, that made a big difference to decrease employee stress and absenteeism, increase productivity, and foster an environment of wellness. They came from a larger-minded conversation - when surveying needs, they came from a conversation of dominion rather than domination. It was refreshing to see what the possibility could be.

The research I used looked at implementing a wellness initiative, so it looked at the steps taken before introducing the idea of wellness to employees. Many of the steps I considered to be common sense, like examining what the company’s desired outcome is of a workplace wellness initiative. Other steps were more ambiguous, such as communicating intentions to employees. While all companies that choose to initiate a wellness program will need to communicate it to their employees and reflect the presence or absence of a supportive environment and the nature of the corporate culture with regard to employee well being, I feel that more emphasis could be placed on the “how” of doing so. The how of communicating to employees will establish whether or not oneness and partnership are in place: for example, will employees be encouraged to participate through incentives or will they be penalized if they do not participate.


“By the Numbers: Health Risk Appraisals, Health Culture Audits, and Personal Interest Surveys Should Be the Core of Your Data Collection Efforts” was a very useful WELCOA article. It provided information about three sources of data that were critical to the success of wellness initiatives. So much of the literature focused specifically on conducting employee health surveys, the steps leading up to conducting such a survey, or what kinds of incentives to offer, that I chose to be encouraged by an article that concentrated on employee input!

In the article “Arlington County Employee Wellness Program Uses Health Culture Audit to Guide Programming”, the Arlington County, Virginia government set out to “build a healthier workplace that fosters a positive attitude, social support, and a shared vision among employees.” They used a Health Culture Audit to measure how the work-place organizational culture was affecting employee health. Based on the results of this survey, they decided to “fix” the work culture instead of the employee.

I really liked the idea of a Health Culture Audit because of the focus of the survey - it didn’t look to “fix” a person, it focused on whether the workplace was conducive to wellness and then allowed the employer to decide what small step to take, if any, to adjust the workplace to be more accommodating toward wellness, and THAT is the focus that I was looking to achieve with the survey that I created. A company called Human Resources Institute, LLC, has created the particular survey cited in this article. The survey is called the Lifegain Health Culture Audit, and it “measures norms and values related to major wellness themes such as self-responsibility, healthy fun, mutual respect, and achieving one's full potential. In addition, the survey examines peer support and organizational support systems that can make or break employee efforts to adopt healthier and more productive practices. Each Lifegain Health Culture Audit examines work climate factors such as sense of community, shared vision and positive outlook.”

This is what I was looking for when I began my Independent Study! At the time, I did not have the knowledge or the language to know or express exactly what I wanted. My perseverance paid off. Now I understand that what I want to convey to an employer or employee is that the CULTURE of the workplace has as much to do with wellness as what actions an individual employee is or is not taking.

SURVEY

While developing my survey, I looked at all of the stages of implementing a workplace wellness program. WELCOA lists 12 steps, which should begin at least 16 weeks before inviting employees to take a health survey. At Step 5, the organization is advised to develop a communication plan that will outline to employees the purpose and procedures of the actual


survey/assessment (called a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) or Personal Health Analysis (PHA)). It is at the 9th step when employees are asked to complete this survey about their personal health.

The seven C’s of successful worksite wellness programs are the theme of many WELCOA articles, especially since WELCOA coined these seven C’s. Number 6 on the list is “Creating a Supportive Environment”. I saw significantly less literature about this topic than any of the other items on the list. The seven C’s are:

1. Capturing CEO support,

2. Creating cohesive wellness teams,

3. Collecting data to drive health efforts,

4. Carefully crafting an operating plan,

5. Choosing appropriate interventions,

6. Creating a supportive environment, and

7. Carefully evaluating outcomes.

I chose to presence what I saw missing and thus I developed a survey that would engage both employer and employee in the process of establishing a supportive environment. I intend to use my survey to open a dialogue with employers and employees about workplace wellness. My goal was to open possibility around awareness as well as to assist employers and employees in determining a small step that could be taken toward wellness, even if a “full-blown wellness initiative” was not in the future plans.

Included at the end of this paper, before the Bibliography, are the surveys that I created (both original draft and final copy). I have also attached, in the Appendix, a number of pre-made surveys that I consulted while developing my survey.

CIRCLES

Walking the Circles around workplace wellness was helpful in many ways. I had many personal revelations throughout this study about certitudes that I was holding.

Included in a separate file are my responses to Walking the Circles around “Workplace Wellness”. I Walked the Circles at the beginning, midway, and again at the end of my Independent Study to assess my progress. I learned a great deal about myself and the expectations I held for this study.

The most prominent learning from walking the circles was in recognizing the certitudes that I held and then letting go of them because they no longer served.


A precious gift that I received from the circles was not glossing over my growth. In walking the circles and pausing to ponder the questions, I actually acknowledged my growth, which is a new practice.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

As an additional part of my study, I entered into dialogue with insurance agency representatives. From those conversations, I learned one insurance agency, BlueCross BlueShield, has instituted a “Healthy Dollars” incentive to reward its insurance customers who take specific steps toward living a healthier life. Many of the incentives revolve around early detection, smoking cessation, and weight loss. Coming from an insurance company, this is a major step towards redefining “health”. While I would love to see more possibility, I am pleased that there’s movement and form in place within the health insurance industry.

I used Emotional Freedom Techniques® (EFT) frequently through this study (a form of psychological acupuncture), mostly at times when I was moving in a circle, rather than forward, with regard to completing my work. I was introduced to EFT a couple of years ago and focused on EFT during my last Independent Study. At one point, I used a technique called “Feel the Feeling”, where I stood on one side of a room and placed an object on the other side to symbolize completion of my study, then I walked toward the object, stopping every time I felt resistance. At each pause, I tapped on acupuncture points to release stuck energy while focusing on the issue that had bubbled up. I found that after doing this exercise, my work on this study flowed again, and that my attitude toward my research changed.

Also, during the time when I experienced stuckness, I reached out for assistance. I called on several business colleagues, friends, and AHA co-learners and asked them to goose me along my journey. This was a new practice for me. I am highly practiced at providing assistance to others, and I am a beginner at asking for assistance when I have a need. One person, in particular, checked in with me weekly. I am grateful to my dear co-learner and friend Richard Bishop for his continued support of my learning. I bow to you, Richard.

In the past, when I found myself moving in circles I felt as though I had no way to get myself moving, now, through the learnings and practices of the Applied Healing Arts program I have tools that I can use and share with others. I also had time to acknowledge the resources that were available to me. As I typed up my responses, I paused a moment and said a blessing for the resources that assisted me.

Since WELCOA, the main source of my information, focuses on teaching employers how to implement results-oriented wellness initiatives, most of my research came from the


employer’s point of view. While all of the information was useful, I wish that their literature and resources more frequently focused more on obtaining employee suggestions and feedback. If WELCOA is the go-to organization for how-to information about implementing workplace wellness initiatives, one small step that I could take is to focus more time and energy into establishing a relationship with them and promoting the cause of including more dialogue with employees. By promoting what I see as showing up as missing, perhaps I can presence it within an organization that already has an established foothold within the market I am trying to reach.

CONCLUSION

This Independent Study was very eye-opening, both with regard to my research findings and to my personal discoveries.

In researching the literature, I found that there’s a spectrum of workplace wellness. Some companies ask employees to complete a Health Risk Assessment and then provide follow-up around early detection and treatment of disease and illness. Other companies implement smoking cessation and weight loss programs. Still other companies provide incentives around exercise and nutrition. Some companies take workplace wellness to a level where there’s a culture of wellness, that includes: team building programs, massage and meditation programs to reduce stress, involving employees in the office layout design of new office space, instituting “quiet time” where employees are not to be interrupted during that time block so that they can stay focused on their work.

Also, I conducted my survey with two employers and three employees, all from different companies. I believe that my research was able to assist me in conducting my survey because most of those surveyed asked for examples of what other companies were doing, both with regard to surveying employees and/or to implementing wellness in the workplace. I was also able to help one employee come up with a first step that could be taken in the workplace - having a bowl of fruit available, since employee breaks were short and there was no place to take the break except in the manager’s office or in the stock room and there was no place nearby to purchase a snack. One employer was focusing almost entirely on one aspect of wellness that she wanted to implement (offering a flex spending account for alternative medicine since this was not covered through the company’s health insurance provider), and based on her responses I suggested that a next step that was more manageable was in another area that she mentioned: cross-training employees about holistic medicine. She had not considered this as a next step because she’d been so focused on not being able to afford the flex spending account. A couple of other survey responses have been noted in previous parts of this paper.


Both employers had strong ideas of what they wanted to see and what they felt was possible to do for workplace wellness.

Of the employees, two of them were opinionated about what was working and what was not working within their workplace wellness initiatives. These two also appreciated having an opportunity to voice their opinion, because it was never asked for at work. The third employee had never thought about workplace wellness until asked to participate in this survey. She now plans to suggest that her employer provide a bowl of fruit for employees.


MY SURVEY

Original Version - for Employees

1. How may a workplace wellness program affect you and others you know?2. What conversations, stories, or beliefs do you hold that do not serve or might hinder a

workplace wellness program?3. What conversations, stories, or beliefs does the company hold that do not serve or might

hinder a workplace wellness program?4. What is already in place that promotes workplace wellness?5. What exists in your workplace that no longer serves, or would be out of place, if a wellness

model were to be put into place?6. What could inspire your employer to implement a workplace wellness program?7. What resources are available for a workplace wellness program?8. What do you not know, but wish you did, about workplace wellness? 9. What small step can your employer take to implement workplace wellness?10.What small step can you make to support workplace wellness?11.What ideas can you share about workplace wellness?

Original Version - for Employers

1. How may a workplace wellness program affect the company?2. What conversations, stories, or beliefs does the company hold that do not serve or might

hinder a workplace wellness program?3. What is already in place that promotes workplace wellness?4. What exists in your workplace that no longer serves, or would be out of place, if a wellness

model were to be put into place?5. What could inspire your employees to participate in a workplace wellness program?6. What resources are available for a workplace wellness program?7. What do you not know, but wish you did, about workplace wellness?8. What small step can you take to implement workplace wellness?9. What ideas can you share about workplace wellness?

Final Version - for Employees

1. What do you expect from a Workplace Wellness Program?2. What are your first thoughts about a Workplace Wellness Program?3. What do you think your employer thinks about Workplace Wellness?4. What does the company already do to promote wellness?5. What would have to change if a Workplace Wellness Program was put in place?


6. What would motivate your employer to participate in / develop a Workplace Wellness Program?

7. What resources (time, money, location, equipment, people) would be needed to implement a Workplace Wellness Program?

8. What would you like to know about a Workplace Wellness Program?9. What first step would you like to see / be willing to make?10.What would you like to see in a Workplace Wellness Program?

Final Version - for Employers

1. What do you expect from a Workplace Wellness Program?2. What are your first thoughts about a Workplace Wellness Program?3. What do you think your employees think about Workplace Wellness?4. What does the company already do to promote wellness?5. What would have to change if a Workplace Wellness Program was put in place?6. What would motivate your employees to participate in a Workplace Wellness Program?7. What resources (time, money, location, equipment, people) would be needed to implement a

Workplace Wellness Program?8. What would you like to know about a Workplace Wellness Program?9. What first step would you like to see / be willing to make?10.What would you like to see in a Workplace Wellness Program?


BIBLIOGRAPHY

Articles

Chapman, L., Lesch, N., & Aitken, S. (n.d.) Special Report: Resilience [Electronic version].

Absolute Advantage, 2-12.

http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/resilience_case_study.pdf

Hunnicutt, D. (n.d.) 12 Steps to Successfully Implementing a Health Risk Appraisal [Electronic

version]. Absolute Advantage, 21-33.

http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/aa_7.7_12steps.pdf

Hunnicutt, D. (n.d.) Big Steps for Small Businesses: 10 Health Promotion Programming Ideas

Every Small Business Should Consider [Electronic version]. Absolute Advantage, 37-41.

http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/bigsteps_smallbiz.pdf

Hunnicutt, D. (n.d.) By the Numbers: Health Risk Appraisals, Health Culture Audits, and

Personal Interest Surveys Should be the Core of Your Data Collection Efforts [Electronic


http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/by_the_numbers.pdf

Hunnicutt, D. (n.d.) Carefully Crafting Your Organization’s Wellness Plan: The Essential

Elements That Can Take Your Program from Good to Great [Electronic version].


http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/crafting_your_orgs_wellness_plan.pdf

Hunnicutt, D. (n.d.) Choosing Appropriate Interventions [Electronic version]. Absolute

Advantage, 5-11. http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/aa_6.8_aug07_appint.pdf

Hunnicutt, D. (n.d.) Choosing Right Interventions [Electronic version]. Absolute Advantage,

5-11. http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/aa_6.8_aug07_appint.pdf

Hunnicutt, D. (n.d.) Collecting Data to Drive Health Efforts [Electronic version]. Absolute

Advantage, 1-48. http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/aa_collectingdata.pdf

Hunnicutt, D. (n.d.) Fiscally Fit: Financial Wellness Goes Mainstream [Electronic version].

Absolute Advantage, 1-48. http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/aa_apr07.pdf

Hunnicutt, D. (n.d.) Planning Wellness: Getting Off to a Good Start, Part 1 [Electronic version].


http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/aa_v5.4.pdf

Hunnicutt, D. (n.d.) Planning Wellness: Getting Off to a Good Start, Part 2 [Electronic version].



http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/aa_v5.6.pdf

Hunnicutt, D. (n.d.) Policies, Practices, and Promotions: Integrating Wellness into Your

Company’s Working Environment [Electronic version]. Absolute Advantage, 9-15.

http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/policies_practices_promotions.pdf

Hunnicutt, D. (n.d.) The 10 Benefits of Conducting a Personal Health Assessment [Electronic


http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/aa_7.7_10_benefits.pdf

Hunnicutt, D. (n.d.) The Fundamentals of Evaluation: Why, What, How, & When You Should

Evaluate Your Wellness Program [Electronic version]. Absolute Advantage, 13-19.

http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/fund_of_evaluation.pdf

Hunnicutt, D. (n.d.) When It Comes From You … The Power of CEO Support in Advancing a

Small Business Wellness Initiative [Electronic version]. Absolute Advantage, 11-15.

http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/when_it_comes_from_you_ceo_support.pdf

Lynch, W. (n.d.) What is a Healthy Employee Worth? [Electronic version]. Absolute Advantage,

16-19. http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/healthy_employee_2.pdf

Marshall, C. (n.d.) The Coaching Connection [Electronic version]. Absolute Advantage,

1-44. http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/coaching_connection.pdf

Reynolds, J. (1999) Arlington County Employee Wellness Program Uses Health Culture Audit to

Guide Programming [Electronic version]. Wellness Management.

http://www.healthyculture.com/Articles/Arlington.html

Electronic Media Sources

Heart Disease Weekly. (Sept. 14, 2008) BioIQ Transforms Corporate Wellness With Home Health Testing Programs and Workforce-Wide Results Analysis, p. 192. Retrieved November 17, 2008 from http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HWRC/hits? r=d&origSearch=false…se&locID=aacpl_itweb&secondary=false&t= RK&s=1&SU=corporate+wellnessHuman Resources Institute, LLC. (n.d.) Lifegain Health Culture Audit. Retrieved December 6, 2008 from http://www.healthyculture.com/Surveys/HCAudit_print.htmlIndustry Week. (Sept. 2008) A healthy approach to going lean: corporate wellness programs incent employees to manage their health.(FACILITIES & OPERATIONS), v257 i9, p. 20(2). Retrieved November 17, 2008 from http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HWRC/hits?r=d&origSearch=false… se&locID=aacpl_itweb&secondary=false&t=RK&s=1&SU=corporate+wellness


U.S. Newswire. (June 26, 2007) Start! Fit-Friendly Companies Program Promotes Corporate Wellness, Cultural Change. Retrieved November 17, 2008 from http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HWRC/hits?r=d&origSearch=false… se&locID=aacpl_itweb&secondary=false&t=RK&s=1&SU=corporate+wellnessWellness Councils of America. (n.d.) Checklist for Selecting Health Promotion Vendors. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/vendor_checklist.pdfWellness Councils of America. (n.d.) Choosing Appropriate Interventions. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/wiv1n6.pdfWellness Councils of America. (n.d.) Health And Productivity Connection Questionnaire. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/hp_connection_questionnaire.pdfWellness Councils of America. (n.d.) Job Satisfaction Survey. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/job_satisfaction_survey.pdfWellness Councils of America. (n.d.) Needs & Interest Survey. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/ni_survey.pdfWellness Councils of America. (n.d.) Wellness Program: Needs & Interest Survey. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/pdf/dc_allegheny_needs.pdf

Websites

http://www.healthyculture.com - Human Resources Institute, LLC website, where you can access the Lifegain Health Culture Audit and other healthful resources.http://personalhealthassessment.com/ - a resource developed by WELCOA to provide an affordable, user-friendly personal health assessment that provides employees with the information they need to monitor and improve their health status.http://www.WELCOA.org - the website for the Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA), North America's premier resource for worksite wellness.


APPENDIX

The following five pre-made surveys were used to see what questions were and were not being asked of employees with regard to workplace wellness. I used these survey to assist in developing my own survey. The first was taken from The Human Resources Institute’s website (www.healthyculture.com), and the other three were taken off of the WELCOA website (www.welcoa.org). They are listed below, in the order in which they are attached, along with a brief explanation.

1. Lifegain Health Culture Audit 1 - Long Version (5 pages) - This survey “assesses cultural support for healthy and productive lifestyles and is ideal for program planning and evaluation. In addition to individual program preferences and health behavior, it measures values, norms, peer support, organizational support and work climate. The survey also examines key wellness dimensions such as self-care, healthy fun, mutual respect and full potential. A shorter version (see below) of the Lifegain Health Culture Audit focuses on cultural support for avoiding health risks such as smoking and poor physical fitness. Survey responses are used to generate reports with specific recommendations for lasting and positive culture change.”

2. Lifegain Health Culture Audit 2 - Short Version (2 pages) - A shorter version of the Lifegain Health Culture Audit focuses on cultural support for avoiding health risks such as smoking and poor physical fitness. Survey responses are used to generate reports with specific recommendations for lasting and positive culture change.”

3. Wellness Program Needs & Interest Survey (6 pages) - “The purpose of this survey is to obtain input for the new health promotion program. The Survey includes questions on your needs, interests, and other pertinent information to be used in deciding what programs to offer and when to offer them.”

4. Job Satisfaction Survey (2 pages) - The purpose of this survey is to help determine how satisfied employees are with their job and their workplace environment.

5. Health and Productivity Connection Questionnaire (1 page) - The purpose of this survey is to help employees understand what situations affect their productivity, especially while at work.


12/15/08 10:44 PMPrint Lifegain Culture Audit

Page 1 of 5http://www.healthyculture.com/Surveys/LGHCAudit_print.html

Lifegain Health Culture AuditOrganizational culture plays an important role in supporting healthy lifestyles. The following confidential andanonymous survey measures how this works in your organization. Survey results will be used to helpenhance existing health promotion services

Note: There are no right or wrong answers. We are asking for your opinion.

NORMS

Our behavior is influenced by the groups to which we belong. Our family, friends, and coworkers areexamples of these groups; they all have expectations for how people should behave, even when it comesto health practices. In the left column below, fill in the circle that represents your level of agreement thatthe behavior is currently considered expected or normal among your immediate group of coworkers("current norm"). In the right column, fill in the circle which indicates the degree to which you desire thebehavior to be the norm.

Please indicate your level of agreement with the statements below using

the following scale:1 Strongly Disagree, 2 Disagree, 3 Undecided/Don't Know, 4 Agree, or 5 Strongly Agree

Self CareThe current norm The way I would

like it to be As I see it, it is normal practice in my work unit for peopleto...

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Come to work rested.

Take on only as much responsibility as can be handled.

Practice some form of stress management technique.

Achieve a balance between work, rest and play.

Organize work to avoid injury (such as office layout, lighting,lifting and safety gear).

Use car seat belts.

Not smoke.

Avoid smoky places.

Eat nutritious foods that are low in salt, fat and sugar.

Maintain a healthy weight.

Be physically active most days of the week.

Drink alcohol moderately, if at all.

Take only those drugs that are medically necessary.

Get help with alcohol or other drug problems early on.

Find out about home care before seeking non-emergencymedical services.

Have a personal primary care physician .

Take responsibility to help control insurance costs by being acareful consumer of medical resources.

Return to work as quickly as possible after an illness or injury.

Not come to work sick.




1 Strongly Disagree, 2 Disagree, 3 Undecided/Don't Know, 4 Agree, or 5 Strongly Agree

Healthy FunThe currentnorm

The way I would like itto be

As I see it, it is normal practice in my work unit forpeople to...

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Find ways to make everyday or routine tasks interesting.

Enjoy friendly competitions.

Enjoy eating healthy foods.

View exercise as fun.

Find times to kick back and relax.

Laugh and tell jokes.

Share ideas about things that are fun to do.

Have fun at social events without eating or drinking toomuch.


Full PotentialThe currentnorm

The way I would like itwould be

As I see it, it is normal practice in my work unit forpeople to...

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Develop work and career skills.

Achieve financial security.

Approach life with integrity.

Explore talents and interests.

Be persistent in pursuing goals and dreams.

Be open to new ideas and experiences.

Be in touch with inner feelings and motivations.

Develop a sense of spirituality or meaning in life.

Find ways to make a contribution to the world.


Mutual Respect

The current

norm

The way I would

like it to would

As I see it, it is normal practice in my work unit for

people to...

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Find ways to renew and develop friendships.

Say hello.

Share credit for success.

Treat all people with respect and fairness regardless of sex,age, race, disability, or sexual preference.




Appreciate the value of having a variety of backgrounds andtraditions.

Be a good listener.

Respond in times of need.

Ask for help when it is needed.

Join a support group when faced with a continuing healthproblem (such as cancer).

Celebrate accomplishments.

Resolve conflict in positive ways.

Support


the following scale:

1 Strongly Disagree, 2 Disagree, 3 Undecided/Don't Know,4 Agree, or 5 Strongly Agree

1 2 3 4 5

Organizational leaders model a healthy lifestyle.

This organization demonstrates its commitment to supporting healthy lifestylesthrough its use of resources such as time, space and money.

People at this organization are taught skills needed to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

New employees at our workplace are made aware of the organization's support forhealthy lifestyles.

People are rewarded and recognized for efforts to live a healthy lifestyle.

My immediate supervisor supports my efforts to adopt healthier lifestyle practices.

Coworkers support one another in efforts to adopt healthier lifestyle practices.

My friends support one another in efforts to adopt healthier lifestyle practices.

My family members and/or housemates support one another in efforts to adopthealthier lifestyle practices.

Work Climate


the following scale:


1 2 3 4 5

This organization has a sense of community (for example, people really get toknow one another, feel as if they belong and care for one another in times ofneed).

This organization has a shared vision (for example, people feel that theorganization's conduct is consistent with their personal values and people are clearabout how they fit in with the big picture).

This organization has a positive outlook (for example, people enjoy their work,celebrate accomplishments, adopt a "we can do it" attitude and bring out the bestin each other).




Health Practices

Please answer the following questions "Yes" or "No."Do you take part in 30 minutes or more of physical activity duringmost days of the week? Yes No

Do you exercise strenuously (that is, so you breathe heavily andyour heart and pulse rate go up for a period lasting at least 20minutes) at least three times a week?

Yes No

Would you like to exercise more? Yes No

Do you use "recreational" drugs? Yes No

Do you drink alcohol? (If your answer is NO, skip three questions) Yes No

Do you ever drive after drinking? Yes No

Do you feel you should cut down on your drinking? Yes No

In general, when you drink alcoholic beverages, do you consumemore than 14 drinks per week or more than 5 drinks on any singleday? (Mark "yes" if you can answer "yes" to either part of thisquestion)

Yes No

Do you smoke? ( If your answer is NO, skip next question) Yes No

Would you like to quit? Yes No

Do you balance work, rest and play? Yes No

Do you feel "blue" a lot of the time? Yes No

Do you experience great stress at least several days a week? Yes No

Do you feel like you're making a contribution to the world aroundyou? Yes No

Do you socialize with close friends, relatives or neighbors at leastonce a week? Yes No

Do you eat a low-fat diet? Yes No

Do you eat a high-fiber diet? Yes No

Do you consider yourself to be more than 10 pounds over yourhealthy weight? (If your answer is NO, skip next question) Yes No

Would you like to lose weight? Yes No

Do you wear a seat belt at all times when you are in the front seatof a car? Yes No

Do you go to a dentist at least once a year for treatment or acheckup? Yes No

Do you have recommended health screenings and physicals? Yes No

Lifestyle Change Questions

In the past year have you attempted one or more health-supporting lifestyle changes such as trying tolose weight, exercise or manage stress?

Yes No

If you did attempt lifestyle change last year, how successful were you in maintaining your new desiredlifestyle?

Very Successful Moderately Successful Not Successful




Health Practices

Please answer the following questions "Yes" or "No."Do you take part in 30 minutes or more of physical activity duringmost days of the week? Yes No

Do you exercise strenuously (that is, so you breathe heavily andyour heart and pulse rate go up for a period lasting at least 20minutes) at least three times a week?

Yes No

Would you like to exercise more? Yes No

Do you use "recreational" drugs? Yes No

Do you drink alcohol? (If your answer is NO, skip three questions) Yes No

Do you ever drive after drinking? Yes No

Do you feel you should cut down on your drinking? Yes No

In general, when you drink alcoholic beverages, do you consumemore than 14 drinks per week or more than 5 drinks on any singleday? (Mark "yes" if you can answer "yes" to either part of thisquestion)

Yes No

Do you smoke? ( If your answer is NO, skip next question) Yes No

Would you like to quit? Yes No

Do you balance work, rest and play? Yes No

Do you feel "blue" a lot of the time? Yes No

Do you experience great stress at least several days a week? Yes No

Do you feel like you're making a contribution to the world aroundyou? Yes No

Do you socialize with close friends, relatives or neighbors at leastonce a week? Yes No

Do you eat a low-fat diet? Yes No

Do you eat a high-fiber diet? Yes No

Do you consider yourself to be more than 10 pounds over yourhealthy weight? (If your answer is NO, skip next question) Yes No

Would you like to lose weight? Yes No

Do you wear a seat belt at all times when you are in the front seatof a car? Yes No

Do you go to a dentist at least once a year for treatment or acheckup? Yes No

Do you have recommended health screenings and physicals? Yes No


In the past year have you attempted one or more health-supporting lifestyle changes such as trying tolose weight, exercise or manage stress?

Yes No




12/16/08 7:17 PMPrint Health Culture Audit Survey

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Lifegain Health Culture Audit Short Form

Organizational culture plays an important role in supporting healthy lifestyles. The following confidential andanonymous survey measures how this works in your organization. Survey results will be used to helpenhance existing health promotion services

Note: There are no right or wrong answers. We are asking for your opinion.

Please indicate your level of agreement with the statements below using the following scale:


1 2 3 4 5

In my work unit, living a healthy lifestyle is considered important.

My immediate supervisor models a healthy lifestyle.

My workplace demonstrates its commitment to supporting healthy lifestyles through itsuse of resources such as time, space and money.

People in my work unit are taught skills needed to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

New employees in my work unit are made aware of the organization's support forhealthy lifestyles.

In my work unit, people are rewarded and recognized for efforts to live a healthylifestyle.

In my work unit, participation in healthy activities is a primary way to renew friendshipsand to meet new people.

In my work unit, unhealthy behavior such as smoking and excess drinking isdiscouraged and confronted.

My work unit has a sense of community (for example, people really get to know oneanother, feel as if they belong and care for one another in times of need).

My work unit has a shared vision (for example, people feel that the organization'sconduct is consistent with their personal values and people are clear about how they fitin with the big picture).

My work unit has a positive outlook (for example, people enjoy their work, celebrateaccomplishments, adopt a "we can do it" attitude and bring out the best in each other).

My immediate supervisor supports employees' efforts to adopt healthier lifestylepractices.

My immediate coworkers support one another's efforts to adopt healthier lifestylepractices.

My family members and/or housemates support one another's efforts to adopt healthierlifestyle practices.

In my immediate work unit, it is normal for people to...

Be physically active (at least 4 days a week).


12/16/08 7:17 PMPrint Health Culture Audit Survey

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Maintain a healthy weight.

Eat foods that are low in fat and refined sugar.

Drink alcohol moderately if at all (that is, not more than 14 drinks per week or morethan 5 drinks on a single day).

Use car safety belts.

Follow safety precautions at work (including practicing good lifting techniques andorganizing the work environment to avoid injury).

Not smoke.

Stay current on medical screenings.


In the past year have you attempted one or more health-supporting lifestyle changes such as trying to loseweight, exercise or manage stress?

Yes No



Comments

Please share any thoughts or concerns not fully covered by the survey questions.


Fort Martin / Albright RegionWorksite Wellness

WELLNESS PROGRAMWhat is a Wellness Program? Simply put, it is a program designed to help employees stay well. It is the employer providing the

tools and resources to allow their employees to lead a healthier life.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

NEEDS & INTEREST SURVEY:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Dear Fellow Employees,

The Purpose of this Survey is to obtain everyone’s input for our new health promotion program. The Surveyincludes questions on your needs, interests, and other pertinent information to be used in deciding what programsto offer and when to offer them.• There is neither a right or wrong answer on this Survey.• Feel free to skip any sections in which you feel uncomfortable supplying answers.• Your completion of this Survey is completely voluntary.• The Surveys are completely anonymous.• Thank you for your participation and support.

A.) DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION1) What is your age? ________________________ 2) What is your sex? ! Male ! Female

3) Are you Married? ! yes ! no 4) Do you have children living at home? ! yes ! no

B.) TOBACCO USE1) Do you chew tobacco or rub snuff?

1 ! yes 2 ! no, but former user 3 ! no, never used

2) Do you smoke?1 ! yes 2 ! no, but former user 3 ! no, never used

3) How would you classify your tobacco usage?1 ! a current smoker (____________________amount per day)

2 ! never smoked

3 ! ex-smoker, quit ___________ years ago

C.) ALLERGIES1) Do you have allergies? 1 ! yes 2 ! no

2) If yes, what kind of allergies? 1 ! Seasonal 2 ! Food 3 ! Other

3) Choose your current method of treatment: ! over-the-counter medicine or ! prescription medicine

4) Would you like to learn more about allergies? 1 ! yes 2 ! no

D.) NUTRITIONPlease rate how often you do each of the following:

Never Seldom Sometimes Often Very Often1) Eat fresh fruits, vegetables,

whole grain breads 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 !

2) Eat foods high in cholesterol or fat,such as cheeseburgers, pizzas, cheese... 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 !



WELLNESS PROGRAM

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

NEEDS & INTEREST SURVEY (continued):…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Never Seldom Sometimes Often Very Often3) Eat pre-packaged / pre-prepared foods

at home 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 !

4) Eat fast foods, such as, cheeseburgers, fries, pizzas, hot dogs… 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 !

E.) PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Please check below the category that best describes your physical activity level ( Other Than Work ) for the previousyear:

NOTE : Moderate to vigorous activity implies the following … any aerobic activity which raises your heart rate to a levelof 70% to 80% of your target heart rate !!!! 220 – your age = Target Heart Rate.

1 ! No Physical Activity.

2 ! Moderate to vigorous exercise 1 time per week for at least 20 minutes.

3 ! Moderate to vigorous exercise 2 times per week for at least 20 minutes, each time.



F.) HEALTH SCREENINGSPlease indicate whether you have had the following screenings or examinations in the Past 12 Months:

Yes No1) Blood Pressure Check 1 ! 2 !

2) Blood Sugar Check 1 ! 2 !

3) Cholesterol Check 1 ! 2 !

4) Multiphasic Blood Screening 1 ! 2 !

5) Cardiovascular Exam (EKG’s) 1 ! 2 !

6) Colon / Rectal Exam 1 ! 2 !

7) Prostate Exam.................................... 1 ! 2 !

8) Stool Check (Bowels) ...................... 1 ! 2 !



WELLNESS PROGRAM

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………


F.) HEALTH SCREENINGS cont.Please indicate whether you have had the following screenings or examinations in the Past 12 Months:

Yes No9) Mammogram 1 ! 2 !

10) Vision 1 ! 2 !

11) Other – Please Specify ____________________________1 ! 2 !

G.) PROGRAM INTERESTSPlease indicate how likely you would be to participate in each of the following programs if they were offered atwork during the next year.

Extremely Somewhat Somewhat Extremely Likely Likely Unlikely Unlikely

1. Body Fat Testing 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

2. Educational Programs:1) Back Safety 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

2) Cancer Prevention 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

3) Heart Disease Prevention 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

4) Stroke Prevention Programs 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

5) Cholesterol Reduction 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

` 6) Home Safety 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

7) Substance Abuse 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

8) Headache Prevention & Treatment 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

9) Cold / Flu Prevention & Treatment 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

3. Employee Assistance Programs:1) Depression Treatment 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

2) Financial Management 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

3) Job Stress Management 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

4) Accepting Change 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !



WELLNESS PROGRAM

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………


G.) PROGRAM INTERESTS cont.Please indicate how likely you would be to participate in each of the following programs if they were offered at

work during the next year. Extremely Somewhat Somewhat Extremely

Likely Likely Unlikely Unlikely

5) Parenting Difficulties 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

6) Managing Chronic Health Conditions 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !(diabetes, hypertension, ...)

7) Managing Chronic Pain 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !(neck & shoulder injuries, back injuries, …)

8) Controlling anger / emotions 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

4. Fitness Programs:1) Corporate Fitness Membership Rates 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

2) Exercise Tolerance (STRESS) Testing 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

3) On-Site, Low-impact Exercise 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !Equipment

4) Prescribed Exercise Programs 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

5) Stretching Programs 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

6) Walk-Fit Programs 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

5. Immunization Programs:1) Flu Shots 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

2) Tetanus Shots 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

3) Lyme Disease vaccine 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

4) Hepatitis ‘B’ vaccine 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

6. Nutrition Education Programs:1) Healthy Cooking (meals/snacks) 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

2) Cooking Venison 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

3) Healthy Eating (do’s & don’ts) 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

4) Weight Management Programs 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! (diet & exercise)



WELLNESS PROGRAM

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..


G.) PROGRAM INTERESTS cont.Please indicate how likely you would be to participate in each of the following programs if they were offered at

work during the next year.


5) Onsite Vending Machines with 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !Healthy Choices

7. Screening Programs:1) Blood Pressure Checks 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

2) Blood Sugar (diabetes) 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

3) Cholesterol Levels 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

4) Multiphasic Blood Screenings 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

5) Cardiovascular (EKG’s) 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

6) Colon / Rectal (cancer) 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

7) Prostate Checks (PSA) 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

8) Stool Checks (bowels) 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

9) Mammograms 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

10) Vision 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

11) Other…Specify_________________ 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

8. Smoking Cessation Programs 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

9. Stress Reduction Programs 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

10. Time Management Programs 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

11. Visiting onsite Healthcare Nurse 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

12. Self-Help / Self-Care 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !(Learn medical treatments that you can carry out at home / home remedies).



WELLNESS PROGRAM

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..


• Please indicate how likely you would be to participate in a health promotion programs during the following times:


10. Before Work 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

11. During Lunch at Work 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

12. After Work 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 !

H.) ANY OTHER INTEREST OR SUGGESTIONS (PLEASE SPECIFY)

Please list any positive (or negative) comments regarding the impact of the current Wellness Program.

Include how this program may have affected you personally.

List any suggestions on how we can improve the current program or things you would like to see implemented.

Your input is an IMPORTANT element to the success of our program.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This SURVEY Form is proprietary information. Fort Martin / Albright Region 08-24-2000


Job Satisfaction Survey

1. I look forward to going to work on Monday morning. ! !

2. I feel positive and up most of the time I am working. ! !

3. I have energy at the end of each work day to attend to the people I care about. ! !

4. I have energy at the end of each work day to engage in personal interests. ! !

5. I have the time and energy in my life to read books that interest me. ! !

6. Most interactions at work are positive. ! !

7. I have good friends at work. ! !

8. I feel valued and affirmed at work. ! !

9. I feel recognized and appreciated at work. ! !

10. Work is a real plus in my life. ! !

11. I’m engaged in meaningful work. ! !

12. I feel free to be who I am at work. ! !

13. I feel free to do things the way I like at work. ! !

14. My values fit with the organizational values. ! !

15. I am aligned with the organizational mission. ! !

16. I trust our leadership team. ! !

17. I respect the work of my peers. ! !

18. I have opportunities to learn what I want to learn. ! !

19. I feel involved in decisions that affect our organizational community. ! !

20. Creativity and innovation are supported. ! !

21. I feel informed about what’s going on. ! !

22. I know what is expected of me at work. ! !

23. I have the materials and equipment that I need in order to do my work right. ! !

24. I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day at work. ! !

25. My manager cares about me as a person. ! !

26. I know someone at work who encourages my development. ! !

27. My opinions count. ! !

28. My coworkers are committed to doing quality work. ! !

29. My manager reviews my progress. ! !

30. I am fairly compensated. ! !

Give yourself two points for each statement you answered positively. Use the following scale to evaluate your job.50-60 points: Great Job 40-49 points: Good Job30-39 points: OK Job 20-29 points: Bad Job1-19 points: Depressing Job

YES NO

©2 0 0 4 WELLNES S C OUN CILS OF A M ERICA | 9 8 0 2 Nichola s Stre et, STE 315 | O m aha, NE 6 8114 | Phone: 4 0 2 - 8 2 7 - 3 5 9 0 | Fax: 4 0 2 - 8 2 7 - 3 5 9 4 | w w w.w elc o a.org


For More Information About This Survey

About This Survey:Job Satisfaction SurveyThis survey origionally appeared in Volume 3, Number 5 edition of Absolute Advantage—aworkplace wellness magazine published by the Wellness Councils of America. This surveycan be used by your organization, but should include appropriate sitation.

About The Author:Richard Bellingham, EdDRichard (Rick) Bellingham, EdD, is the CEO and Founder of iobility, a New Jersey-basedconsulting firm specializing in aligning human and organizational capabilities behind thecorporate mission, vision, and values. He has more than 25 years of experience working inthe areas of business transformation, organizational learning, leadership development, teamdevelopment, and ethical leadership. Dr. Bellingham has established a solid track record inleading management teams to align corporate culture with business strategy, acceleratingtechnology deployment, and coaching executives how to lead change. He has coachedsenior executives in 50 of the Fortune 500 firms. You can reach Rick by emailing him [email protected].

About WELCOA:The Wellness Councils of America is one of North America’s most trusted voices on the topicof worksite wellness. With over a decade of experience, WELCOA is widely recognized andhighly regarded for its innovative approach to worksite wellness. Indeed, through their inter-nationally recognized “Well Workplace” awards initiative, WELCOA has helped hundreds ofcompanies transform their corporate cultures and improve the health and well-being of theirmost valuable asset—their employees.

WELCOA provides worksite wellness products, services, and information to thousands oforganizations nationwide. For more information visit www.welcoa.org.

Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA)9802 Nicholas Street, STE 315Omaha, NE 68114

Phone: (402) 827-3590Fax: (402) 827-3594

Email: [email protected]


Health And Productivity Connection Questionnaire

When I am in good physical shape, I can work harder and longer.

When I feel good about myself, I am more productive.

My work benefits when I make time for myself and the people close to me.

My health suffers if I push myself too hard for an extended period of time at the expense of other interests.

When I eat unhealthy food or too much food, I experience a negative effect on my health and energy.

When I don’t treat the people I care about the way I would like to treat them, I feel badly.

My beliefs and lifestyle affect my employees.

When I have to work for someone who does not value health, it presents an obstacle for my own health.

If I improve my health, it will motivate the people who work for me.

If I feel someone values me as a person, it has a big influence on how I work and how I feel.

Totals You can interpret the scores as follows:

41-50: Managing for health and productivity makes great sense. I am eager to find ways to support the health promotion programs because it is the right thing to do for my employees and the organization. It is clear to me that people work at their optimal level over a sustained period of time only when they are healthy and feeling good about themselves.

31-40: Managing for health and productivity seems fairly useful. There may be real value in pursuing some of these ideas.

21-30: Managing for health and productivity may be useful. However, at this time, I really don’t understand how.

10-20: Managing for health and productivity doesn’t make much sense at all. I don’t see much connection between health and productivity, and it seems to me that the company is wasting its money.

Source: McCauley, M. (2004). Managing for Health and Productivity. WELCOA’s Absolute Advantage Magazine, 3(5), 12-17. ©2006 WELCOA | www.welcoa.org |

Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat

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Business Wellness Initiatives

Documents

Transcript of Business Wellness Initiatives