Winston Salem WellnessWinston Salem Wellness – Winston Salem Health Promotion

If you are one of the millions of people that suffer from lower back pain, then you need to know that exercise can do wonders for you. When it comes to relieving lower back pain, exercise provides more long term relief than any back pills that your physician can give you. The fact is, pills only serve to mask the problem by providing temporary relief of the pain, but the problem that is causing much of the pain is still there. Exercise will strengthen the muscles that support your back and improve flexibility therefore greatly reducing the chances of future attacks.

You should be doing a three fold program of exercise which includes aerobics, resistance and stretching exercises. Aerobic exercise like walking and bike riding will begin to get your body conditioned properly because it strengthens your heart and lightly works your muscles. Resistance exercise like weight lifting will strengthen the muscles that support your back. Stretching exercises will increase flexibility giving your back a greater range of motion. Your physician can guide you as to when and how much of each type of exercise you should be getting.

For people with lower back pain, the best aerobic exercises to do are low impact ones like swimming, walking and bike riding. Jogging, dance fitness and step aerobics all produce repeated impact on your back and on your knee and hip joints as well. In order to get in good condition, start out with 15 minutes of light aerobic work per day, 2 to 3 times per week, and then gradually build yourself up to 30 to 40 minutes per day, 4 to 5 times per week.

You should be working enough to raise your heart rate to be in between 65% to 85% of your maximal heart rate. You determine your maximal heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. Regardless of whether you are walking, bike riding or doing any other aerobic exercise, always maintain good posture. This means sit up strait, stand strait and do not slouch or lean forward. Good posture is essential to any good exercise program.

When it comes to resistance exercising, you always want to concentrate on the abdominal muscles. These muscles play a major part in giving your lower back support and the stronger they are, the more relief for your back. Also important is to do exercises that are designed to specifically strengthen the lower back muscles themselves. You will best benefit from working each muscle group 2 to 3 times per week. You may want to hire a licensed fitness trainer to help get you on your way by designing a resistance program that is right for you.

Do not forget that while resistance exercise is great for strengthening the targeted muscles being worked, there should never be any pain involved. Some discomfort should be present in the muscles being worked while performing the exercises for them, but should subside very shortly after completion of the exercise. If there is any pain during the exercises or if discomfort persists for some time after, it is a sign that something is wrong and exercising should be discontinued and your physician should be consulted immediately.

As far as stretching is concerned, 10 to 15 minutes of moderate stretching per day is usually enough to get the job done just fine. Here you really want to concentrate on stretching your hamstrings which are the muscles in the back of your upper legs. The looser your hamstring muscles are, the better range of motion your back will have as flexible hamstring muscles do not put the strain on your lower back that tight ones do.

Stretching the lower back muscles is also a must and sitting on the floor with your legs flat on the floor in front of you while you slowly reach for your toes until you can’t go any further, hold for 10 seconds, and sit back up is a great exercise to stretch both your hamstrings and your lower back. Repeat this stretch 2 to 3 times each day.

While there are no miracle cures for lower back pain, you are able to make living with a lower back condition much easier to deal with by simply incorporating some exercise into your life each day. It’s worth the effort in the long run give up 30 to 40 minutes per day, 4 to 5 days per week to exercise away your lower back pain.

These are simple and fun programs that have the potential to be done within your employer to arouse healthy lifestyles during a contest or during other times. The goal is to encourage employee participation. Some examples:
• Organize a sub-committee of enthusiastic staff members who will help promote the exercise program by offering ideas, ideas and encouragement to fellow staff members.
• Create monthly mailbox flyers to reward a contest or offer fitness-related education/encouragement information.
• Send a periodic voicemail on each member’s phone with encouraging wellness messages.
• Provide regular cumulative health progress reports.
• Provide reduced fat or heart-healthy lunch selections on a weekly basis in your cafeteria or have staff members bring a healthy snack to share, with a recipe book compiled at the end of the contest or specified time period (such as a National Nutrition Month in March).
• Distribute employee gifts (pedometers or other novelty item related to some aspect of your contest theme) as registration starts.
• Allow staff members “Fitness 15-Minute Walk Breaks;” business time to walk, exercise, etc. If appropriate, you might use a space not currently used to set up a treadmill, elliptical, bicycle, some no cost weights and meditation music.
• Hold a T-shirt design contest.
• Establish posters to map contest (or fitness) progress and to serve as reminder of your objectives and goals:
   • Use push pins or other identifiers for each individual to display in the office showing how they have progressed – staff members have the potential to get very creative with this and design pins that reflect their personalities.
   • Use a chart to compare progress.
   • Use a “thermometer” type graphic and color in progress – consider a different, fitness-related graphic all together and color it in as you progress.
• Provide aerobic dance or walking videos in your conference or break rooms.
• Compile a list of organized programs in the community that offer opportunities to get staff members working out by participating as a team (below are just a few):
   • Race For The Cure
   • March of Dimes Walk America event
   • Juvenile Diabetes Research
   • Foundation Walk to Cure
   • American Heart Association’s Heart Walk
   • American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life
   • American Lung Association’s Lung Run
   • Local marathons or special general area walks or runs
• Create or go to a health-and-fitness retreat.
• Have a soup-and-salad luncheon followed by a hula-hoop contest!
• Use the mall as an alternate walking location during inclement weather.
• Establish “Move it Mondays” – allow staff members to take an extra 10 minutes during lunch for physical activity.
• Create “Tasty Tuesdays” – support workers with low-calorie treats/snacks.
• Establish “Walking Wednesdays”- allow employees to take an extra ten minutes at lunchtime to walk, or “Wacky Wednesdays” that allow employees to explore new exercises.
• Designate “Thirsty Thursdays” – make healthy smoothies or juice drinks for employees.
• Designate “Fresh Fruit Fridays” for employee – offer seasonal fruit treats.
• Send weekly exercise tips to employees via the most effective communications vehicle in your workplace.
• Partner with another company representative for local media events coordinated through your advertising or communication department.
• Urge departmental teams to challenge each other (examples: Customer Service, Marketing, Health Support).
• Designate walking clubs with executive/supervisory leadership.
• Seek out local aerobic opportunities or classes through churches, neighborhood groups, college, YMCA, etc.
• Contact several local area health clubs and ask if they can or will offer group discounts for exercise programs, waive enrollment fees, or set up a 12-week program as opposed to signing an extended contract.
• Have a Frozen Yogurt Social – “Reap the Benefits of Fitness.”
• Map out a walking track around the facility including the number of laps needed for one mile.

The variety of aerobics routines you are able to enjoy are many. You just have to find one that appeals to you. When it comes to aerobic activity, most people dread it. Why not combine your favorite sport activity with exercise for a great workout. Below are 4 ways to add variety to your exercise routine.

Dance Aerobics

Most people love to dance. Dancing is a way to relieve stress, jam to your favorite music and a great way to have fun. On the opposite end of the spectrum, not everyone loves to exercise. What if you could combine exercise and dancing? Because they’re fun, dance aerobics classes popping up all over the country.

In a dance fitness class, you dance to your favorite music learning the moves you need to not only lose weight but also to become a better dancer. A dance fitness class lasts twenty to thirty minutes. You’re having so much fun that you really don’t even realize that you’re exercising.

Dancing is a great way to have fun and relieve stress. You will have so much fun doing it that You will want to tell all your friends about it. So you see, there’s no better way to lose weight than by taking a dance fitness class.

Aerobics and Kick-boxing

Hard work can pay off in promising numbers if you combine aerobics and kick-boxing. The toll placed on your body can create a toned, well-proportioned physique many strive to have. Try adding a clean diet to the equation and You will have the ultimate makeover waiting to happen.

If you are interested in kick-boxing, the best way to learn is to participate in a beginner’s class before advancing. The body is built to handle some hard work so build strength through the constant movements needed in the routines. It is best to stretch before you experience an uncomfortable feeling from the demands. The unique combination of aerobics and kick-boxing creates a different perspective regarding your athletic abilities. As you build strength, you create endurance and stamina as well.

The energy gained in the aerobic and kick-boxing classes will transfer into your daily activities. You will have more energy than you used previously. The kick-boxing and aerobic moves become second nature to your everyday movements making activities enjoyable.

Step Aerobics

Millions of people worldwide practice step aerobics, which is another type of aerobics. The reason for its popularity may be simply that it provides an incredible cardio workout. The only real requirement is a flat surface and a stepping platform.

Step aerobic exercise is an aerobic activity that utilizes a 4 to 12 inch step. Namely, this cardiovascular exercise involves stepping up onto the raised platform at specific intervals and alternating which leg is used. This routine requires coordination and is often done with music. Step aerobic exercise provides an great aerobic workout for your legs.

Unlike some other exercises that place significant stress on the joints of the legs, step aerobic exercise places minimal duress upon the joints of the lower body. Indeed, when it comes to stress on the joints of the leg, step aerobics is similar to walking.

In addition, step aerobic exercise is choreographed with upbeat music and can the accomplished in the business of other enthusiasts.

Water Aerobics

No longer is the swimming pool the sole preserve of swimmers. Water aerobics have greatly changed this concept because the benefits of water exercises are many.

Water aerobics are instrumental in improving cardiovascular fitness and result in better endurance by gaining strength in your muscles. As a result of the buoyancy that water provides as well as the support that a body receives from water there are fewer worries about getting muscle, bone or joint injuries.

This form of exercising can be performed by people of all age groups and fitness levels. Water is an ideal choice for healthy people and for those who suffer from arthritis, neck or back problems as well as strokes and obese people. Water aerobics are often performed in chest-high water so both swimmers and non-swimmers are attracted to it.

Water aerobics uses rhythmic body movements as well as dance steps done in the water and can be performed with music or without music There are basic as well as advanced programs. Beginning programs teach you to put together arm and leg movements in different combinations. Adding intricate dance steps creates a more advanced routine movements.

When it comes to group fitness class, there are many to choose from. You just have to find one that appeals to you. By combining your favorite sport activity with exercise you can get a great workout.

These are concise informational “Health Tips” in an e-mail format on many different health-related subject matters. You are able to appoint someone within your corporation to find specific subject matters on the Internet from sites that are in the public domain or subject matters can be purchased from corporations. Some qualified sources include:
• Hope Health
• Sound Ideas, Inc.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• National Institutes of Health

These e-mails have the potential to be sent daily, weekly or monthly. Our experience indicates weekly is the best frequency.

If the majority of your employees do not have e-mail, consider offering the information to them through:
• Bulletin boards
• Check stuffers
• Mailbox stuffers
• Newsletters

SAMPLE #1 Worksite Wellness E-mail Messages

From: Employee Wellness Program
To: Wellness Team
Subject: Layering for Exercise

One way to help ensure enjoyment of a winter walk (or run) is to make sure you’re dressed properly for the weather. And the secret to that, for a winter workout, is to dress in layers.
Layer 1 — Avoid 100 percent cotton in the first layer, next to your skin. Cotton holds moisture. Wear underwear made from manmade fabrics to wick perspiration away from skin.
Layer 2 — A zippered sweatshirt and sweatpants will keep you warm. Just open the zipper if you get too warm.
Layer 3 — If required, over the sweatsuit, you can add a waterproof and windproof jacket. If it’s very cold, you may want to wear a jacket made with goose down.
Hands — Mittens will keep your hands warmer than gloves.
Feet — Wear socks made from wool or manmade fabrics that keep your feet dry and warm. Avoid 100 percent cotton socks. Don’t wear sneakers or boots that fit too tightly … this will restrict blood flow and your feet will end up feeling colder.
Head — About 40 percent of your body’s heat is lost through your head. Wear a hat and cover your ears.
Lips — Don’t forget lip balm with sunscreen … even in winter!

SAMPLE #2 Job Site Wellness E-mail Messages

From: Employee Wellness Program
To: Wellness Team
Subject: Energy Boosts

Need a boost of energy? Here are some ideas for tapping into your own energy sources — and most require little effort.
• Get an extra hour of sleep. No surprise here — it is able to make a large difference in your energy level the following day.
• Eat less more often. Have little, balanced meals or snacks throughout your day for a steady supply of fuel and energy. Make note of which foods seem to boost your energy level.
• Drink plenty of water. Dehydration leads to to fatigue, which you are able to offset by drinking water throughout the day.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine. Both are able to contribute to dehydration and fatigue. They also tend to disrupt sleep patterns.

There are numerous aerobics classes to choose from today. You just have to find an aerobics class that appeals to you. However, as most people do not like exercising, there is a type of aerobics which is the dance aerobics.

Most people love to dance and dancing is on of the ways to relieve stress. It is also a way to have fun whether you do it on your own or with others. So, if you combine exercise and dancing, aerobics would be much more fun. This is why dance aerobics classes are popular all over the country. You can have fun while being healthy and at the same time losing weight.

In a dance aerobics class, all you have to do is dance to your favorite music. The instructor will teach you the moves that will help you to not only lose weight but also to become a better dancer. As every aerobics session usually last twenty to thirty minutes with at least three times per week, a dance aerobics class will be the best option for those not motivated enough to exercise for long periods. Twenty to thirty minutes will fly by in the blink of an eye in a dance aerobics class. You will be having so much fun that you won’t even realize that you’re exercising.

Dance aerobics classes are usually filled with people who enjoy dancing as well. This will make your experience more fun and fulfilling because You will feel that you are not alone in your exercise plan. You can dance and make friends while having fun and losing weight all at the same time. There are not many other exercise plans that offer the same thing.

Tips On Performing Aerobic Dance Steps

Before starting an aerobics dance step workout, you probably have had the opportunity to witness dance fitness classes. If you are impressed with the high levels of energy and the coordination of the participants who were performing aerobic dance steps and feel a little intimidated to become a member of  dance aerobics class, remember that everyone in the class was at one point of time, at the same level that you are at now. There is a starting to every aerobic dance step class.

The instructor will lead you step-by-step with the dance movements. All you have to do is to follow the instructions and imitate the instructor. Above the music in the aerobics dance class, the leader will shout out instructions to the class. The dance fitness instructor will be leading the group, shouting out instructions to the class. He will be using the words like left and right. These words refer to the left or right arm or leg. The best advice for you if you are confused while learning the aerobic dance steps is to at first ignore the commands from the instructor and simply imitate his lead.

Understanding The Basics Of Dance Fitness

Dance aerobics patterns are usually measured in beats. These beats are usually 32 or 64 per minute. However, it is again important not to worry about counting the total beats. All you have to do is simply follow the lead of the instructor. Typically, in keeping time, the only counting that needs to be done in a dance aerobics class is in intervals of four and eight. The entire dance step segment will fall into either one of these counts. A typical aerobic dance step session is performed in four or eight counts.

In addition to dance steps, the dance fitness routine might also include arm movements. The arm movements are added to the dance steps to increase the heart rate. Don’t forget that it’s important to feel comfortable with the basic aerobics dance steps first before adding other movements at your own pace.

Don’t forget Not to Be Self-Conscious

It’s important to always keep in mind that you are performing these group fitness dance steps movements to improve your health and your general well-being. You may also have other goal such as toning your muscles or loosing weight. Therefore, you have to try not to be self-conscious when performing the dance fitness steps. If a few times you are out of step or you do not get the routine right the first few tries, remember that the actions you perform will still be beneficial to you and that you are doing aerobic dance steps for yourself and not for others. Also remember that practice makes perfect, so you have to keep on practicing to get the perfect aerobics dance moves.

Wellness Seminars / Lunch and Learn Programs are learning sessions planned and organized by you to meet specific goals/objectives. Come up with a topic and select a speaker. Select a site for the “Lunch and Learn” session, usually a lunchroom or break room. Depending upon your budget and objectives, employees are able to brown bag the lunch or you could offer the meal. Meetings are able to be mandatory or elective, your choice.
Experience tells us the most success will be achieved if these Wellness Seminars / Lunch and Learn Programs are elective and if the company supports lunch.
Goals for Wellness Seminars / Lunch and Learn Sessions

Education on a specific health issue. You may want to choose one of your group’s top diagnoses. Examples are:
• Diabetes – diabetes prevention and care by a certified diabetic educator
• Heart disease – cardiovascular health (individual counseling sessions with a dietician)
• Hypertension
• Hypercholesterolemia
• Flu and pneumonia
• Breast cancer – breast health or breast self-exam sessions can be taught by a trained instructor

Education on healthcare insurance benefits:
• Diabetes – what are the covered benefits, where to purchase diabetic supplies, support groups for staff members with diabetes.
• Workplace Health Promotion Program Benefits
• Well baby/child care.

Education on the significance of enrolling in your health plan or local health department’s health education programs or disease management programs. Example programs:
• Diabetes
• Respiratory
• Low-Back Pain
• Cardiovascular
• Tobacco use

Community Resource Speakers for Wellness Seminars / Lunch and Learn Programs
• Local health plan office
• Local heart association
• Local cancer society
• Pharmacies – many pharmacists are available to speak on pharmacy-related problems.
• Prescription Employers – many companies have standard presentations developed for employers that are given no cost of charge to use at your own direction. Some examples are:
   • Know Your Numbers (high blood lipids) – Pfizer
   • Respiratory Wellness (flu and pneumonia) – Pfizer
   • Men’s and Women’s Health – Pfizer
• Local gyms/personal trainers/YMCA – are able to discuss walking safety, benefits of walking, swimming and aerobics.
• Yoga and/or Pilates instructors
• Running, cycling club representatives
• Local dieticians
• Stamp Out Smoking – Tobacco Coalition representatives

Topics for Wellness Seminars / Lunch and Learn Programs

• Cycling – benefits and opportunities for cycling
• Nutrition and health (Heart Healthy lunch for all attendees)
• Heart health
• Women’s health problems
• How to recognize the signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke
• National Employee Fitness Day within the office setting – Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness representatives can encourage event
• Exercise tolerance and healthy heart problems
• Beginning an exercise program – include the effect of seeing the doctor prior to the beginning of any new exercise program
• Self-defense
• Domestic abuse
• Safety in general
• Exercise safety
• Walking/running benefits and safety tips Tobacco dangers and avoidance

Dancing and dance aerobics are several of the best but neglected exercises. For those who understand the importance of these exercises, it has proven to be very successful for them. That is why you have to consider or add this exercise to your list of recommended exercises. Additionally, these exercises reduces stress and once that takes place you start feeling comfortable and before long, you notice that consistency in this form of exercise has brought you a stunning physique that not only amazes you but get you aroused each time you see your reflection in the mirror.

It is advisable that each time you either dance or engage in dance fitness, that you wear a supporting shoe like Tennis shoes to protect you. There may be times You will need to remove this shoes such as when you want to be perform dance fitness which will need you to slide as you continue with the exercise.

Dance fitness just like dancing also decreases stress and loosen the strong muscle tissues that you have in your body. This gives flexibility and free movements to the joints and muscles. This is complementary to the stretching and warm up exercises.

Bouncing while stretching can injure some vital body tissues. You want to watch out for this. When you do dance fitness, You will need to do that in a comfortable environment. While performing these dances, You will burn excess fats and calories, increase beating rate of the heart, provides the fastest way to reach a stunning physique in record time. to crown your efforts, You will need to be consistent in other to reach your goal, therefore You will have to continue with your routines of workouts.

Take note that you would also warm up and stretch before you engage in any form of exercises. There are many ways you can stretch and warm ups. I will take up that as a later article you can read whenever it’s ready. In the meantime, always consider dance fitness and dancing as one of the best ways you can use to accomplish your goal of achieving a muscled and sculpted body with all the natural curves in the right proportion and shape.

Conducting an Employee Fitness Challenge at your workplace is a fun and exciting way to raise awareness among staff members about the importance of beginning and sustaining an exercise program. It is a concentrated effort in which to engage them in physical activity for a specific time period that, hopefully, will help them begin a healthy habit that will last a lifetime.
Nevertheless, it is valuable to participate in wellness year-round. This section supports a inclusive list of Company Health Promotion Program ideas that have been implemented within wellness programs.
All ideas presented in this section have been thriving for one or both of the entities. Each activity/idea can be used as a stand-alone event, even if you do not conduct a fitness contest, or can be held in conjunction with your Employee Fitness Contest.
You may want to choose some of the ideas you think will work for your employees or come up with others and begin your plan to establish a better state of health.

When it comes to group fitness class, there are many to choose from. You just have to find one that you enjoy. Most people love to dance. Dancing is a way to relieve stress, jam to your favorite music and a great way to have fun. On the other hand, not everyone loves to exercise. When it comes to aerobic activity, most people dread it. Why not combine exercise and dancing? Dance fitness classes are becoming popular every where.

Basically, aerobic dancing is a fitness sport that combines the health and figure benefits of jogging. Aerobic dancing was originally meant for women though now men find pleasure in performing aerobic dancing. You could think that aerobic dancing is only for the young or for fit people, but it’s meant for everyone who desires to get into better shape.

Dance aerobics classes help to make the body firmer and leaner, strengthen the heart as well as muscles, lowers blood pressure, lowers fat burning time, causes an appreciable lowering in stress levels and improves cardiovascular fitness. All of these benefits make the student more energetic and greatly helps them to form a better self-image as well as improve self-esteem.

In a dance fitness class, you dance to your favorite music. The instructor will teach you the moves you need to not only lose weight but also to become a better dancer. Perhaps you think that all of this might be a bit too much, especially if you feel that you were born with two left feet. It is not as difficult as it may seem. A few tips that might help in performing aerobic dance steps include imitating the instructor, understanding the basics, and remembering the stages.

Tip 1: Imitate The Instructor

The leader will be shouting out instructions to the class above the music She’ll be using the words left and right. These refer to either the left arm or leg or right arm or leg. The best advice in learning aerobic dance steps is to ignore the commands, at first from the instructor, and simply imitate their lead.

Tip 2: Learn The Basics

Dance step patterns are usually measured in beats. These beats, per minute, usually total 32 or 64. However, don’t worry about counting the total beats, but simply follow the instructor. Ordinarily, in keeping time, the only counting that needs to be done is in intervals of four and eight followed with a separate segment using four or eight counts. Ultimately the steps will add up to 32 or 64.

In addition to dance steps, the routine may eventually call for arm movements. These arm movements are added to the mix to increase the heart rate. You should be comfortable with the basic steps before adding arm movements.

Tip 3: Follow Instructions

Instructions in an a aerobics class are often given for beginners as well as advanced participants. If you try to follow the advanced instructions before your body is ready, You will run the risk of injury. At the very least, you may have some very sore muscles for a day or two. The difference between dance fitness classes are mainly one of impact. Beginner instructions are generally low impact. They involve more stepping or walking the dance steps. With advanced aerobic instruction comes more bouncing and hopping for a higher impact routine.

Follow the instructions in your aerobics class to prevent injury and unnecessary soreness. You should be starting each class with a warm-up time to get your muscles and heart ready for the exercise. Your instructor will end every session with a cool down, to help your heart rate slow down and your muscles relax. This is another part of your aerobics class where you should heed the instruction of your trainer. The warm-up and cool down are good for your body and will help you feel better after your vigorous workout.

Dancing is a great way to have fun and relieve stress. It is also a great way to get your necessary cardio in order to lose weight. Find a dance a aerobics class near you to get a new, thinner you. You will have fun doing it and You will want to tell all your friends about it. You will become a great dancer in the process, too.

Studies have repeatedly determined that accross the board Worksite Wellness Programs, or Worksite Wellness Programs, can decrease medical and insurance expenditures, decrease absenteeism, and better performance and work rate. Other advantages determined in research studies include improved ability to attract and retain key personnel, greater employee allegiance, and improved public perception of the organization.

Healthcare and Insurance expenditures

A number of studies offer evidence of decreased medical and insurance costs for participants in Corporate Wellness Programs, especially wellness programs involving exercise.

For $30 per person, the Bank of America started a Workplace Health Promotion Program for retirees using a risk assessment questionnaire, self-care books and other mailed materials. Insurance claims were reduced an average of $164 per year in this group while they increased $15 for the control group. Since they were able to document significant changes in risk behavior, they anticipate greater savings in future years.

Pacific Bell’s FitWorks participants claim $300 less per case for a 1-year savings of $700,000. Savings for conditions related to a sedentary lifestyle are $722 per case.

Coca Cola stated a decline in medical|medical|medical care|healthcare} claims with an exercise program alone, saving $500 per employee per year for the workers (60%) who joined their HealthWorks exercise program. Prudential Insurance Corporation reports that the company’s major medical costs dropped from $574 to $312 for each colleague in its wellness program.

Decreased Rates of Absenteeism

Absenteeism has been shown to be impacted by wellness programs. The evidence indicates a significant reduction in absenteeism and resultant dollars saved as a result of employee fitness programs.

Pacific Bell’s FitWorks program decreased absent days .8 percent to save $2 million in one year. FitWorks participants also spent 3.3 days less on STD for an additional savings of $4.7 million.

Focusing Corporate Wellness Program efforts on high-risk staff members has the potential to lead to better results. A national manufacturing organization reports a decrease of 12.2% in illness days for these staff members.

A two-year study by The DuPont Corporation of the significance of its comprehensive Worksite Wellness Program on absences among workers reports that blue-collar workers at intervention sites had a 14% decline in disability days vs. 5.8% decline for controls. There were a total of 11,726 fewer net disability days.

Enhanced Performance, Productivity and Morale

A number of employers with Employee Wellness Programs report documented improvement in job attitude, work success, energy level, and/or overall morale among program participants–all critical factors in enhancing productivity.

A Johnson & Johnson study observed that employee attitude changes were greater at Worksite Health Promotion Program intervention sites with significant positive attitude changes noted in the categories of business responsibility, supervision, on the job conditions, job competence/security, and pay/benefits.

In a Canadian government study, the Canada Life Assurance Employer experimental group realized a 4% growth in productiveness after starting a organization exercise program, compared to the control group. Further, 47% of program participants published that they felt more alert, had better rapport with their co-staff members, and generally enjoyed their work more.

Swedish investigators observed that mental effectiveness was significantly better in physically fit staff members than in non-fit staff members. Fit staff members committed 27% fewer errors on tasks involving concentration and short-term memory, as compared with the effectiveness of deconditioned staff members.

The Bottom Line

The following sample of Workplace Health Promotion Programs wellness program results have been reported by individual employers:

Company: Dollars Saved/Dollars Spent

• Bank of America (Fries): $5.96/$1
• PacBell: $3.10/$1
• Wisconsin School District Insurance Group: $4.47/$1
• Prudential Insurance: $2.90/$1
• Bank of America (Leigh): $4.73/$1
• General Mills: $3.50/$1

Summary

There is mounting evidence that a sizable portion of the billions of dollars currently spent by employers on health-related costs is avoidable by means of Corporate Health Promotion Programs. Well-planned, comprehensive Corporate Health Promotion Programs (Corporate Health Promotion Programs and Corporate Health Promotion Programs) have been shown to be cost-effective, especially when the Corporate Health Promotion Programs is matched to the health issues of the specific employee.