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Corporate Wellness Magazine

TABLE OF CONTENTS This Issue ~ For Your Health

EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief

Jonathan Edelheit

Assistant Editor

Sarah Hunt

ADVERTISING SALES

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

2011- A New Road Lies Ahead by Jonathan Edelheit

WELLNESS IN THE WORKPLACE by Allison London Brown

Info@CorporateWellnessMagazine.com

PRODUCTION Graphic Designer

Tercy U. Toussaint

For any questions regarding advertising, permissions/ reprints, or other general inquiries, please contact:

Sarah Hunt

Assistant Editor Phone 561.204.3676 Fax

866.536.7041

EMPLOYERS TO HELP WORKFORCE IN ACHIEVING NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS by Arthur Cummins,CLU, ChFC

COMPANIES MAKE EXCUSES, JUST LIKE PEOPLE DO By Catherine Rudat, MS

E-mail Sarah@CorporateWellnessMagazine.com

HEALTH REFORM PROMPTS EMPLOYERS TO GET CREATIVE WITH WELLNESS by Dr. Ann Clark

Copyright © 2011 Corporate Wellness Magazine. All rights reserved. Corporate Wellness Magazine is published monthly by. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any way without express permission from Corporate Wellness Magazine. Requests for permission may be directed to info@CorporateWellnessMagazine.com. Corporate Wellness Magazine is in no way responsible for the content of our advertisers or authors.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

21 EXECUTIVE HEALTH A TOP PRIORITY FOR STOCK HOLDERS by Walter Gaman, MD, FAAFP

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR YEAR

by Jacquelyn Ferguson, M.S.

CUT HEALTH CARE COSTS BY ESTABLISHING A “CULTURE OF HEALTH” by Jerry Kornfeld, M.D.,FAAFP

HOW TO DRIVE VALUE CREATION IN THE C-SUITE By Les C. Meyer, MBA and Ronald Parton, MD, MPH

THE INCREASING USE OF COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE FOR HEALTH REASONS

HAVING AN ANTI-JERK POLICY AS PART OF YOUR CORPORATE WELLNESS STRATEGY by LaShanda Blissett, MS and Rachel Levine, PhD, MSPHM.D.,FAAFP

DEVELOPMENT STAGES IN CORPORATE WELLNESS PROGRAMS by Scott MacStavic, PhD

USING DATA TO SET GOALS EMPLOYEES WANT TO ACHIEVE By Shawn M. Connors

by Rachel Permuth-Levine, PhD, MSPH, M.D.,FAAFP

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Corporate Wellness Magazine

2011~ A New Road Lies Ahead As we enter the New Year many of us are eager to leave behind the troublesome and complicated tribulations that 2010 brought. This past year has been one of the most difficult years for employers, insurance companies, agents and other healthcare and health insurance industry stakeholders. Healthcare reform has been a wild and bumpy roller coaster ride that has yet to stop. It seemed everyone was forced to stop in their tracks, and put on hold new initiatives and innovative programs to focus on understanding what healthcare reform meant and the implications it would have on their enterprise, learning not only how it would affect them, but how they would need to comply with it. Just when everyone started feeling comfortable and felt like they had a good grasp of healthcare reform and its provisions, the republicans swept in with a huge win in the fall elections, winning the House and reducing the Democratic majority in the Senate. With Republicans vowing to cut off funding for healthcare reform and its implementation, and one Federal Court striking down the individual mandate, no one knows when or better yet, how this roller coaster will really end. Unfortunately, one negative effect of healthcare reform is that it has caused insurers, employers and agents to sit back and wait. It is now time for action. Employers and insurers need to start implementing those new programs they had previously set aside for the last year and start putting them into place so that they can reduce their healthcare costs and make healthcare consumers more price/quality conscious. A focus should be put on corporate wellness and health and wellness initiatives, valued based benefits design, consumer driven plans, and innovative new pharmacy and specialty drug programs. Voluntary Benefits will be the lifeline that keeps many insurance agents in business as insurers eliminate their commissions or reduce them to unsustainable levels. Employers will turn toward self funding their healthcare benefits as a way to lower healthcare costs. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a year of ACTION and the New Year is a time that marks resolutions and plans for a fresh new start! As the government gets more organized and develops better infrastructure to deal with healthcare reform, hopefully they will provide more insight and guidance and in a much more timely fashion going forward. 2011 will be a very interesting year. There will be challenges, but along with challenges come opportunities and new paths to venture on. I wish everyone a very successful year.

Jonathan Edelheit

Wellness in the Workplace Improve Your Employees’ Well-being By Making the Healthy Choices the Easy Choices Written by Allison London Brown The workplace is often considered notorious for being a source of stress, and now more than ever we understand this to be true as businesses continue to operate in a challenging economic environment. Employers are seeking to do more with fewer people, leaving employees who have survived layoffs feeling overburdened. This year the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index™ (WBI), which tracks real-time data on Americans’ well-being, is recording its lowest scores ever in the Work Environment Index (WEI). The WEI measures Americans’ perceptions of their work

environment, which includes job satisfaction, ability to use one’s strengths at work and supervisor’s treatment. In positive work environments, employees express satisfaction with their work, report using their strengths and work in a culture of trust and partnership. Conversely, negative work environments are characterized by dissatisfying work tasks and being treated as a subordinate. After two years of declining scores, the WEI measure hit an all-time low in February of 2010, down more than five points from February 2008 prerecession highest score. Falling WEI scores can also be attributed to the lowest job satisfaction rate ever recorded by the WBI in July of this year. Longer

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Corporate Wellness Magazine

hours, larger workloads and staff cutbacks can create work environments that negatively impact morale, contribute to absenteeism and also lead to long-term health problems for employees. In response, forward-thinking organizations have implemented well-being improvement programs to create positive work environments that have not only increased productivity and reduced healthcare costs for the company, but have helped individual employees to make better lifestyle choices to improve their health. Take Lincoln Industries, for example. Based in Nebraska, Lincoln has been improving the well-being of its employees for the last 16 years with a wellness program that has produced more than $2 million in savings on healthcare costs each year. By participating in a series of activities, including on-site massages, quarterly checkups, fitness programs and health and nutrition classes, employees of Lincoln Industries are not only more fit and more productive, but happier and healthier. These successes are measured by increased WellBeing Assessment scores, and also a healthier bottom line. Employees who achieve health and well-being goals are rewarded not only with a company-paid trip, but with the satisfaction of accomplishing individually defined successes like reaching a weight-loss goal and lowering their blood pressure and cholesterol. Things like eating well, having a safe place to exercise, feeling valued at one’s job and feeling supported by family and friends all work together to create greater well-being. Factors like smoking, chronic illness, poor diet and days filled with worry and stress lead to lower well-being, which, in turn, becomes a true indicator of poor health and work performance. A person enjoying greater well-being is more likely to be healthy and stay healthy, and people facing the factors that contribute to poor well-being are more likely to get sick and stay sick. It sounds logical, but with such a complex

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interplay of factors at work, how can organizations begin to create a true culture of well-being in the workplace? Workplace culture does not often have a reputation for being receptive to change.

Start by giving members/employees options and resources to make easy, better choices. Some practical examples include:

• Provide healthy snacks and lunch options in an attractive, welcoming cafeteria or encourage employees to bring their own, healthier lunches; • Subsidize local gym memberships or offer on-site exercise programs to ensure employees have maximum opportunity to engage in physical activity; • Create opportunities for healthy social interaction among employees to build a broader support network and improve emotional well-being; • Provide group volunteer opportunities for employees to build teamwork and personal fulfillment, both in and out of the workplace. • Embrace technology by promoting online tools and applications like healthy eating tips, personalized exercise plans and online support chats to cell phones, smartphones and PDAs to make it easier for employees to access helpful information.

Well-Being assessment can help companies improve their employees’ well-being, ultimately resulting in increased performance and lower healthcare costs. Using the latest innovations in prevention and wellness-based programs to control health care costs and creating an emphasis on well-being for your employees can help protect the productivity of your workforce for years to come. Employers who fail to recognize the value of fostering a positive work environment are likely to be among the first to suffer an exodus of talent when the labor market improves. So when you see a crowd of employees gathered around the water cooler, let them have a quick chat before getting back to work – doctor’s orders!

Bio Allison London Brown is Well-Being Strategy and Corporate Branding Leader of Healthways, Inc., where she leads Healthways’ Well-Being Improvement corporate initiatives and enterprisewide brand development and manages the Corporate Media and Communications team.

Proposing major philosophical shifts and encouraging adoption of accompanying programs present challenges at many levels, from hourly workers to the executive suite. So where do you begin? Many companies are also using tools to provide a more complete picture of workforce well-being, and determine the best way to serve individual needs. A typical health risk assessment may touch on mental health and healthy behaviors, but the well-being assessment provides a more complete picture of workforce well-being. The

About Healthways Healthways is a company that helps organizations improve well-being while decreasing health care costs it has partnered with leading polling organization Gallup to create the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, a powerful tool that can be used to provide your publication with early access to health and well-being data. USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Newsweek have all sought out the WBI for early access to data related to wellbeing.

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Corporate Wellness Magazine

Employers to Help Workforce in Achieving New Year’s Resolutions

a company’s bottom line are more apparent than ever. An employee, who is in good health, will have by Arthur Cummins,CLU, ChFC more energy, and is bound to contribute more. This When you read the headline to employee is more likely to have a better attendance this article I bet you thought the record and contribute to a positive morale on the job. New Years Resolution we would be discussing is losing weight and What’s not as obvious to employers is the connection becoming healthy. Am I right? While losing between an employees financial affairs and the weight has always been and probably will always company’s bottom line. be among the top 5 resolutions every New Years, this article is about getting out of debt. That’s right, According to Dr. E. Thomas Garman there is an year after year, getting out of debt is of the utmost absolute connection. Garman is Founder of Personal importance to many Americans. It’s up there with Finance Employee Education Foundation or PFEEF. losing weight, spending more time with loved ones, He has compiled numerous studies on the connection quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol. between financial literacy in the workplace and worker It’s 2011 and companies all across our Nation productivity. Garman has dedicated over twenty years are clearly embracing Corporate Wellness programs. studying and documenting the loss of productivity Thanks to the efforts of the Wellness community, in the workplace and how employee financial stress the connection between a healthy workforce and

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is negatively impacting employers. Additionally sleeplessness for over 52% of Americans. Every Garman feels employers have a morale obligation to day families are running harder and harder to stay promote financial literacy to their employees. in the same place economically while others are trying to reduce the amount that they are falling Here’s one big reason for employers to listen up! behind. Millions of these people carry their distress It’s called Pay Satisfaction. about financial matters into the workplace where it reduces employer profits. According to another Another variable that has been studied in study recently published by Aimee D. Prawitz and conjunction with financial distress is pay satisfaction, E. Thomas Garman, when financial distress spills which includes such concepts as fairness of pay for over into the workplace, it contributes to a lower the work being done, adequacy of pay raises, and commitment to the organization, work time wasted perceptions of being appreciated by the employer. dealing with personal finances, absenteeism, and Garman reports that those with greater financial poorer health. The same study states that employers distress are less satisfied with their pay, regardless of need to recognize that at any given time, in every the amount of money they make. Dissatisfaction with workplace, part of the workforce (typically 15-30%) pay is a concern for employers as well as employees, is seriously financially distressed. as it could lead to increased turnover. Employee So the million dollar question is why are so many turnover represents huge costs to employers in the people struggling financially? More specifically, why form of recruitment, interviewing, training, and has debt become such a problem in this Country? I other expenses. came up with 4 main reasons. Numerous studies have been conducted on the correlation between heath and personal finances. So let’s begin by acknowledging two basic facts: • One of the greatest contributors to medical problems is stress. • One of the leading contributors to stress is Debt. Regardless of your sex, income, or marital status, your personal finances play an important role in your health. Individuals who manage their money well are less likely to be physically influenced by finance related stresses. However, individuals with poor money management skills, particularly those who carry high balances on credit cards are often physically, emotionally and mentally drained by their financial burdens. For example, according to a recent survey reported in USA Today, distress over financial matters is contributing to irritability, anger, fatigue, and

Reason #1 Human Nature

Keep in mind that in this day and age, rarely does any problem exist due to a lack of information. The internet and libraries are full of free information on the importance of good nutrition, diet and exercise. Despite this fact, obesity is a greater problem today than at any time in the past. Does that make any sense? The problem with books, CDs, and seminars is that they do not adequately address the underlying problem people face on a day to day basis, and that’s a lack of self discipline. Take a look at your own bookshelf. How many books have you purchased with the best of intentions, hoping to change or implement something new in your life only to find your stubborn old habits slowly but surely winning out over the promise of making that positive change? Of course I’m not implying there is not tremendous value in reading; there is. I am however saying when it comes to changing ones behavior; it is very difficult and is rarely achieved by simply reading a book.

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Corporate Wellness Magazine

Reason #2 The Culture We Live In

The culture we live in today does not help. Today we demand immediate gratification in just about every area of our life. That includes buying stuff! If there is room on my card, and I really like it, chances are I will buy it. Too many people are trying to keep up with the Jones’. We are buying things we don’t need, with money we don’t have, to impress people we don’t like. This week I walked into Best Buy and saw that I could walk out with a new HD TV for $29 per month. Oh, and no payments until 2014. This certainly exacerbates the problem and is bad news for those who lack self discipline.

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Reason #3 Inflated Real Estate Values

Over the past ten years, real estate values increased rapidly and steadily creating instant equity in many people’s properties. What’s worse is the equity in those properties were very simple to access thru equity loans. Homeowners were essentially using there homes like an ATM machine. This enabled us to live lifestyles that were not commensurate with our real income. That was fine and dandy until equity lines were frozen by the banks.

Reason #4 Paradigm Shift Is Needed For problem today, and it’s a really big problem. The bottom line is, as long as there is 34.5 cents of every Financial Professionals This picture represents everyone’s personal economy. The flow coming in from the top represents our income. The water in the bucket represents our assets. And the flow coming out the bottom is interest payments. According to the book entitled Money Momentum the typical American family spends on average an astonishing 34.5 cents of every dollar earned on some form of interest payments. Those are hard earned dollars flowing out the bottom of the bucket in interest payments, never to bee seen again. A full bucket equals a healthy financial situation. Everyone would agree that our goal is to fill the bucket and keep it full, right? The question is how.

dollar draining out the bottom, you are going to have one heck of a hard time filling your bucket. Period! Unfortunately, financial professionals receive no formal training on how to help their clients in the area of debt elimination. Even if they did, until recently there have been virtually no debt related products to offer clients anyway.

Now for the Good News! There are companies springing up who have identified the growing need to specialize in “how to close the hole in the bucket”. Debt elimination is a new and exciting emerging industry. There are some excellent and innovative products coming on the scene to help families alleviate the massive problem of debt. If you are an employer reading this, I highly recommend you seek out a company that will help you help your employees, once and for all get on the path to being debt free. What should you look for when choosing a company? Having spent the past 24 years in the financial services industry and having worked with hundreds of families in the area of financial planning, I would recommend you look for the following.

While we all agree our goal is to fill and keep full our bucket. The advice we receive from Financial Professionals is fragmented and many times conflicting. Of course Sutton’s Law is entirely responsible for this dilemma. The law is named after the bank robber Willie Sutton, who reputedly replied to a reporter’s inquiry as to why he robbed banks by saying “because that’s where the money is.” If you ask your CPA, what’s most important, he is likely to emphasize tax deductions. Your insurance agent will tell you, insuring what’s in your bucket is most important. Stock brokers and other There are 3 critical components any debt financial advisors will tell you improving your yield elimination program must possess for it to be and proper asset allocation is most important. Some successful long term. say it’s all about maxing out the 401k. All these 1. The program must be simple to follow. professions are well established and highly qualified The simpler the program, the greater the and financial products and valuable information in likelihood of long term success. Any plan these areas is quite available. Whether fee based that requires an excessive time commitment or commission based all the above advisors and is doomed to fail. planners are compensated well to sell their products and/or services. Remember…While there is nothing 2. There must be immediate gratification wrong with it; “That’s where “their” money is”. on some level. The sooner someone can Where there is “no money”, (at least for these experience cause and effect as it relates to established professions) is showing you exactly how his spending habits the better. For example, to close the hole in your bucket. In my experience, if someone would like to create a “what if regardless of your income level, this is the real

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Corporate Wellness Magazine

scenario” that asked; if I stopped spending that 5 dollars a day at Starbucks, how would it affect my long term debt situation. This feature can be fun as well as motivating. Also, programs that allow the client to know exactly when they will be debt free are the best. Again, finances are a lot like diet and exercise, you better see some results or it’s very easy to get discouraged and go back to old habits. 3. There must be adequate and ongoing coaching and support available. There’s going to be a learning curve and some questions with any program, no matter how simple it is. Having the ability to pick up the phone and speak to a live person is priceless. The coaching element can be the determining factor in the success of the program.

Financial Health must be the cornerstone to every Corporate Wellness Program. Be careful not to confuse companies who are simply selling investment and insurance products with a good financial wellness program. Offering employees financial products they can’t afford will only be frustrating for everyone. The program you choose should include an educational and coaching component. It should be easy to use. And most of all it should focus on debt elimination. Get you employees on a program like this and tell me what your company looks like this time next year.

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Bio Arthur J Cummins, CLU, ChFC has worked in the Financial Services arena for the past 24 years, during which time he has represented the New York Life and NYLIFE Securities. Arthur received the distinguished designations of Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) through rigorous studies in the area of business insurance, retirement planning, life and health insurance and tax planning techniques. He also received the prestigious designation of Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) which includes study in financial planning, wealth accumulation, estate planning income taxation, business taxation planning and investments. Arthur has hundreds of clients located all over the United States. His clients value his knowledge of financial products and appreciate the emphasis put on the planning process verses the sale of financial products. He shows a seasoned understanding of high net worth individuals, successful professionals, employee benefits, small-to-medium-sizes business owners, and corporations. In approximately 2004 Arthur noticed a disturbing trend as it relates to “Traditional Financial Planning”. It was not working! The average family’s debt load was skyrocketing. Arthur recognized that traditional planning approaches did not address debt concerns whatsoever. Arthur observed that most “planners” concentrated on investing assets that came through the front door while completely ignoring an ever increasing percentage of a family’s budget that is going right out the back door in the form of interest payments. In 2006 Arthur was invited to join CFO/Simple. This award winning debt reduction service is now the cornerstone of his business. Most recently he has dedicated his practice to working in the area of Corporate Wellness introducing his web based smart software as a voluntary employee benefit. As a reader of the Corporate Wellness Magazine you are entitled to a 30 day free trial. Just go to www.cfosimple.com and enter special code SBC110 to gain access.

Companies Make Excuses, Just Like People Do By Catherine Rudat, MS

Sorry

Corporate wellness programs have received a lot of attention over the last several years. In the absence of any substantive legislative change that will help businesses reduce the overhead of health insurance, wellness programs are clearly the most promising solution, positively affecting one of the few variables that companies can influence. Despite that, employees across the country continue to ask: “So why hasn’t my company started one?” The need seems obvious. There are stacks of evidence supporting the enormous impact wellness programs have on reducing healthcare costs, in addition to boosting productivity and improving safety and job satisfaction among employees. It’s been shown that even moderate improvements to employee health nets significant savings in both the short and long term. So, again, the question: “What’s the hold up?”

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Corporate Wellness Magazine

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Decisions, Decisions, Decisions Many employees point a finger at management, citing the relative “ease” with which millions are spent on product improvement, but nothing for improving employee health at work. Before rallying the village and storming the CEOs office with torches and pitchforks, however, employees should ask how many days they have come to work sick rather than losing pay? How many school plays have been missed because work took a priority? The human decision process — especially decisions impacting routine or risk — is very complex, and humans are deciding whether or not to spend money on a wellness program. What could be holding up management’s decision? Cost? Maybe that’s part of it, especially in this economy. Is there no one to champion the program, given that no one has time for anything these days as we are pressured to do more with less? That could be a factor. Perhaps management doesn’t like to think about what will be necessary to initiate and manage a wellness program — it just sounds overwhelming. What if the “health programs” cut into business time? That could be lost productivity. Maybe this is all just a temporary situation? Soon the economy will improve and legislation will pass to make healthcare more affordable. That’s possible, right? This probably sounds like management avoiding the issue and making excuses, but it’s more likely anxiety over forced change, which is something everyone experiences.

Living in Glass Houses Let’s consider another scenario. Mary has just returned from the doctor’s office where she was told her health is at risk due to her weight. The doctor provided a prescription for high blood pressure, referred her to an exercise consultant and

told Mary that she needed to start walking around her block the very next day — hopefully getting up to a mile in the next several weeks. He also gave her the name and number of a nutritionist who would help revamp her diet to hopefully reverse the direction her health was headed: toward heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. Wake up call for Mary, right? She is a changed woman the next day, for sure?! Not necessarily. Mary, much like management, hesitates. She is confronted with required, involuntary action. She didn’t initiate the change; she is being forced into it. That creates a very different reaction to the doctor’s recommendations. Immediately, she focuses on obstacles, such as how much it will cost. She is certain she has no time to walk around the block, let alone an entire mile. Dieting has never worked. She wonders if watching what she eats for a few weeks will improve her tests? Would that be enough? Finally, the magnitude of the change overwhelms her and she can’t visualize ever reaching her goal, so why start? Mary received plenty of information from the doctor proving the value of exercise. She was told clearly what she needed to do, but she can’t reconcile the mental dissonance with her physical need. This is a common challenge when we are told to do something, as opposed to deciding on our own that we need to make changes. There isn’t much difference between the struggle Mary goes through in accepting her situation, and management’s need to acknowledge that it has very few options to control healthcare costs. Mary and management need help. They need guidelines from someone with experience. They need tough love. They need results. Mary needs a personal trainer — so does the company. A corporate wellness consultant does everything for a company that a personal trainer does for an individual. She becomes a partner to the company, focused on the same goals. She

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Corporate Wellness Magazine

creates a customized plan, based on an employee health needs assessment and taking into consideration the company’s culture. The consultant must also identify the quickest path to success, no matter how small that success may be. Losing five pounds can make someone feel like a different person. Cutting average sick days by two or reducing claims by 2 percent does the same for a company. Small success fuels the desire to achieve more. Just like a trainer will tell a client on what to expect — the days of feeling hungry, the initial exhaustion, the soreness and general adjustment to an altered routine — the corporate wellness consultant makes the company aware of the program’s long-term investment. Change is gradual, especially when it is group-oriented, but once it starts rolling downhill, the benefits pile up in the form of reduced claims, happier employees and improved productivity. Getting started is the most intimidating challenge for a corporation — it’s like the first time someone steps into a gym. Professional assistance is critical. Without a corporate wellness consultant, companies often become impatient, citing the lack of immediate ROI (e.g., low employee participation or a minimal reduction in rates) as the reason to shut down the program. Sound familiar? How often do people throw up their hands and quit after a week because an exercise routine, or new diet, is just “not working?” Companies need to find ways to make it work. Too much rides on a wellness program to give only a partial effort. It’s obvious, based on rising healthcare costs, that this isn’t a matter of “losing a few corporate pounds.” The condition will become chronic and life threatening for companies across America if something isn’t changed quickly.

Bio Catherine A. Rudat is one of the nation’s leading Health and Wellness Experts, with nearly a decade of

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experience in the field. Catherine recently earned the 2010 California Fit Business ‘GOLD’ award for one of her clients—her second in a row— recognizing the wellness program she developed as “the best well-rounded Wellness program.” Based in Newport Beach, California, Catherine’s company specializes in all aspects of health and wellness including Fitness, Health & Nutrition, Safety, Stress Management, and Personal Development, to name a few. Catherine Rudat’s Wellness Corporation provides cutting edge programs to businesses intent on controlling healthcare costs through the development and maintenance of an objectivesbased employee wellness program. The company provides dedicated, hands-on consulting and support to help businesses research, develop and implement customized programs designed to improve employees’ health, productivity, career satisfaction and safety awareness. The company also sets itself apart with exceptional customer service, a “long term investment” approach to client relationships and proven program success. For a complimentary assessment to start an employee wellness program, or to evaluate an existing program against benchmark criteria based on the award-winning program used by Catherine Rudat’s Wellness Corporation, call (714) 9566166 or email catherine@catherinerudat.com. We will also work with your insurer to determine what factors can improve your company’s experience rating and what the insurer can offer to assist with that. Get control of your health costs, provide significant value to your employees and bolster your productivity and staff engagement— TODAY! www.CatherineRudat.com http://www.facebook.com/CatherineRudatsWellnessCorp http://twitter.com/crwellnesscorp http://www.linkedin.com/company/245880

Health Reform Prompts Employers to get Creative with Wellness By Dr. Ann The epic debate on health care raised plenty of controversy and confusion – but one thing that people across both aisles seemed to agree on was the need for a renewed focus on wellness and prevention at the workplace, in schools and at home. While wellness didn’t get nearly as much media coverage as other aspects of health reform, the bill does include grants for small businesses to implement wellness programs; requires qualified health plans to cover the cost of certain preventive care services; and allows employers to increase incentives for participation in wellness programs to 30% of the cost of coverage, up from 20%.

These latest incentives in health reform are prompting more and more employers to start or expand wellness programs. In fact, a recent survey of 282 employers by Watson Wyatt and the National Business Group on Health found that 72% were enhancing onsite programs aimed at stress management, EAPs or health coaching; or plan to do so in the next 12 months. As workplace wellness programs become the increasing norm, the question is no longer “Why wellness?” but “How?” How does wellness work on a limited budget? How does a wellness program achieve maximum results? The answer begins with engagement. If employees don’t believe that it is in their best interest to prevent illness and make healthy lifestyle choices, they will have no interest in participating in wellness at the workplace. Achieving employee buy-in can be a major obstacle in wellness, as a recent Towers Watson survey found that 58% of employees lack engagement. To maximize employee engagement,

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Corporate Wellness Magazine

wellness leaders need to involve employees in the entire wellness process, from preliminary planning through implementation. Before launching a full-scale wellness initiative, the first question to ask employers is, “How well do you know your workforce?” Too often, brokers, HR and wellness leaders think they know exactly what employees need in a wellness program, but never ask the employees themselves. A simple electronic survey will gather this imperative data, and get employees engaged from the start. These surveys are extremely cost-effective, completely confidential, and employees appreciate the opportunity to provide input. This critical step in the planning process gives employers vital information and insight about what employees’ biggest health concerns are, what motivates employees, what communication and outreach will be most effective, and what employees think the wellness program should include.

Wellness Needs to Be Less Corporate, More Personal The next step to maximizing employee engagement involves creating the message, and in essence, ‹selling› wellness to the workforce. With trust in government, big business and corporations waning in tough economic times, wellness cannot come across as a ‹Big Brother› program, created to financially benefit the corporation and access employees’ private information. The focus has to be less corporate, more personal. Companies have to offer wellness to employees because it is the right thing to do, an investment in employee well-being, and a way to give back to employees for all their hard work and dedication. Wellness is supposed to help employees feel empowered and take control of their health. Employees don›t care about saving the company money; they only care how wellness benefits them on a personal level. Employees would welcome a program designed to reduce stress,

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increase energy levels, strengthen personal resilience, and enhance quality of life. This message of individual empowerment and betterment needs to be clear and strong in all written, online, and verbal communication about the program. By crafting a strong marketing and communication strategy behind a wellness program launch, an organization prevents employee cynicism and skepticism, and builds employee enthusiasm and excitement from the start. An easy way to make the wellness message personal is to get employees involved in creating it. Companies can hold a contest to have employees come up with the best name or slogan for the wellness program, and employees can all vote on the submissions. Another idea is to invite employees to share what motivates them to get well: «I want to fit into my pre-pregnancy skinny jeans,» «I want to walk my daughter down the aisle without getting out of breath,» «I want to blow people away at my 20-year reunion» or «I want to feel less exhausted at the end of the day.» Share these motivational statements with employees by posting them on the wellness website, flyers, t-shirts, or other wellness

promotional materials, and have employees vote on the funniest, most inspiring, or most likely to succeed. Incorporating personal goals into the wellness message helps employees identify with the program and feel more inclined to engage in ongoing activities.

Get creative outreach

with

communication

and

In addition to a strong message and marketing campaign, it is important to insure that the method of wellness communication is effective and reaches the maximum amount of employees. If employees have large populations of Hispanic employees, wellness materials should be provided in Spanish and Spanish-speaking staff should be available to administer BMI testing and answer questions at health fairs.

Build enthusiasm with strong health fair and

annual challenges

Creativity does not end with marketing and communication; the wellness program must get creative in the program launch, health fairs, and ongoing promotions and challenges to maintain high levels of enthusiasm and engagement. Health fairs and benefit orientations should be lively, with plenty of interactive elements like dance and yoga classes, massage chairs, great giveaways and other outsideof-the-box elements. After an exciting launch, there should be an immediate and strong wellness promotion, like a Biggest Loser contest. Challenges should be based on employees’ health goals in order to maximize engagement. It helps to involve employees in the development phase, by creating workforce wellness committees focused on specific goals: the stress management team, the smoking cessation committee, the healthy eating task force for example. Employees of all levels can work together to develop the best strategies to tackle these major wellness goals, share best practices, and brainstorm on creative challenges, promotions and incentives that would work best. Employees involved in the wellness planning and implementation help generate buzz throughout the workforce, and are more invested in wellness success.

Shift the discussion to insure leadership buy-in When it comes to executives, the wellness discussion often gets stuck in a numbers game. What is the projected ROI in year one, year two, year five? What is the financial impact on health care costs? While these are all important business questions, there exists countless data, research and case studies that consistently confirm the financial benefit of wellness programs. It’s time for a major shift in the conversation. It’s time to ask leadership

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their thoughts on wellness, stress management, family health, preventive care, and health education; and what role the company has in fostering a healthy work environment. A good indicator of a workplace that is ready for wellness is one that already has other healthy initiatives in place like an employee assistance program, work/life programs, concierge services, and safety training. If leadership believes that these programs help attract and retain employees while building a healthy and more productive workforce, they will be more inclined to buy into workplace wellness. Leadership buy-in requires more than lip-service though, it requires action. Considering that executives generally set the tone for everything from work styles to dress codes, when they serve as an example of wellness, employees will follow. Leadership also likes instant gratification, which can a bit of a challenge in the beginning of the wellness process. When reporting wellness outcomes, it is important to keep the focus on engagement success and include employee feedback, survey results, success stories, participation rates and other engagement-related information and results. Another

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often overlooked component to wellness reporting is the number of employees “who didn’t get worse,” or in other words, employees who maintained good health--an extremely important factor in prevention and wellness success. The bottom line is that wellness success begins and ends with employee engagement. When employees are excited about wellness, they take the message home to families, support co-workers in healthy initiatives, and become part of the solution.

Bio Dr. Ann D. Clark is CEO and Founder of ACI Specialty Benefits, a Top 10 EAP and leading provider of student assistance programs, wellness, concierge and work/life services. A best-selling author, Dr. Clark is one of the original Certified Employee Assistance Professionals (CEAP) and a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She can be contacted at aclark@acispecialtybenefits.com.

Executive Health a Top Priority for Stock Holders Walter Gaman, MD, FAAFP Executive health and wellness programs are becoming increasingly popular throughout corporate America. The executive lifestyle is filled with pitfalls that can lead to chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and hormone imbalances. Often, the brain power behind a corporation are the ones absorbing the largest amount of stress, while traveling extensively, sleeping less, and consuming a high fat diet. Perhaps this is why many corporate boards of directors are seeking health clearance of their top executives. C-level executive health issues can be devastating to a corporation. Many well known companies have had to deal with unexpected executive illnesses, including McDonald’s, Clorox, Pilgrim’s Pride, EarthLink, Sara Lee, and Apple, just to name a few. In the case of Apple Inc, Steve Jobs’ health was not forthcoming and stirred up consumer confidence. In today’s volatile market, consumer confidence is critical to business growth, not to mention maintaining status quo.

Higher Health Risks The Rippe Health Assessment Study of Senior Executives, which was revealed at a past Corporate America Health Summit, found that senior executives have a higher risk of heart disease. Dr. James Rippe, associate professor of cardiology at Tufts University, studied 200 patients, three fourths of which were Fortune 500 executives. The study revealed that 73 percent of the participants were living a sedentary lifestyle, which can lead to diabetes, heart disease, and many other

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conditions. To make matters worse, 80 of the 200 patients studied were obese. The study also revealed that a high number also had elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, and a large waist circumference, thus making their risk for a coronary event even greater. Not mentioned in the study, but relevant to executives, is the overall risk the patient has for metabolic syndrome, or pre-diabetes. These findings are very similar to what we see within our practice. The executive leads a very different lifestyle than most other employees, which often ends up taking a toll on their health. You can only go so long at full speed before you run out of gas or burn up the engine. Much like a high performance car, executives need to take special care of themselves to maintain high productivity.

Healthy Bottom Line Starts at the Top A company is a living breathing being, with the executives acting as the vital organs that keep it going. Historical data tells us that the bottom line is driven by those at the top. When a company changes C-level executives there can be a ripple effect to the company’s stock, but when investors learn of an unexpected illness of an executive, the effects can be more like a 7.0 on the Richter scale. Investors understand that human capital is not so easy to replace. Often a company’s image or vision is closely linked to that of the senior leadership team. Of course, an increase in investor confidence is evident when a struggling company engages a superhero CFO. Just as important, investor confidence can be shaken when a long time leader of a successful company is no longer able to work. The SEC has come under fire in recent years due to their lack of clear disclosure laws, but a ruling in TSC Industries v Northway may spell change.

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The court ruled that “an omitted fact is material if there is substantial likelihood that a reasonable shareholder would consider it important in deciding to vote.” While each board of directors is currently left to decide what is relevant to disclose, I would not be surprised if executive health does not take center stage in the future and the SEC adopt stricter and more defined rules.

Making Executive Health a Priority Executive health should be one of the top priorities of any company. Each day the senior leadership is making decisions that will affect the employees, the company’s reputation, and their

and beyond their standard health insurance. This is a small price to pay for a secure and prosperous future. Executive physicals, corporate wellness initiatives, and measurable health goals should all be part of the overall executive health benefits. In many cases, I have seen executives that remain loyal to their company because of the health benefits they receive. These highly intelligent people understand that their company is investing in them and their families by investing in their health.

Case Study 1

Jane T. is an executive at a large publically traded company. She arrived in my office with complaints of fatigue and weight gain. Her marital relationship was declining and she was unable to concentrate at work. Her big worry was heart disease and each day she stressed over her health. Previously she put off going to the doctor, but a colleague of hers convinced her to take part in their company sponsored executive wellness program. During her exam, I found that she had a thyroid disorder and a very low vitamin D level. She was given medication for her thyroid and vitamin D supplements to take. Any concern of heart disease was ruled out and she was asked to return to the office in three months. At the follow-up visit she reported a large increase in energy levels, she had lost ten pounds, and her work and home life seemed normal again. Her outlook on life and work was much improved and she agreed to own personal future. Yet, often these executives have return each year. Her only regret was that she ignored health problems, many of which are easily correctable, the symptoms for so long and let them control her life. that prohibit them from performing at the top levels they were hired for. In much rarer cases, executives Case Study 2 may have life threatening conditions of which they are Patrick A., a well respected executive that lived an completely oblivious. extremely healthy lifestyle, presented for his executive A company may spend anywhere from hundreds of physical. At the time of exam he appeared completely thousands to millions of dollars on their top leadership. normal and had no complaints. During his thallium They should be investing a minimum of five thousand stress test he developed some abnormalities on his dollars in the health and welfare each of them, above

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heart tracings. When the radiologist’s report came back, it showed that he had a 90% blockage in one of his main coronary arteries. He also had a very high cardio CRP level indicating that he had inflammation in the arteries. He cancelled his upcoming trip to go mountain climbing with his friends, and was referred to a cardiologist for immediate treatment. He returned to the office for a quarterly follow-up and we were both happy to see that a disaster had been avoided. His experience was a wake-up call for many of his fellow executives who promptly scheduled their exams.

Case Study 3

increase their chances for fatal diseases. Yet, a preventative exam, health action plan, and follow-up care can make all the difference in their life and the life of the companies they represent. I am seeing a growing trend in the interest of my patient’s health by their company’s corporate board of directors. I do not advocate disclosing protected health information, but our practice is very familiar with certifying the health of the executives. Large companies are becoming increasingly interested in our findings. They want to be sure the executives are taking care of themselves, and they want to reassure the board of directors that things are moving along smoothly with the leadership. Mike Mills, CFP® agrees, “There is no doubt that certifying executive health is a great way to increase investor confidence. In today’s volatile market and aging executive population, investors want assurances.” As a practice that treats executives from all over the globe, we have a duty to keep them alive and well. We also have a duty to the many companies who trust our practice to protect their greatest investment – their human capital.

Allen S., CEO of a growing company, decided on his own dime to seek out a comprehensive health assessment. He had no complaints outside of arthritic knees from years of sports. During his exam he had a CT Reconstructive Colonoscopy (often called a virtual colonoscopy). All of his lab work, cardiac workup, and other assessments were normal, but the CAT Scan images obtained during his colonoscopy revealed a mass on his tailbone. He was immediately referred to a surgeon for a consultation and by the next day was scheduled for surgery. A cancerous tumor was discovered and removed before it spread. The type of cancer he had is symptomless. The decision to make his health a Dr. Walter Gaman is Board Certified in Family priority drastically changed the course of his life and Practice in both Canada and the United States. He the health of his company. He was back to work and has been named one of the “Best Doctors in Texas” cancer free in eight weeks. by Newsweek Magazine. He is the author of many Certifying Executive Health and Increasing publications, including his latest book Stay Young: Investor Confidence 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health and he is a cohost of The Staying Young Show on KSKY. Dr. Being a physician who understands the pressures Gaman is a partner of Executive Medicine of Texas. that executives face makes me even more concerned You can learn more about him and Executive about their health. The levels of stress alone can Medicine of Texas at www.emtexas.com.

Bio

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Make the Most of Your New Year

By Jacquelyn Ferguson Have you created any New Year’s resolutions yet? Do you usually accomplish them? If not, consider setting goals, even small ones to gradually move you toward your vision of where you want to be in the next few years. The two “magic questions” Adapted from “How to Put More Time into Your Life” by Dr. Dru Scott.

Think in terms of what you want or need more of and less of beginning with an appreciation of the difference between the two. You need a roof over your head; you may want the roof of a mansion. But can you afford it? Lift your expectations ceiling by starting with what you want realizing that you’ll likely have to shift to more realistic needs later.

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Here’s a composite of what I hear from clients regarding what they: Want/Need More of Quiet time Fun Money Time Meaning Time to volunteer Laughter Time for friends Challenge “Me” time Patience Peace and quiet

Want/need Less (Fewer) of Stress in general Bills Financial stress Responsibilities TV Conflict and arguing Traffic Stuff Commute time Demands Time at work Unrealistic expectations

Over several days write out your own answers Next, question your vision’s meaning. For example, to these two questions multiple times. What you the person who wants more time could ask himself: repeatedly list are the most important to pursue.  What are the most important things in my life? Next, ask yourself what picture do your answers  Am I spending enough time on these? If not, paint of your desired life? why not?  If I had more time how would I spend it? For example, the above list implies this person has  What am I willing and not willing to give up? too little time for what he really wants to do. But is lack of time the actual problem? After all, he has all that Expect these questions to lead to more questions. there is. Maybe he doesn’t set priorities. Or he lives life That’s good. in a flurry of activity that’s more circular than directed.

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If your answers don’t paint a clear picture of how you want your life to change at least start by pursuing some of your more/less answers that are fairly easy to achieve. Our fictional character could schedule at least one fun thing to do a week. This may lead him to something else that’s even more fun, which may lead to something that gives his life more meaning. My experience with the magic question answers is that following them little by little leads you to the bigger picture of how you want your life to be. Instead of New Year’s resolutions, which most fail to carry out, take smaller more/less of steps and see if in the long run they don’t expose your life’s vision.

To Reach Goal, Start At the End

Seeing how your day-to-day efforts move you toward larger and important - even distant – goals, creates energy, willpower and the motivation to accomplish them. Plus, making steady progress toward your vision gives your life greater meaning, therefore significantly less stress on a daily basis. Continually clarify where your more/less answers suggest you want to be in three to five years. Then create New Year’s goals to propel you in that direction. For example, in three years Karen plans to graduate from college and get a better job than the one she lost during this recession. Keeping the end in mind, she defined her vision as working in a field she enjoys and has longevity, regaining financial stability, save 10% of her income for retirement. To reach it she:

“Start with the end in mind,” said Steven Covey, author of “7 Habits of Highly Successful People.”

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Wants/Needs More Of Wants/Needs Less (Fewer) Of Time to study Debt Sharing household responsibilities to Perfectionism about unimportant create that time tasks, which wastes time Paying off debt Stress over finances Savings Unnecessary spending Energy to succeed in school Distractions from studying Weight loss Being sedentary Satisfaction with what you have Dissatisfaction with what you don’t have Now she can set and achieve smaller, short-term goals an assertiveness class, give the rest of your day more to reach her ultimate vision within three years. She meaning while reducing your stress. needs to set realistic goals since unattained goals create Also reward yourself for each successful step you stress. For example over the next year she could: take. • Pay down credit cards and when paid off, deposit that same amount monthly into savings; • Create and stick to a reasonable budget and only buy what she can afford; • Take an assertiveness class to learn how to set limits with her family and to request their help in sharing responsibilities; • Walk a mile a day four times a week to lose weight and get healthier; • Schedule sufficient study time;

Motivate Yourself With a Collage To keep you motivated and focused on your vision make a colorful and appealing collage depicting your destination. For the example above, she could find a photo of a student on graduation day, the “$” symbol, something depicting a growing retirement account, etc. Post your collage at home, in your office and/or in your car to keep you focused on what you need to do daily to accomplish it. Even tiny investments of time toward one of your goals, like going on-line to inquire about

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Be Patient Don’t assume you have to accomplish your objective in one big step. My husband and I have a goal of finding a volunteer organization to work with, preferably overseas, as part of our semi-retirement. Encore is a possibility. They recruit former Peace Corps volunteers, such as I, to volunteer in parts of the world for weeks at a time. My short term goal is to simply contact them and explore the possibilities. If interested, I’d then learn more about them and research safety and practical concerns regarding working overseas again. We’ll keep our “end in mind” of spending semiretirement time seeking adventure and travel partly through volunteering. If working with Encore doesn’t pan out, there are other possibilities. In other words, we don’t have to give up on our end, we’d just have to come up with new ways, new goals, to get there. Improve your health this New Year Virtually everyone could improve their self-care to be in better shape once you reach your destination. Here are six important stress reduction ideas reported

in Psychology Today and based on accumulating research on extending your life span and improving your quality of life. They promote “self-efficacy,” meaning that your actions bring about your desired outcomes, translating into greater personal control, which automatically reduces stress. Self-efficacy leads to improved problem solving because you feel empowered to look for additional options in dealing with life’s ups and downs.

Finally, Psychosomatic Medicine reports that a good marriage counteracts the wear and tear of life on multiple body systems.

Live ’11 With More Frugal Values It’s time we stop instant gratification and preach patience!

Journal of Gerontology: add years to your life staying physically active, whether by walking, biking or gardening. The great news is it works even if you’ve been historically sedentary. Additionally, “… six months of regular aerobic exercise can also reverse the loss of brain tissue that occurs with aging.” Regular physical activity also improves your mood.

Given that our collective extravagant American values helped get us into this global financial fiasco let’s identify them and replace them with old-fashioned ones to get through this mess and avoid the same mistakes in the future. Here are some values that drove our profligate behavior in recent decades and their opposites that can help us get 2. Lifelong use of two languages promotes back to basics: longevity by delaying the onset of dementia by four years. Bilingualism “enhances brain vasculature and neural • Greed => moderation; plasticity and increases your attention and cognitive • Instant gratification; spend now! => patience; save more! control.” The Internet and Rosetta Stone make learning • Materialism =>generosity; languages easier.

Great news for wine lovers: According to Current Biology the phytonutrient resveratrol in red grapes and red wine counter aging the same way calorie restriction does. “Both activate a family of enzymes that slows the body’s metabolic machinery and offsets the damage of a high calorie diet.” Sounds good to me!

The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health has two suggestions for longevity. “Living in the mountains promotes longevity even if you have high blood lipids and high blood pressure. Adaptation to altitude helps the body cope with lower levels of oxygen, and walking uphill regularly aids the heart.”

They also report that close family ties are nice, but having a network of good friends boosts lifespan in old age. Being connected positively influences many physical symptoms, offsetting stress.

1. Greed => moderation;

Synonyms for “moderation” include restraint, self-control, and temperance. “Excess” is its antonym. In which ways are you personally excessive? Do you eat or drink too much? Are you a shopaholic? Does your excess fail to satisfy you in a week or a month? Would becoming more moderate decrease your financial stress? But to become more moderate you have to value restraint more than spending. For example, does your over-spending create tension with your significant other? If so, controlling your spending would benefit both your bank account and your relationship. When tempted to buy something unessential ask what you value more, the item or your relationship, the item or your bank account. Consciously comparing how much you prefer one thing over another prioritizes your values. If you buy the item consciously admit that you apparently value the item more than your relationship or your bank account.

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2. Instant gratification; => patience

American’s infamous need for instant gratification has skyrocketed fueled by ubiquitous advertising, intensifying with each new generation. We forget that our grandparents accumulated their possessions over a life time of saving for them. Many are in financial distress today because they felt rich by the soaring real estate values. They refinanced their homes and took out cash to spend on stuff. They now have lots of stuff and a home that’ s worth less than their mortgage. How about returning to the novel idea of buying only that for which you have cash? The convenience of credit cards makes this hopelessly outdated. Here’s how to stay on a disciplined budget and still enjoy the convenience of credit cards: • Decide how much you can afford to spend monthly after your rent/mortgage is paid. • Withdraw that amount of cash and divide it into four weekly envelopes. When you get gas, for example, use your credit card. Then, transfer that same amount of cash from the assigned week’s spending envelope into a checking account deposit envelop to cover the charge when it comes through. • As your available weekly cash diminishes, decrease your spending.

3. Materialism =>generosity

Finally, imagine a world where generosity is valued more than materialism: giving money you’d otherwise spend on unnecessary stuff to someone who needs it. Or being more generous in spirit: volunteering, taking time to listen to someone who needs to be heard, or visiting a lonely neighbor. These idealized, frugal American values could have avoided our collective financial meltdown. They can still get us back to basics reminding us of what’s really important in life. And it isn’t stuff.

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So, what will you do? Let the New Year be your actual and symbolic beginning to improve your life over the next year. Figure out your desired destination, including what you want to have more of and less of by January, 2012. In one year you’ll be a year older whether or not you’ve taken any steps toward your vision. Start by taking any steps, even if only little ones, and see how taking them overcomes inertia and motivates you to take more.

Bio In 1976, after returning from 2½ years in the Peace Corps in Colombia, South America, Jackie earned her Master’s degree in Community Counseling/Psychology from her home state of Minnesota. She then worked for several years as a Program Director at a mental health center. In 1982 she founded InterAction Associates, her management development, coaching and training firm. For over 25 years Jackie has designed and presented keynotes and workshops on stress management, diversity, customer-service and communication skills. Her mission is to inspire you to live a conscious life of personal responsibility in your relations with yourself and others, which she weaves into every presentation to help you “wake up” to your responsibility in making your desired changes. Literally hundreds-of-thousands of people throughout North America, the United Kingdom, Australia and points in between have benefitted from her programs. Jackie is also a Professional & Stress Coach helping people achieve more success with less stress. Order her recently published book, Let Your Body Win: Stress Management Plain & Simple and request her weekly emailed column, Stress for Success, published in a Gannett Newspaper at www.letyourbodywin.com, 239-693-8111.

“Culture of Health ” Cut Health Care Costs by Establishing a

by Jerry Kornfeld, M.D.,FAAFP

involves establishing a “culture of health” in today’s companies.

As every CEO and company owner knows, health care costs have What exactly does that mean? skyrocketed over the past several years. In fact, many Fortune 500 Business owners need to think outside of the box companies now report that the majority of their and establish an environment that gives them some profits are being eaten up by these outrageous control over the crisis. This alternative strategy expenses. also depends upon improving the health status of In order to deal with these increased costs, many employees so that less medical care is required. employers have resorted to adopting managed care Both healthy and chronically ill employees will strategies of reducing benefits or cost shifting to benefit from an improvement in their wellbeing, employees. Unfortunately, these strategies alone regardless of their current health levels. In addition, cannot solve the problem. In fact, they actually make a positive program of disease management and it worse by depressing the value of health benefits prevention helps to reduce medical costs and has a and directly impacting employee recruitment and direct impact on workers compensation, disability retention. A larger and more effective solution costs, absenteeism and productivity. This approach

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also complements health care consumerism as a strategy for health improvement and benefit cost reduction. The bottom line is that getting your employees involved in a culture of health will result in improved employee health, outlook and satisfaction, as well as cost savings to you. Where Do You Stand? The most effective workplace health promotion involves a comprehensive program that aims at improving four key areas: •

Physical environment. A healthy, welldesigned, safe place to work.

•

Psychosocial environment. A culture that supports employee wellbeing.

•

Personal resources. Having resources available to assist in coping with stresses when needed.

•

Personal health practices. The opportunity to learn how to make lifestyle choices that support long-term health and wellness.

To determine how well your organization measures up to these criteria, answer the following questions: •

Do you have a strategic approach in place to develop and sustain a healthy workplace?

•

Do you have methods in place that make it easy for employees to obtain health information so that they have help in making lifestyle changes?

•

Have you suggested incentives to help your employees adopt this culture of health?

Nearly 50 percent of Americans report having a chronic illness, and they account for 75 percent of our national spending on health care. These high numbers have a direct impact on costs, disabilities, increased absenteeism, lower productivity, safety and morale. You can’t control the insurance companies and their fees, but you certainly have some control over your employees. Establishing a culture of health will help with a long-term strategy of health care management. Currently, health care costs are estimated to cost $3,000 to $4,000 per employee, per year. Yet, 80 percent of all illness is preventable. For example, heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in America, but it is mostly a lifestyle disease. As mentioned in the soon-to-be-released book, “Your Hundred Year Heart,” the majority of those who succumb to heart disease could have prevented its occurrence by changing a few habits and adopting a healthier lifestyle.

A Program that Works How do you create a culture of health?

Do your executives demonstrate (through Start by explaining to new employees that their comments and actions) a commitment you’re interested not only in their occupational to the management of a healthy workplace? skills, but also in their good health. From day one, let them know about your commitment to providing • Do you have a formal program in place to exposure to all of the latest methods of dealing with evaluate employee health and health needs? their illness and providing programs to help them prevent additional medical problems. To succeed, •

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the program must involve a collaborative approach between employer and employee. The end result is healthier and happier employees and an improved bottom line through lower health care costs.The lifestyle changes promoted by a culture of wellness and its impact on costs have been documented by many large corporations. For example: •

DuPont reported that for every dollar invested in workplace health programs, they received a $1.42 benefit in lower absenteeism over a two-year period.

•

Johnson and Johnson reduced their absenteeism by 15 percent within two years after introducing their wellness programs.

•

After analyzing claims over a two-year period, Sony Corp. of America found that 50 percent of its indemnity plan costs were incurred by employees with medical conditions that were life-style related or that could be changed.

As a speaker, consultant, doctor and former HMO medical director, my recommendation is that every CEO and business owner strive to establish a culture of wellness for their company. Certainly, every business decision involves a careful risk/ reward analysis. But when it comes to investing the dollars to develop this a culture of health for your employees, the rewards far outweigh the risk.

the past 35 plus years in the trenches of clinical medicine practicing as a Family Doctor,He is one of the top rated speakers for Vistage International, a worldwide organization of CEO’s. With over 300 talk to his credit his ratings average 4.8/talk, with 5 being the highest. He travels the world educating corporate executives and their employees about their most important ASSET, their health and the role their attitude plays in dealing with disease. He was named “Speaker of the Year” for TEC (Vistage) Australia Dr. Kornfeld is also in great demand on many cruise ships because of his high ratings and he just completed a tour on the “World” the only cruise ship owned by it’s passengers as a condominium with 165 suites. Dr.Jerry has appeared on national television as the medical commentator for the nationally syndicated TV show, “Body BY Jake” and served as Regis Philbins TV doctor for several years. H e was the 1st medical reporter for KABC Eyewitness news (ABC TV) in Los Angeles He was recently seen or heard on KTLA TV, CNBC TV, FOX TV, KABC talk radio, CBS. The response to his appearance was so fantastic, he repeatedly has been asked back. He has appeared on KTLA TV in Los Angeles on a segment called “Ask Dr. Jerry”.

Bio Dr. Jerry is a graduate of the University of California Schools of Public Health and School of Medicine and serves on the clinical faculty of the UCLA School of Medicine He has spent

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How to Drive Value Creation in the C-Suite By Les C. Meyer, health achievement potential and job satisfaction MBA and Ronald expectations through personal and organizational Parton, MD, MPH performance results. Their population health framework focuses on improved health, enhanced on-the-job Gentlemen, Start Your Engines! professional experiences, proactive meaningful productive interactions and reduced per capita cost In the eyes of a CEO, businesses create jobs, of a company’s defined population, which includes innovate, manufacture and provide the services that employee satisfaction and total rewards initiatives drive economic growth. Yet lack of inertia along the that enable employees to define their own needs and frontier of health and performance improvement expectations as distinct choices. (HPI), continuous value enhancement, is In order to yield hard returns on employee significantly restricting Corporate America’s ability and family population health programs and “bend to accelerate growth to achieve a sustainable global the health care cost curve”, CEOs must lead by competitive advantage. example and steer cross-functional work teams toward relentlessly fostering a value-centric culture Imagine the Unimaginable CEOs view the meaningful use of health of health, which becomes a self-perpetuating improvement as a strategic imperative and serious competitive advantage. This is accomplished economic strategy. They also demand that C-Suite by engaging disengaged employees, embracing executives optimize the total economic impact meaningful use of health achievement benchmarks of employee health to maximize an individual’s and metrics, creating C-Suite visibility for innovative

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health and wellbeing indices, supporting individual and insightful exchange of information for sound financial security aspirations, aligning meaningful decision making. CEOs believe value is built on four essential incentives and helping people get the best out of elements: trustworthiness and trust, engagement life. and incentive alignment, relevant information and distinct choices. According to a recent study Transformation Life Cycle at Work of the Informed Opinion Leadership Action Sounds great. So why hasn’t the worksite Group – Employer Market Sector, value creation wellness industry taken off? Something is amiss. is defined as meaningful productive interactions CEO’s are not accelerating the meaningful and personalized experiences of employees, their use of health improvement best practices and families and caregivers. Population HPI means transforming their work force into thriving that consumers will have greater control over wellbeing people that yield triumphs in on-the- decisions affecting their health affairs and be job engagement rates, declines in presenteeism, inspired and motivated by the aforementioned accolades in health and wellbeing index resiliency four essential elements. [See Table 1] Higher profits from a healthier work scores and upticks in profits. Why? CEO’s don’t’ believe the pitch. To make force elude most CEOs, because they don’t matters worse, the business case doesn’t resonate have a straightforward C-Suite measurement with disengaged employees, many of whom resent of value scorecard to improve their day-to-day being told just how healthy, productive, well, at- worksite wellness monitoring system to sustain risk, flexible, disengaged, or empowered they a competitive advantage. The complexity lies should be in a climate of substantive cost-shifting in drawing that value out of evidence-based approaches to meaningful use of work life and work-life imbalance. The term ”value creation” can be a misnomer, health and wellbeing scorecards, dashboards but for CEOs it is simple: delivering additional and cockpits that contend with real-world value to the bottom line through a new wave of settings. CEOs are faced with an overabundance breakthrough ideas that empower people to improve of tangible and intangible metrics, as well as decision-making and business performance. Value distinctive secondary employee benefits data, that is in the creation of getting things done. Savvy challenge health and human capital executives. CEOs focus on execution and breakthrough ideas that create real-time meaningful distinctions in their companies and promote team achievement

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Corporate Wellness Magazine

Table 1

New Era of Population Health Population health is an employer-employee collaborative that seeks to realign the neighborhood health care delivery system, which is widely recognized as fragmented, ineffective, poorly managed, wasteful and economically inequitable. The IOLAG: Employer Market Sector report recently profiled its population health vision in interviews with 20 informed opinion leaders:

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Putting the needs of employees and their families first in the context of neighborhood health assurance will potentially unleash disruptive improvement in the workplace and will drive â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Triple Aimâ&#x20AC;? advocated by Dr. Donald Berwick when he was president of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. What do population health and the Triple Aim have in common? A focus on the improved

health and wellbeing of employees, enhanced worksite engagement, personalized experiences of employees with their trusted family clinician and reduced per capita health benefit costs, as well as employee satisfaction and wellbeing benchmarks through which employees define their own personal needs and concerns as a core component. [See Table 2]

Table 2

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Corporate Wellness Magazine

The Triple Aim business model engages the foresight of the definition of optimal health. More importantly, the population health triad approach to employer cost avoidance of health benefits trend, evidence-based care coordination while reducing the per capita costs of an employer’s benefits costs resonates nicely with CEOs who are scrambling to bend the cost curve.

Accelerating Rules of the Road Industry experts and researchers agree that today’s No. 1 critical business issue is to initiate and maintain employee population health and incentive programs without putting significant financial burden on the company. It’s all about execution and C-Suite strategy to increase employee satisfaction and retention, bend the cost curve and recruit and retain people who meet or exceed both pay-for-performance and personal objectives — thus, creating aligned incentives for employee and employer, alike. Any organization’s healthy performance strategy requires a strong commitment from the C-Suite to optimize the total economic impact of employee health, as well as clinical and functional outcomes. The next generation of population health programs should be built around the meaningful use of health benefits design and total wellbeing that pinpoints healthy living and working strategies, as well as designates healthy performance best practices to improve individual and corporate performance. Employers must focus in order to foster a caring corporate culture that enables employees to achieve these results, regardless of personal health status or multiple risk factors. Innovative business coalitions and savvy employers have found that the creative and intensive use of population health programs and other tools, techniques and best practices can help prevent many chronic conditions and delay the onslaught of mortality, as well as improve outcomes and quality of life. New consumer-centered “neighborhood culture of health” programs are emerging worldwide and occur when a proactive population or community of covered lives bands together to make the right

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lifestyle, health and wellness choices as a result of a convergence of interests and alignment of employer, employee and provider support systems, structures and processes for the benefit of employees and their families. With the emphasis on consumerism and the associated cost and risk shifting to the employee, the idea is to embrace a business approach that satisfies what matters most across each diverse talent pool: employee health, job satisfaction and pay for performance. Executives that utilize these employeecentric, population health improvement initiatives also must recognize that the cost of absenteeism and lost productivity, including impaired performance on the job, is much bigger than the cost of health benefits in terms of having an impact on organization-wide results. The thinking behind this new population health strategic imperative and serious economic strategy is to implement a built-in culture of health enabling benefits design and integrated employee health interventions that include a performancedriven focus on the recruitment, retention, engagement, deployment and optimization of all involved. Employee health and optimal performance has more to do with a conducive environment, healthy behaviors, beliefs, attitudes, job satisfaction,

compensation and work-life balance than solely affordable access to health insurance benefits. The overarching goal is to foster the vision that keeping people healthy is a community-based, economic imperative and business strategy for employers, employees, government and taxpayers alike. Employers must step up to protect, engage sustain and promote the health and well being of their employees, as well as reward healthy behaviors and optimal individual performance. As a result of consistently taking care of their people, employers will benefit from thriving wellbeing people via better on-the-job engagement rates, execution-centric human capital deployments to achieve company goals, rewarding corporate training investments in people opportunities, appropriate retention levels and improved profits for the company. In order for this new thinking to really pay off, employees must also benefit from their investment in their improved personal performance and the economic wellbeing of their employer of choice.

All Aboard Next-generation population health initiatives require a collaborative effort that includes an employer employee partnership, array of providers, value-focused vendors and community resource groups. The role of the employee is vital in terms of creating health and performance-based talent management programs, since these are the very people who need to be engaged in order to live healthier and to personally perform at optimal levels at work and home. The key to success in an increasingly competitive global economy will be integrating a model with performance-focused talentmanagement strategies that lay the groundwork for a wiser investment in human capital. What attracts employees to jobs and keeps them from looking elsewhere also results in improved health outcomes and optimized job performance. It’s more than healthy people equating to healthy bottom lines. It’s recognizing that people should be paid for better performance. And when they feel better, they perform better. When they perform better, everybody

wins. How can current worksite wellness programs be retooled to inspire healthier living and peak performance to yield both personal and corporate gain? It is not easy to change organizational cultures and to achieve sustainable health improvement. The time has come, however, to acknowledge in the C-Suite that population health is the silver bullet we have been hoping for all along. CEOs view the meaningful use of health improvement as a strategic imperative and serious economic strategy. It will take a nation to raise population health to the next level.

Bio Les C. Meyer, MBA, a seasoned health care strategist and vice president of HealthNEXT, senior fellow, Jefferson School of Population Health, Thomas Jefferson University, chairman, Informed Opinion Leadership Action Group (IOLAG): Employer Market Sector, and can be reached at (303) 916-0017 or Les.Meyer@HealthAndPerformance.info. Ron Parton, MD, MPH, is the chief medical officer of Symphony Corporation and is responsible for steering the direction of Symphony’s capabilities and service offerings in the healthcare sector. With over 20 years of operational experience, Dr. Parton is a physician executive with a proven track record for innovation in population health improvement and improving quality that results in lowered healthcare costs. He is leading the development of the new Symphony Care Management System, designed to interface with electronic health records and help accountable care organizations and health plans target high risk populations, improve care and reduce unnecessary medical costs. Dr. Parton can be reached at (608) 237-7890 or ron.parton@symphonycorp. com.

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Corporate Wellness Magazine

The Increasing use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Health Reasons: Implications for Corporate Wellness

BY Rachel PhD, MSPH

Permuth-Levine, part of conventional medicineâ&#x20AC;? (NCCAM, 2007). Complementary and alternative medicine differ based on whether they are used in conjunction There has been a substantial increase with or in place of conventional medical treatment. in the use of Complementary Complementary therapies are used as adjuvant to and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use among traditional medicine, and alternative therapies are American adults since 1990 (Tindle, Davis, substitutes for established methods. Phillips, & Eisenberg, 2005). The National Center While the list of CAM therapies varies over for Complementary and Alternative Medicine time, there are five main categories or domains of (NCCAM) defined CAM as â&#x20AC;&#x153;a group of diverse CAM that have been agreed upon by NCCAM. medical and health care systems, practices, and These categories are designated as 1) alternative products that are not presently considered to be medical systems, 2) mind-body interventions, 3)

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biologically based therapies, 4) manipulative bodybased methods, and 5) energy therapies. Mindbody interventions use techniques to enhance the mind’s ability to affect bodily function. Some examples of mind-body techniques are meditation, prayer, dance, music, art, and others that have already become mainstream such as support groups and cognitive behavioral therapy (NCCAM, 2007). Hatha Yoga, or the branch of yoga that focuses on physical postures and a way to integrate the mind and body, typically falls under the second category (Coker, 1999; Miller, Fletcher, & Kabat-Zinn, 1995; Astin, Shapiro, Eisenberg, & Forys; 2003). A few large-scale studies have validated this trend which is of critical importance when attempting to understand yoga’s concurrent growth, since yoga is viewed as a CAM therapy in both of these national surveys. Eisenberg, Kessler, Foster, Norlock, Calkins, and Delbanco (1993) performed the first nationally representative survey of CAM use in this country. The study included 16 CAM therapies, yoga being one of them. This research found that 34 percent of adults had used at least one CAM therapy during the past year. When researchers conducted a follow-up survey, the 1997 results indicated that CAM use increased by 25 percent from the initial figures. The most recent study by Tindle and colleagues (2005) used trend data from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to examine changes in CAM therapy usage between 1997 and 2002 using comparable definitions of CAM to those in the Eisenberg study mentioned above. While general CAM usage remained steady, there was an increase in yoga usage, from 3.7 percent in 1997 to 5.1 percent of adults in 2002. CAM acceptance and usage has risen among college-aged students as well, though the research on this population is in its infancy.

Implications for Corporate Wellness • We know that an increasing number of children and adults in the United States are willing to try some form of CAM to improve a healthrelated condition. • Different CAM modalities have the potential to be an accepted form of corporate wellness program for many businesses. • Many corporations already have on-site yoga and meditation programs for staff. Why not branch out and offer more onsite programs such as massage, dance, and music therapy (with movement, such as group walks while people bring their ipods, etc)? • Corporations must use the evidence base for these CAM modalities to assure leadership of their potential efficacy. If you are unsure about what types of programs to implement in your own workplace, ask an expert!

Bio Rachel Permuth-Levine, PhD, MSPH, is a public health practitioner and an expert in worksite health promotion. As a health behavior theorist, she strives to use evidence-based programs that produce the best results for her employees. Rachel is also a yoga and fitness instructor. Rachel can be reached via email at rachelpermuthlevine@yahoo. com.

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Corporate Wellness Magazine

Having an Anti-Jerk Policy as Part of your Corporate Wellness Strategy: Defining the Problem and the Impact of Workplace Bullying

by LaShanda Blissett, MS According to Barry Hall, a Principal with Buck and Rachel Levine, PhD, Consultants and the global leader of Buck’s wellness MSPH research, “Our 2010 global wellness survey indicates that employers are putting additional focus on improving This is the first article in a employee morale and engagement, likely due to concerns series addressing workplace bullying. The article below that employees have become disengaged throughout the defines the problem and its consequences. Next month recession. Employers recognize that retaining workers we will explore strategies to improve this problem. will become increasingly challenging as the job market is When budgets are tight and the risk of programs being revitalized, and being a good place to work with a healthy cut is high, what elements of an employee wellness culture will help them keep their best employees.” strategy should be retained? For many corporations, the The difference between a “good” place to work and answer is fairly simple: those programs that increase the a “not-so-good” one often boils down to the relationships levels of employee engagement and satisfaction. Current our workers have with their bosses and their peers. A research on this topic confirms this theory. phenomenon that has received a lot of popular press

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lately is the notion of workplace bullying â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which is the antithesis of what happens in a healthy office setting. Workplace bullying is repeated harassing behavior that is deliberately intended to cause harm to individuals and prevent them from excelling at work. It is a form of emotional harassment that is frequently targeted at competent employees, by their peers and, often, by managers and supervisors. Literature consistently reveals that workplace bullying, done deliberately or unconsciously, clearly causes humiliation, offense, distress, interferes with job performance, and contributes to an unpleasant working environment (Heames and Harvey, 2006). When negative comments and intentional acts of targeted mistreatment of employees persists; organizations risk being sued, developing a negative reputation for permitting uncivil behavior, and losing the overall respect of competent employees who would otherwise be loyal and productive contributors (Heames and Harvey, 2006). In 2007, the Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) conducted a Zogby survey, and reported an estimated 37% of employees in the United States had been bullied at work. Since the onset of the economic recession in September of 2008, the problem has gotten worse (WBI, 2010). Employees have reported this issue is a direct cause of their individual dissatisfaction on the job, high stress levels, high absentee rates, and emotional illnesses that even lead to depression. Knowing that over 80% of bullied employees leave their jobs (Marie, 2010), which costs organizations an estimated $180 million dollars in lost productivity each year (Heames and Harvey, 2006; Farrell, 2002), creating an antijerk policy combined with a workplace bullying prevention program could be a key to saving a corporate wellness program. Within organizations where bullying is ignored or little to nothing is done to stop or prevent it, the targets end up accruing a variety of costs that can range from ill health, tarnished professional reputations, and reduced productivity from high

absenteeism (Farrell, 2002; Heames and Harvey, 2006; WBI, 2010), and in some cases suicide. A recent example is Kevin Morrisseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s publicly debated suicide, which is suspected to be a result of him enduring ongoing stress from workplace bullying at the Virginia Quarterly Review (Wilson, 2010). Many of the indirect costs to individual targets add up to become organizational problems, such as toxic work environments in which employees lack the

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Corporate Wellness Magazine

basic level of trust needed for teams to successfully work and produce together. So, what can be done to prevent workplace bullies in the first place, or keep them at bay? Dr. David Ballard, the head of the American Psychological Association’s Healthy Workplace Program suggests, “Organizational leaders can promote a psychologically healthy workplace by modeling desired behaviors, rewarding pro-social conduct and training managers to identify and address counter-productive interactions. Formal policies regarding bullying and incivility can also help communicate clear expectations and promote a culture of trust and respect. “ The creation of a psychologically healthy workplace is not a new idea in corporate wellness, but it is often ignored in favor of other initiatives such as weight management, nutrition, and health screenings. The American Psychological Association (APA) hosts a resource-rich program called “The Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program.” In the creation of a Psychologically Healthy Workplace, the APA advocates for five types of

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workplace practices that contribute to a psychologically healthy work environment, including: employee involvement, work-life balance, employee growth and development, health and safety, and employee recognition (Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program, 2010). Focusing on employee “health and safety”, the APA broadens the typical notion of occupational safety to include efforts that improve physical and mental health, reduce health risks, and manage stress effectively. If programs that address those goals are implemented correctly, a company could benefit from greater productivity, reductions in: healthcare costs, absenteeism, and accident and injury rates (Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program, 2010). Workplace “bullying” creates a toxic environment for employees, and is one example of what a comprehensive mental health strategy could address. The notion of “bullies” or “jerks” is nothing new – but the measurement of their effects on our

people is astounding, which is why Gold’s Gym, Washington Mutual, Berkshire Hathaway, and Mozilla are a few of the firms that maintain a “no jerk policy” to sustain a healthy work environment (Sutton ,2010). They know bullies affect the bottom line and create toxic environments in which employees become ill and disgruntled. Corporate Wellness needs to be redefined, to include comprehensive mental health programs and strategies. As an industry, it is essential to focus time and attention on the widespread workplace bullying phenomenon and develop new ways of teaching employees this behavior is unacceptable. One suggestion is for the different parts of an organization to communicate with each other. If human resources, Employee Assistance Programs, and wellness Directors were all part of a universal plan to prevent bullying and other uncivil behavior among supervisors and peers, perhaps we would all be better off!

Bio LaShanda Blissett is a PhD student at Capella University, working toward a Doctorate in Education with a specialty in Training and Performance Improvement. She is the Principal Consultant with The Blissett Group, Corp, a management consulting firm based out of Rockville, MD, near Washington, DC. She has over 19 years of professional experience, over 15 of which has been in training and performance improvement on federal government contracts. Her roles have ranged from instructional design consultant to training manager. LaShanda can be reached via email at lb@theblissettgroup.com or by phone at (301) 442-7788. Rachel Permuth-Levine, PhD, MSPH, is a public health practitioner and an expert in worksite health promotion. As a health behavior theorist,

she strives to use evidence-based programs that produce the best results for her employees. Rachel is also a yoga and fitness instructor. Rachel can be reached via email at rachelpermuthlevine@yahoo. com. References

Farrell, L. (2002). Workplace bullying’s high cost: $180M in lost time, productivity. Orlando Business Journal. US: March 15, 2002. Retrieved on September 4, 2010, from http://orlando.bizjournals. com/orlando/stories/2002/03/18/focus1.html#ixzz0ynFODaOO. Heames, J., Harvey, J. (2006). Workplace bullying: a cross-level assessment. Management Decision. London: 2006. Vol. 44, Iss. 9; pg. 1214. Kesten, G., Savino, K. (2010). The 2010 implementation awards. Speech Technology. Medford: Jul/Aug 2010. Vol. 15, Iss. 4; pg. 32, 5 pgs. Know Bull! Australia. (2010). http://www.know-bull.com Marie, S. (2010). Reacting to abusive managerial behavior: A qualitative phenomenological study. Dissertation, University of Phoenix: Phoenix, AZ, 201 pages; AAT 3415970 Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI). (2010). WBI Zogby Survey Results. The Workplace Bullying Institute. Retrieved on September 5, 2010, from http://www.workplacebullying.org/research/WBIZogby2007Survey.html. New South Wales Court docket. Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Naidu & Anor; ISS Security Pty Ltd v Naidu & Anor [2007] NSWCA 377. Retrieved September 5, 2010, from http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/ cases/nsw/NSWCA/2007/377.html. Sutton, B. lashanda – which article do you want cited and how? Wilson, R. (2010). What Killed Kevin Morrissey? How the death of an editor threatens the future of the University of Virginia’s prestigious literary review. The Chronicle of Higher Education: August 12, 2010. Workplace Bullying Institute. (2010). Retrieved October 4, 2010, from http://www.workplacebullying.org/research/wbi-studies.html. Young, L. (2008). Bullying worse than sexual harassment: Study. Canadian HR Reporter. Toronto: April 7, 2008. Vol. 21, Iss. 7; pg. 1, 2 pgs LaShanda and Rachel welcome your feedback for future articles on this topic. Please write to Ms. Blissett at the email below.

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Corporate Wellness Magazine

Development Stages A in Corporate Wellness Programs

by Scott MacStavic It isn’t quite the case that: “If you’ve seen one corporate wellness program, you’ve seen one corporate wellness program, but it’s close. Wellness programs have been around for roughly 40 years, but they are still in a stage of development and adoption that mirrors the auto industry in the late 19th century, with enormous variation in the kinds of wellness “solutions”, technology, incentives, engagement levels, evaluation metrics, and success levels achieved. Larry Chapman, one of the early wellness gurus and still active (check out his website: www. chapmaninstitute.net) divides the types of development stages into three categories: 1. Quality of Worklife 2. Traditional 3. Population Health Management The Quality of Worklife approach focuses on employee morale, offering a wide range of programs that are intended to improve worker satisfaction, attitudes, loyalty, etc. and often including wellness efforts such as fitness centers (on-site or discounts arranged), concierge services, “stress breaks”, etc. The hope is that workers will be happier, though formal

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evaluation of effects is rarely conducted, and financial ROI is rarely expected to be demonstrable. The Traditional Wellness approach includes some identification of wellness levels, risks, etc., based on biometric screening, health risk assessment surveys, etc. with a few programs aimed at all workers with little differentiation among them, minimal incentives offered, and minimal evaluation performed. This is probably the most common stage, though it includes an enormous variety of particular programs and investment levels. Population Health Management is a more formal and systematic approach, aimed at all employees, and often spouses as well, where the employer recognizes the impact of spouse and even children health levels on health insurance costs, absence and presenteeism. It includes a far wider variety of programs, aimed at those who are already well, but always at risk for adopting or relapsing into risky behaviors, those at various types and levels of risk, those with chronic conditions who will benefit from more careful self management thereof, etc. The level of investment is typically far greater than for traditional wellness, the participation rates far higher, and the incentives far greater, etc. For all these reasons, evaluation is likely to be more rigorous, and to include a far broader range of impacts, including not merely health insurance, but workers compensation, disability, absence and presenteeism impacts. There is a fourth stage of development that

may be an “empty set” at present, though a number of employers are fast approaching it in the US, and some in Europe are already there, since the government often takes responsibility for employee health care. This stage is at least where all employers can adopt the “Gretsky Principle” of focusing on where they intend to be in the long run. It can be labeled the Workforce Value Management (WVM) stage. It goes past the usual cost-saving focus of population health management to include the full range of value that can be affected by both the health-limited and discretionary effort levels of employees, and by both health and all other investments that can increase the employers net ROI on workforce investments. For example, employers in the UK have gone as far as measuring and reporting positive gains in not merely reduced absence and presenteeism, but improved technical quality of production, customer service, satisfaction and loyalty, and the gaining of new business. (Check out www.vielife.com for examples.) Instead of aiming to merely maintain wellness levels at “no-risk”, WVM aims at promoting higher energy levels, improved performance of “workforce athletes”, and other significant improvements in the value contributions that employees as a whole make to the organization. Focusing on the ultimate value that employees contribute greatly expands the scope of wellness and health management, but it also recognizes that wellness investment plans should complete for approval and adoption with other kinds of workforce investments that are intended and expected to improve the value contributions of the workforce. These will include not only increased productivity and performance, but new ideas for process improvements (employee “citizenship”) that may save money, improve quality, add to competitive distinction, etc. Other investments, in employee training, career development, pay for performance, etc. may offer distinctly better returns than will particular wellness options under consideration. In many cases, of course, the predicted ROI from wellness investments will compete effectively with other kinds of investments. The Chapman

Institute, for example, has reported basic wellness investments averaging a 3.0:1 ROI ratio. More advanced approaches were found to average a ratio of 6.3:1, while some “outliers” averaged 14.5:1. If wellness investments can return from $3 to $6.30 to $14.50 for every dollar invested, it should be worth it to many employers to borrow money, if necessary, in order to achieve such gains, making it possible to greatly expand the scope of investments and returns. Pay-for-performance system introductions have rarely yielded ROI ratios (total financial gains divided by investment expense) this high, though they have certainly yielded ROI net returns (total financial gains minus investment expense) that can be higher. Best Buy corporate HQ, for example, achieved an increase in productivity of 35%, while reducing turnover from 16.7% per year to zero through a work anywhere/anytime policy. Safelite auto windshield replacement firm achieved a productivity increase of 40% at a cost of only a 10% increase in employee compensation, while reducing departures of highperforming workers, and increasing departures of lowperformers. Combinations of investments that improve the personal value that workers gain in return for their efforts should all expect to compete with each other rather than be restricted to silos such as “wellness”, “training”, “work/life balance”, etc. While recognizing the potential effects that all such investments can have on workforce value contributions will complicate their planning and implementation, it will also greatly expand the potential for employers to improve workforce value, and thereby greatly increase employers ability to afford to improve value gained from as well as gained by their workforces.

Bio Scott MacStravic, PhD is a former health management executive and professor, writing mainly in the domain of workforce wellness planning, implementation and evaluation. He is the author of ten books and over 1000 articles on wellness and related w w w. C o r p o r a t e We l l n e s s M a g a z i n e . c o m

Corporate Wellness Magazine

Using Data to Set Goals Employees Want to Achieve

What do your employees want to know or accomplish? Their answers to a simple interest survey can be the catalyst for effective wellness communication. By Shawn M. Connors

process, integrated into other core decisions about the program’s features and benefits. Wellness communication is often an The result of simple planning can be a afterthought, viewed by organizations communication structure that’s forward-thinking and as a necessary byproduct of their energizing, a total communications experience that wellness plans. Most companies try to figure out ways inspires, informs, shares, and celebrates the potential of to elicit employee participation in only after they design healthy living. or adopt their wellness programs. Communication doesn’t lead the charge; it just goes Discover What Employees Want — and How along for the ride. Messages to employees—emails, They Want It brochures, company newsletter articles, etc.—are viewed as individual projects instead of a process. Well-intentioned HR professionals nationwide But the most effective wellness communication make key decisions based on best guesses and first isn’t served late, whipped together in a hodgepodge of reactions. But effective workplace communication is messages, voices, and looks. It’s developed early in the too central to leave up to your gut. Reaching employees

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with effective, timely, relevant messages is your mission. You are in the driver’s seat for creating and implementing your organization’s wellness program, but your employees are the destination. You must aim communication in their direction. Let them be your beacon. If you don’t dwell on your audience’s needs and goals, you will embark on a journey to nowhere. Information can serve as your map: What do they want to know? What do they really want to accomplish? How would they prefer to receive (or not receive) the messages you’re sending? A time-tested piece of advice in communication is “Know your audience.” That might seem obvious — part of your job is understanding employees’ strengths and motivations — but sometimes things that are apparent aren’t practiced. “Asking questions about who you’re talking to, writing for, or presenting to is the first place to start, and it’s generally where most communications strategies fail,” says Bill Dickmeyer of Madison Human Resources Consulting LLC in Madison, WI. Find out what your employees are thinking and what captures their attention. It will help you collect information on overall characteristics such as interest (often missed in this stage), HRA data, gender, culture, and education. This information can fuel your communication plan, help you establish a philosophy

and mission for your program, and enable you to set expectations and create demand.

Overcome Common Wellness Communication Issues Also, early in the wellness program development process, discuss ways that your organization will prevail over these four basic reasons for poor wellness communication: 1. Fear. Health and benefits are personal issues. “Fear makes us feel the need to protect our own interests, and it often stifles communication,” says Sue Dyer, president of the consulting firm OrgMetrics. To alleviate fear, develop trust. “Remind employees that your workplace communication is a two-way street and that one of your goals is to simply provide information that helps them make informed decisions.” 2. Confusion. Many employees turn a deaf ear to anything involving topics they don’t understand fully. So when they see an email about important changes to the company’s health care plan, for example, their tendency is to simply tune out or delay reading it until they absolutely must. Combat this by concentrating on clarity. Provide concise, visually appealing messages employees can understand the first time. 3. Loss of momentum. “Frustration is caused when employees go forward but keep getting pulled back” because of frequent changes to existing programs, Dyer says. So spend ample time in the planning phase of your health promotion and wellness initiatives, and respond quickly to feedback. 4. Infrequency. You don’t want to bombard employees with daily messages, but it’s important to send regular communication.

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Corporate Wellness Magazine

To battle those common challenges, employ these key elements of effective wellness communication: • A holistic approach that encourages small changes that lead to bigger changes. • A focus on community support, events, and programs. • A blend of digital and print communications, which are most powerful when they work in concert. • A continual way for employees to provide input and feedback to communicate with one another. • A brand, logo, slogan, and visual identity to give wellness programs personality. • An injection of humor and entertainment to make it fun.

Action Ideas • Prepare an automatic or personalized email to survey respondents, expressing appreciation for their feedback. In the message, let them know how you’ll plan to use their input and give them an easy way to provide additional feedback at their convenience. • Plan a way to report back to employees (meeting, posted results online, other media channels), showing that your organization is accountable and responsive.

Bio About Hope Health Hope Health, based in Kalamazoo, MI, is an experienced, multimedia content provider offering new perspectives in wellness and benefit communications to workplaces and community organizations. It just released a free eBook, “New Perspectives in Wellness & Benefits Communications.” Companies are correctly sensing that communication can be the

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driver to employee satisfaction with benefits, and the critical element in improving enrollment and engagement in wellness programs. They’re seeking ways to get employees to read important information, and this eBook can serve as their guide. For 30 years, Hope Health has served workplaces, health plans and communities — more than 3,000 clients in all 50 states. The company’s employees combine their expertise in health, marketing, wellness, benefits, technical writing and design to create a powerful employee communication engine. The company’s passion is to understand, motivate, and guide clients to deliver effective health, wellness, and benefits communication. Hope Health is the publisher of the award-winning HOPE Health Letter®, which uses a special blend of humor, quick-to-read articles, and a friendly me-to-you tone to get across the message of healthy living. Each subscribing company also can choose from low-cost, high-impact personalization options to showcase their organization’s specific branding and news. In addition, Hope Health publishes the popular new eMazine™ electronic health newsletter that is transforming the way companies and communities deliver health and wellness messages to employees and members. Check out this sample to see how it works. It’s entertaining, humorous, and interactive, giving readers medically reviewed, evidence-based health information that’s interesting, inspiring and visual. Sign up for Hope Health’s free Trendsetters Monthly Brief, a quick-to-read brief for wellness committees filled with cutting-edge communication trends, strategies, and tactics to maximize employee engagement — delivered to your email. Hope Health’s Website at www.HopeHealth.com includes many free tools, reports and articles you and your Wellness Committee can download and use. If you would like help in developing and implementing your wellness or benefits communications strategy, call (800) 334-4094 or email Shawn M. Connors.

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