Establishing a Workplace Wellness Program

Establishing a Workplace Wellness Program

November 15, 2012

Presented by: Kathleen Collins, Health and Safety Manager at Drake International

For audio, it is recommended you dial inA copy of the slides + recording will be available post webinar

AUDIO: 1-877-668-4493Access Code: 663 305 274

Event password: 1234WebEx Support: 1-866-863-3910

Agenda

• What is Workplace Wellness

• Health of our Workforce Needs Assessments

• Developing Programs and Support

• Getting Commitment and Measuring Success

What is Workplace Wellness?

Proactive approach to addressing a multitude of issues that can impact our workforce and has

socioeconomic impact on a micro and macro level.


• 168 hours in a seven day week• 63 hours approximate of sleep in a week• 40 hours of work • 65 hours of personal time

For the average person and for most we have a part-time job commuting and that cuts into personal time)

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What is Workplace Wellness

Occupied Personal Hours:

• Drinks with friends and family• Social dinners• Eat junk food• Partying• Focus on others’ needs and wants• Couch surfing • Shopping


Are there any negative outcomes to overexposing ourselves to activities over the course of a year, two, or five? Let’s take a look:

• Drinking: Alcoholism, psychosocial disorders

• Social Dinner: Weight gain and obesity

• Eating Fast Food: Weight gain, obesity and hormone imbalances in mass produced foods

• Party: Alcoholism, drug abuse, psychosocial disorders

• Looking After Others: Psychosocial disorders, mental health issues, and stress

• Couch Surfing: Loss of range of motion, balance, and other physical limitations and Mental Health Issues

• Shopping: Living outside your means, unwanted debt, stress


• Consequences of some our personal-time activities will overlap in to our work life?

• What happens if you’re dealing with negative effects of your workplace?

Let’s think for a minute about our work life…


Some workplace effects that we will be exposed to:• Toxic work environment

• Micro managers

• Arguments or fighting with co-workers

• Not meeting objectives or targets

• No support

• No engagement or acknowledgement from other staff

• Exposure to health and safety hazards


My point:

• Humans overexposed or overindulging in any activity can create an unharmonious balance

• Results in acute, latent and chronic health side effects


Why is this happening?• Overburdened health system

• Less health benefits

• Less basic insurance coverage

• Use of all sick days

• Use of all short and long leave allowances

• Absenteeism and presenteeism


Overburdened Health Care System Key Drivers 1. Rise in Obesity-Related Illnesses

2. Aging Workforce/Population

3. Chronic Health Conditions


In the US Health Care Cost and Impact Associated with Obesity:

• 117 billion

• Contributes to 112,000 preventable deaths/year

Health Care Cost (inclusive):

• United States 15.7-16% of GDP

• Canada 10-10.5% of GDP


Workplaces: • Engaged workplace 40hrs/week

• Healthy balanced employees are happy employees

• Taking care

• Workplace is a new learning environment

• Social responsibility

• Healthy profitable businesses

• Healthy economy

The Health of Workforce Needs Assessment

How to Measure Workforce Health? Workplaces will be different. Some suggestions for investigating to obtain data:

• Size and demographics of workforce

• Use of loss time, sick days, vacation carry over

• Use of benefits programs

• Use of EAP programs

• Regional socioeconomic issues

• Survey staff to what engages them


Organize your Data:

• Develop a comprehensive needs assessment

• Actual/Direct cost savings (CEO and CFO do not understand potential or indirect cost savings)

• Present solutions based on the companies top 3 needs for short term or top 5 needs for long term planning.

• Benefits to workforce (ME generation engagement)

• Roles out implementation plan

• Cost of program


ROI on a good controlled program:

• Receive $1.17 to $6.04 cost per dollar of benefits spent

• $3.00 to $5.82 in lowering absenteeism cost per dollar invested

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WARNING

Lack luster assessments may result in:• No leadership buy-in (costs/profitability)

• No worker buy-in (me, instant gratification)

– Unhealthy Workforce

Developing a Program

Plan

Policy/Procedure/ Programs

Education/Training

Application/Measurement

Celebrate/Success

Developing a Program

• Preparing for risk

• Understand current limitations of workforce

• You are not a doctor, leave health measuring and monitoring to the professional

• Be inclusive of a workers needs

• Use and find channel partners that are reliable and produce results that are balanced for the individual and the company

Developing Program

Workplace wellness ideas: • Nutrition education and meal planning

• Exercise and mobility program

• Meditation and relaxation techniques and programs

• Mental health awareness programs

• Smoking cessation programs

Getting Commitment

• Workforce buy-in is critical

• Support in teams (not an individual sport)

• Celebrate success in a healthy way

• Measure success

• Have short and long term plans and goals

• Benchmark

Upcoming Webinars

Register at http://drake-webinars.com

December 5, 12pm EST

Employee Engagement

December 6, 12pm EST

Conducting Workplace Inspections

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http://drake-webinars.com/

HEALTH AND SAFETY Q & A For additional questions please email:

Kathleen: [email protected]

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mailto:[email protected]

Thank You for Attending For Questions please contact Kathleen Collins

[email protected]

416-216-1088

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Establishing a Workplace Wellness Program

Health & Medicine

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