Promoting Health in the Workplace through Policy

Becky Tuttle, MAWorking Well ICT Think Tank

June 16, 2015

What is the value of policy in the workplace?

• Supportive workplace health policies affect large groups of workers

• Make adopting healthy behaviors easier for employees• Creates and fosters a culture of health• Sustainability• Community mobilization starts at the organizational level

Not “add-on” benefits, but basic investments in human capital, similar to training, mentoring, and other employee

development programs

Why have workplace health policies?

Organizational policy (little p) plays a key role in:• Securing multilevel support with an organization• Providing a basic foundation for building comprehensive

worksite wellness programs • Rational • Expectations• Resources

Program, practice, policy• The Community Guide (www.thecommunityguide.org)• Programs (interventions) can:

– Gather baseline data– Build support/buy-in for comprehensive worksite wellness programs– Offer “fun and creative” methods to lifestyle changes

• Programs (interventions) can’t:– Ensure sustainability– Ensure inclusion of all employees– Ensure consistency from all levels of engagement (top-down/bottom-up)

What is an effective policy?Any plan or course of action designed to influence and determine decisions – • Written• Easy to understand and follow• Able to enforce consistently• Revisited frequently• Easy to access/locate• Accomplishes goals of comprehensive wellness program

How healthy is our workforce?It is important that employers provide an environment where barriers to being healthy are eliminated.Potential policy areas include:

• Healthy Eating• Physical Activity • Tobacco• Breastfeeding• Wellness Committee/Programs• Health Care/Benefits• Safety/Ergonomics• Immunizations/Flu Shots• Mental Health/Stress

Healthy Eating

• Vending• Meeting Well• Cafeteria• Peer Support Groups• CSAs (refrigerators, etc.)• Education – such as YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, etc.• Internet/Intranet site with nutrition education

Physical Activity• Promotes community-based fitness centers/provides reimbursement• Point of decision prompts to encourage use of stairs• Walking trails that are safe/supported• Time to be active at work• Walk at Work Day/Week and Bike to Work Week• Onsite fitness facility/showers• Education – such as YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, etc.• Moving Minute for meetings lasting more than one hour

LET’S MOVE NOW!!!

Tobacco and Electronic Cigarettes

• Tobacco free grounds/vehicles• Only FDA approved nicotine delivery devices• Reimbursement for tobacco cessation support• Reimbursement for tobacco cessation medications• Won’t hire if tobacco user• Time for tobacco cessation at work• Tobacco premium (affidavit vs. testing)

Breastfeeding/Lactation

• Time to pump/lactate • Venue to pump/lactate – required by law

Wellness Committee and Programs• Allow time for employees to participate• Wellness Committee• Who is represented• How often to meet• Budget • When to report to senior level management

Health Care/Benefits• Health insurance benefits that encourage prevention• Health Risk Assessments with feedback• Flexible spending accounts• Employer contributes to flexible spending accounts if

employee participates in screening events

Safety/Ergonomics

• Vehicle seatbelts• Annual evaluation of workstations• Annual evaluation of heating, lighting, ventilation• Stretch and fitness breaks• Skin cancer prevention

Influenza and other Vaccinations• Influenza vaccines (on-site, reduced cost, actively promoted)• Employees must have Influenza vaccine to be able to work• Vaccinations (on-site, reduced cost, actively promoted)

Mental Health/Stress• Must have EMPAC or other resources• “Well Days” for employees• PTO days for employees• Coaching programs• Flexible hours/job sharing

When you can’t get to policy…yet• Progress from programs (interventions) to practice• Communicate success of wellness programs• Communicate barriers of wellness program without policy (AKA-

not comprehensive without supportive environments• Continue to engage all levels of management – find a champion• Try for “easy wins” first - what are you are already practicing• Determine rationale for other workplace policies (not health)• Give them what they want (ROI, productivity, etc.) • “WIIFM”

Questions???