Do higher-ups say a program is too costly? Make it cheaper
Trend is 'pinching pennies' for wellness
There is no question that wellness programs are increasingly on the "chopping block" for budget cuts. "Given the economic situation we are facing, cost cutting is the name of the game," says Don R. Powell, PhD, president and CEO of the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, a wellness program provider based in Farmington Hills, MI. "While there are some companies who don't have to be sold on wellness, many others are pinching pennies."
Having the right data makes cost less of an issue, however. "Let's say you are spending $100 per employee per year, which is on the high side for a wellness program. If you can clearly show that you are saving $200 per employee, then the cost of that program isn't looked at so closely," says Powell. In fact, if you drastically cut costs of a successful program, it's likely to be counterproductive and decrease your savings.
In many cases, though, occupational health professionals only have "softer" data to work with, such a survey on the percentage of employees who say they benefited from a program. "If you can't document savings to any appreciable degree, that's when you need to look at reducing the cost of a program," Powell says. Here are some ways to do this:
Give workers a map instead of a gym.
"You don't have to build a $500,000 fitness mausoleum for employees. You can simply give them a map that shows a three- and five-mile walk around company grounds," says Powell. "You can use MapQuest [www.mapquest.com] and put something together in about 10 minutes, and a photocopy probably costs about a nickel."
Pit one department against another for weight loss.
"Choose a department head who will solicit people to participate," says Powell. "The key is that you want to look at the percentage of weight lost, not the total pounds lost. Otherwise, somebody with a lot of weight to lose would bias the result."
Remove junk food.
"Take potato chips out of vending machines and replace them with fresh fruit," says Powell. A "no junk food" policy for company celebrations is another good tactic, he says.
Replace coffee machines with chairs and headphones.
To increase productivity, offer workers a room where they can listen to environmental sounds and allow them to unwind for 10 minutes, instead of drinking coffee, which acts as a stimulant, says Powell.
Implement a strict no-smoking policy.
"We see that anywhere from 3% to 5% of employees will spontaneously quit smoking when that type of policy is implemented," says Powell. "The estimated cost of a smoker to a company ranges anywhere from $1,000 to $4,500 per year. It's a very high-cost item."
Ask mid-level managers and senior executives to participate in at least one wellness program.
"That sends a strong message and doesn't cost any money," says Powell.
At Warrenville, IL-based Navistar, top leadership, including the company's CEO, participate in a competition for employees to "beat the execs" during its annual Trucking Across North America (TANA) program. Employees form teams of 5-10 people and track their physical activity using a pedometer. Executives also form a team, and employee teams who score higher than the "exec team" are recognized.
Dawn Weddle, RD, the company's wellness and behavioral health manager, says, "Leadership support is provided at a local level as well, through verbal and written endorsement of these programs." For example, one executive challenged her division to score higher than her. If they did, they got to use her office for the day. "Most of our employees are in cubicles, and she has a very spacious office," Weddle explains. [See TANA flyer, a memo from an executives encouraging TANA participation, and fliers sent out to show executive endorsement.]
Make stairs the better option.
"Make the elevators painstakingly slow, so employees will take the stairs instead," advises Powell. "And make the stairs a fun environment rather than a back alley." To do this, Powell suggests hanging artwork from employees' children and posting signs listing the number of steps being walked.
Estimate risk factors and cost savings.
If you can't afford to hire an outside vendor to do a formal health risk analysis, you can still get an idea of the risks in your workplace. Powell's company offers a free calculator called the Wellness Wizard.
By e-mailing the number of employees at your workplace, you'll receive an estimate of the number with conditions such as high cholesterol and other variables. "It's not an exact calculation, but it's a way to get some sense of what extra costs you are experiencing," says Powell. "Then you can take it a step further and say, if we reduce this number by X%, this is what we will save."
Hand out free information at a "stop-by" table.
Promote an activity of the week or topic of the month, such as heart health, nutrition or mammograms, with educational materials from local hospitals, the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Most people do not realize how much high quality free information is out there," says Powell.
SOURCE
For more information on no-cost options for employee wellness, or to use the Wellness Wizard, contact:
Don R. Powell, PhD, President and CEO, American Institute for Preventive Medicine, Farmington Hills, MI. Phone: (248) 539-1800 Ext. 235. Fax: (248) 539-1808. E-mail: [email protected]. Web: www.healthylife.com.
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