WORKPLACEHealth Promotion

What is Workplace Health Promotion?

A voluntary process which businesses can useto assist in meeting:

Business goalsLegislative requirements

Human resource responsibilitiesInternal /external communication

processes.

Workplace Health Promotion

Provides a problem-solving framework. Identifies problems and concerns

affecting employer and employee health through an on-line survey.

Identifies individual and organizational issues affecting workplace efficiency.

Identifies key strengths of the organization.

Workplace Health Promotion

Assists in developing strategies to address any problems and concerns for the organization AND the employee.

Complements and supports existing workplace practices.

Effective Workplace Health Promotion will Improve:

Productivity

Communication

Work Culture

Work practices

Employee health.

ProductivityProductivity

CommunicationCommunication

Work CultureWork Culture

Work practicesWork practices

Employee healthEmployee health

Work/Life Balance

Life Satisfaction Personal Stress Personal Control Personal Support Health Practices

WORK PERSONAL

Job Satisfaction Coworker Support Managerial Support Organizational

Support Sense of Control

Benefits of Workplace Health Promotion

Financial benefits

+ Improved employee health

= Increased productivity & job satisfaction!

Financial Benefits

Reduced rates of: Absenteeism Injuries Staff turnover Workers’ Compensation

claims Extended health care

costs.

Financial Benefits

A program must be sustained for a minimum of 3-5 years

to demonstrate cost-effectiveness.

Source: Pelletier, 1997

Health-Related Benefits

Changes in knowledge and health risk behaviours for the duration of the program:

Fitness levels Eating habits Stress Alcohol.

Source: Craig Evans, 1999

Health-Related Benefits

A program must be sustained for a minimum of one year to bring about risk reductions

among employees.

Source: Pelletier, 1997

Successful Worksite Programs

Successful programs are comprehensive.

“Comprehensive” means: Planned with organizational participation

Addresses individual worker health

Addresses the broader environment

Includes monitoring, feedback and reinforcement.

Source: Craig-Evans, 1999

Elements of Success

Employee ownership in the development and program goal-setting is the top priority.

The program acknowledges and supports workplace health and safety.

Strong program leadership models healthy behaviours.

= Increase program credibility and participation.

Elements of Success

Smaller workplaces tend to have:

Higher participation rates than larger workplaces.

Positive results from their programs.

9 Steps of the Comprehensive Workplace Model

STEP 1: Establish commitment between the workplace and the Community Heart Health Network.

Process – How are we going to do it? Definitions – ie. Health Resources – Who provides what? Follow through – By whom? Employee interests and needs.

Comprehensive Workplace Model

STEP 2: Conduct a social marketing campaign.

Key Messages: Meaningful results for the organization AND

the individual. Confidentiality issues addressed.

Comprehensive Workplace Model

STEP 3: Establish a workplace committee.

Senior management Union Staff Health & Safety Champion.

Comprehensive Workplace Model

STEP 4: Conduct a needs assessment.

Recruitment & Retention Co-worker, manager and organizational support Job Satisfaction Mission, vision and value statements Smoking Physical Activity Nutrition Stress.

Comprehensive Workplace Model

STEP 5: Present individual AND corporate health profiles.

3-5 % of employees will make a change based on receiving individualized feedback!

Community supports available Research and benchmarks provided.

Comprehensive Workplace Model

STEP 6: Develop a corporate action/health plan.

Incorporate action steps into the strategic plan Policies and procedures – develop/awareness Programs and activities.

STEP 7: Implement the plan.

Develop A Corporate Health Plan

STEP 8: Review of progress —

Communication – This is key! Always tie your action steps to the survey

Comprehensive Workplace Model

STEP 9: On-going evaluation

50 Hours of Consultant’s time to assist where organization feels it is best utilized – e.g., setup, evaluation, implementation strategies.

Phone assistance available.

Partners

List the partners

References

Beyers, J. (1999). Creating Healthy Workplaces…Issues and Implications for Heart Health Partners.

Craig-Evans, D. (1999). Workplace Health Promotion Programs: A Review of “Why, How and What”. Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk Health Department, Simcoe, Ontario.

Eakin, J. (1999). Public Health and Workplace Health Promotion. PHERO. 10(5):79-89.

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Press Release, February 2, 2000.

Hollman, C. et al. (1998). Association of the health promoting workplace with trade unionism and other industrial factors. American Journal of Health Promotion. 12(5), 325-334.

References (continued)

Influencing Employee Health. Workplace Health System, Health Canada. Number 1, 1998.

Lee, K. et al. (2000) Creating health workplaces II…Towards a comprehensive cardiovascular disease prevention strategy in workplace health: A strategy that addresses the work factors associated with cardiovascular disease. The Institute for Work & Health, and the Public Health Research, Education and Development (PHRED) programs of the Region of Hamilton-Wentworth Social & Public Health Services and the Sudbury & District Health Unit.

National Quality Institute (1998) Canadian Healthy Workplace Criteria.

Pelletier, K.R. (1996) A review and analysis of the health and cost-effectiveness outcome studies of comprehensive health promotion and disease prevention programs at the worksite: 1993-1995 update. American Journal of Health Promotion 10:380-388.

For more information on the development and implementation of a Workplace Wellness Program please

contact:

Karen Armstrong, M.A. D.P.H

Workplace Wellness Consultant & Heart Health Coordinator

Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Health Unit

71 Broadway, Orangeville ON L9W 1K1

(519) 941-0760 Ext: 2507 Fax: (519) 941-1600

Email: Karen.Armstrong@wdghu.org

www.hearthealth.on.ca

Contact Information