e-Wellness Coach

Does your workplace foster physical exercise?

admin — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 08:23:13 +0000

How does physical exercise fit into a full-time employee’s hectic schedule? Often times, it doesn’t.

One possible solution to this challenge is to make physical activity a part of the work day. Clearly, being active at work is advantageous for staff members. But employers also benefit from having fit, energetic and healthy staff members who are more advantageous.

The challenges

Your job takes up much your time. In addition to the hours you spend actually on the job, there is the time needed to get to and from work and take lunch and rest breaks during the work day. In the end, there are a limited number of hours left over for the rest of your life. This work life imbalance is especially true for Alberta, where statistics show that we work exceptionally difficult.

Many jobs today are sedentary, and many American citizens drive to work. The pressures of work may also cause us to eat lunch at our desks and skip breaks. Then, after work or on the weekends we juggle household chores, family responsibilities and social engagements.

Employee Wellness Programs: Get started on a workplace physical activity program

Senior Leadership plays a key role in creating a culture that promotes health. The leaders at your workplace effect the various policies and the informal or formal practices, and these policies and practices affect your attitude towards healthy active living.

Begin by talking to your boss about the advantages of a healthy active workplace. The best way to guarantee the success of a corporation exercise program is to have the management on side and cheering you on.

Ask your management to consider taking these actions:

• Send a memo or message about the significance of health and healthy living that encourages employee to take an active break each day.
• Provide for flexible work hours that assist employee to be more physically active. By way of example, they might need to take a longer lunch break to attend physical activity class, making up the time by coming to work early or staying late.
• Provide a meeting room or other suitable office space for noon-hour yoga or exercise classes, and hire a teacher to lead them, or use videos.

If your boss agrees to support a workplace exercise program, do not forget to say thanks.

You don’t need an on-Site fitness center

Only very large organizations are able to afford onsite fitness facilities such as exercise equipment or squash courts. Still, most employers are able to take other affordable steps to support workers who wish to become more active.

For example:

• Arrange for discounted fees for employees at a fitness center, recreation center or YMCA facility.
• Install showers and a place to hang a towel. (Make sure the showers are cleaned regularly and that women who use them will feel secure.)
• Install bike racks or a locked enclosure that is safe, conveniently located and well-lit.
• Hold walking gatherings and set up lunch-hour walking groups
• Make employees aware of safe and pleasant walking routes near the workplace, as well as nearby locations that offer physical activity programs (such as walking, swimming, running, yoga, stretching).
• Find a certified instructor to teach employee about health, fitness and how to become more active.

Any size and sort of workplace can support employees who wish to be physically active. It’s highly desirable to get upper management on side. Even if your boss isn’t supportive, you have the potential to still learn ways to get moving more. Set up activities for groups and individuals, and advocate your co-employees to join in.

Wellness Coach: Physical Activity for Busy People

admin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:23:12 +0000

We all know that physical exercise is an significant part of health and wellness. But at times it’s hard to find time for physical exercise. Lack of time is the number one barrier that individuals say prevents them from participating in physical exercise on a regular basis.

The good news is that even short sessions of physical activity help your health. Research has determined that ten-minute sessions that add up to between 30 and 60 minutes a day have the potential to produce significant health benefits.

Also, there are numerous ways busy people are able to use to be more active. These strategies include:

• multi-tasking
• being active at work
• being active with loved ones
• scheduling exercise into daily life

Different strategies work for different individuals. Being familiar with the different strategies is key to adopting and maintaining an active lifestyle.

Read on to check out strategies you can try. With proper commitment, some of them are sure to work for you.

Strategy #1: Multi-tasking

The first strategy you have the potential to try is multi-tasking. This means doing things you already do, but in a more physically active way. This way you get done what you need to get done and you get physical activity at the same time.

By way of example, you’re already travelling to work and other places. Instead of taking the car or the bus every time, try using active methods of transportation like biking, rollerblading, walking and skateboarding.

If you can’t use active transportation for a whole trip, try to be active for at least part of the trip. If you’re riding the bus, for example, get off a few blocks early and walk the rest of the way.

Active transportation benefits your body by expanding your activity level, and it also benefits your neighborhood and the environment by reducing the number of cars on the road.

You have the potential to also get physical exercise while doing chores.

When you’re working around the house, try to be creative and look for the active choice. For example, if you’re cleaning the crack between the fridge and the counter, why not move the fridge so you are able to clean the area better and build your strength at the same time?

For outdoor work, opt for the old-fashioned way of doing things, as they’re usually more active. For example, use a snow shovel rather than a snow blower.

Strategy #2: Be Active at Work

Many American citizens spend eight hours a day or more working at a sedentary job. Here are a few simple ways to keep your body moving during work. The physical activity will revitalize you and help you be more beneficial.

When you’re working at your desk, try sitting on a balance ball or disk for part of your day (30 minutes to an hour). This gives your back and abs a workout.

Take active breaks at least once per day. During your coffee break, try doing some yoga, stretching or taking a quick walk. You might discover that walking up and down the stairs a few times does a better job of rejuvenating you than the java jolt.

Speaking of the stairs, take them instead of the elevator whenever you can. The stairs in your building are an opportunity to get your heart pumping.

Develop walking gatherings at work. Getting outside and having gatherings in a less formal setting is a great way to be active, makes the workday more fun and encourages creative ideas for work projects.

Strategy #3: Be Active With Your Loved Ones

Do physical activity with your family, friends, neighbours and pets. With this plan, you and your loved ones are doing some great multi-tasking together: enjoying quality time with each other and getting some of the physical activity that you all need to be healthy.

Go for walks, swims or bike rides together. Play Frisbee, soccer and other games and sports together. When you take your kids to the park, play with them rather than just watching them play.

Many neighborhood facilities offer classes that keep you and your kids active at the same time. Research these classes and take one or two.

You can even be active when you’re watching your kids do activities without you. For example, if your child plays hockey, take the opportunity to walk up and down the stairs in the stands a few times. If you feel self-conscious about doing it alone, why not gather a group of parents to do it together?

Strategy #4: Provide Physical Activity into Your Day

Plan your physical activity directly into your daytimer. Set a specific time and place for exercising. Make your physical activity appointments a priority, just as significant as any other appointment you put in your daytimer.

To help you stay committed to your physical activity appointments, you might want to make appointments that involve other people: such as by meeting with a personal trainer, taking physical activity class or jogging with a friend.

If you’re not sure how many appointments to make or what you ought to be doing during your appointments, try consulting with a personal trainer. A personal trainer can help you cultivate a physical activity plan and schedule.

The bottom line: see what works best for you. Experiment with the strategies. Find inspiration by talking to others about how they stay active and what strategies they employ. Be creative and patient while you learn what strategies work best for you. And be aware that your “best strategy” may change from time to time.

With sufficient effort, you will discover what works for you. Then, run with it!

Wellness Coach: How Employer Policies Can Help Employees to Remain Active

admin — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:23:12 +0000

• Commit to workplace physical activity in policy statements and commit funding to physical activity pushes.
• Clearly communicating the benefits of being physically active during work reinforces the company’s commitment to helping all workers be active. Use meetings, bulletin boards, newsletters and e-mail to reach as many workers as possible at least once a year.
• Provide flex time for physical exercise. Invite workers who actively commute to work or exercise during lunch to make up any missed time later in the day.
• Allow staff members to work part time, so that they are able to participate in physical exercise.
• Include a physical exercise account in your benefit plan to pay for or subsidize fitness memberships, assessments, classes, counselling or instruction.
• Offer interest-free loans for employees to buy bicycles or good walking shoes/runners.
• Conduct periodic employee interest surveys of employee physical exercise preferences, and offer a variety of options to suit those interests and needs.
• Hire qualified people to lead stretch breaks or physical activity programs or classes. For help in finding accredited fitness leaders, visit Alberta’s Provincial Fitness Unit.
• Recognize workers who participate in physical activity. Survey workers first to determine how they prefer to be recognized, e.g., through company newsletters, appreciation lunches, rewards and/or thank you notes.
• Give child care and other family-friendly amenities during physical activities that occur after work.
• Avoid scheduling gatherings during lunch.
• Promote active breaks rather than coffee breaks.
• Have active fundraisers instead of bingos. By way of example, staff members might climb the Calgary Tower stairs or take turns riding a stationary bike for 24 hours.
• Make birthday celebrations active times. Instead of a lunch, invite the birthday person to choose an activity. Options could include a session with a yoga instructor or an evening ski trip.
• Encourage a casual dress day. One study saw that employees who dress casually were more physically active.

Wellness Coach: How Your Organization Can Help staff members to Be Active

admin — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:23:12 +0000

• Make sure that your building’s stairways are clean, attractive and safe, and post signs encouraging employees to use the stairs.
• Design a wellness newsletter or intranet.
• Promote the Activity Tracker and promote employees to track their physical activity every week.
• Be creative, and make the most of the workspace you have. By way of example, mark off a safe walking path inside or around the building. You might also set up a training circuit, highlighting features of the workplace such as stairs.
• Provide physical activity opportunities at different times to accommodate night-, shift-, and part-time staff members.
• For workers in remote or satellite offices, offer equal access to key drives via the intranet. Adapt challenges to suit their environment and take advantage of local facilities and resources.
• Make physical activity available to employees with special needs. Adapt information and activities for any employee who are visually impaired or physically disabled as well as for people who speak English as a second language.
• Educate staff members about physical exercise using information from reputable sources such as the Alberta Centre for Active Living.
• Offer facilities that invite workplace physical exercise. Possibilities include bike racks, physical activity room, change rooms with lockers and showers, and safe and attractive grounds for walking.
• Have walking meetings.
• Promote workers to walk to co-workers’ offices rather than e-mailing or phoning.
• Set up a stretching room. This low-cost plan requires only a room, stretching mats, stability balls and medicine balls. Put up posters that show stretches and exercises.
• Offer incentives and rewards such as shoe bags, ball caps, T-shirts or water bottles to reward employee participation.
• Loan out pedometers for three months, so that workers have the potential to learn how many steps they usually take and how much exercise they need to add to get basic health benefits.
• Set aside space for staff members to plant and maintain a flowerbed or garden at the workplace. Use any resulting produce for gatherings and potluck lunches or donate it to charity.
• Develop a workplace wellness fair.
• Hire a certified fitness specialist to create and manage an worksite fitness facility.
• Supply staff members with active wear that shows off the company logo.

Wellness Coach: Physical Activity With Co-Workers

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:23:11 +0000

• Develop a launch event to establish excitement about upcoming activities and to set up a social climate that establishes being active as the norm.
• Design and reward monthly or bi-monthly business programs that are fun and active, e.g., picnics with physical games, employee tournaments and dragon boat racing. Encourage families to join in by including all-ages programs such as relay races, soccer matches, bocce ball and baseball games.
• Begin a swim club at a local pool. Invite groups of staff members to swim the distance of a nearby lake. Convert kilometres to lengths and reward staff members who complete the swim. Set up a challenge between staff members and managers to see who covers the greatest distance.
• Post a sign-up board where employee can join a group or find a buddy to take part in activities of interest.
• Establish a organization badminton tournament that lasts several months, with each employee playing once a week. Post the results as the tournament progresses.
• Establish an office Olympics, World Cup, Wimbledon or Masters Games. Invite teams to compete in several activities over a month. Reward everyone who participates.
• Design a point system in which one minute of exercise equals one point. Set a target, and post a chart where all employees can track their points. Reward the first group to reach that target.
• Develop a stair climb challenge. Post a chart at the top of the stairwell, and encourage workers to track the number of flights of stairs they climb each workday. Set up teams, and award a prize to the first team to climb the equivalent of Mount Everest.
• Post and reward a sign-up board for lunchtime walking groups.
• Develop a walk “across America” Choose a route, learn how many steps it would take to walk that distance and challenge workers to do it. Give or loan pedometers to workers, and ask them to record the number of steps they take. Or, if you cannot afford pedometers, track the minutes walked. Set up a challenge between workers and managers to see who is able to walk across America first.
• Create a walk to work club. Acknowledge staff members who either walk to work or walk to public transit.
• Have a volunteer group leader guide weekly lunchtime power walks.
• Establish a million-step challenge. Form groups, challenge each group to walk a combined total of a million steps and reward the winner. Departments or sites could compete with each other and with upper management.
• Encourage employees to walk 10,000 steps a day. Buy pedometers for all participating employees or, if you can’t afford that, make pedometers available at a reduced rate. Provide tips for increasing daily steps, and reward employees who succeed.

Wellness Coach : Building a Company Wellness Program

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:23:11 +0000

There is no one correct way to approach wellness programs but successful programs share common success factors. These include management support and commitment, employee involvement, adequate resources, and a policy on health that goes hand in hand with the organization’s mission, vision and values.

Worksite Health Promotion Program: A Range of Approaches

Although the goal is to eventually have a long-term, inclusive wellness program, some companies prefer to begin with a single program at a basic level. By way of example, the first steps could be as simple as offering lunch-hour sessions on first aid or healthy eating; or they could launch a pilot project to find out how interested workers are to ensure workers needs are being met before taking on anything more ambitious. This approach supplies a chance to show the influence on workers and the workplace so upper management will be more willing to consider a larger and more far-reaching strategy.

Other employers plan a variety of drives to meet the needs of the different sorts of people that make up their workforce. And some decide to advance a sound employer case, complete with a health plan, before setting out on any sort of program. Employers want to make sure that a new program is totally integrated with their overall employer vision and mission.

Worksite Wellness Program: Success Factors

Whether your company chooses to think big from the outset or to begin with something smaller, always keep in mind the following key success factors:

• support and participation from senior staff;
• employee participation in creating;
• programs that meet employee needs;
• a realistic budget; and
• continuous review.

In sports, a game plan is a series of steps that a team must follow to accomplish its objective of winning. Most winning teams plan to win. Organizations also need game plans, even if they don’t call them by that name.

Good planning will help to make sure that your wellness program happens the way you want it to, and that costs have the potential to be identified in advance and kept within budget. Good planning prevents small concerns from becoming bigger.

Steps in Starting a Company Wellness Program

Get senior staff reinforcement. You may need to advance a organization case to convince managers that the wellness program is a organization strategy-that employee health and job satisfaction impacts their productivity. employees need to see evidence that senior staff believes in and is committed to employee health.

Establish a planning committee. Members are able to include representatives from employee groups as well as from human resources(HR), health and safety, and communications.

Accumulate information. To prove that your Workplace Health Promotion Program is productive, establish a benchmark before the program begins. You may wish to look at employee satisfaction, absenteeism rates, stress levels, prescription drug expenditures or WCB costs. Assess what workplace facilities are available to support staff members to make healthy choices such as showers and change areas or a secure place to store a bicycle. Assess employee needs through a survey or questionnaire, suggestion box or focus group. Communicate the outcome.

Establish the plan to reflect the information gathered. Include program objectives, activities and how you are intend to measure whether your objectives were met. Keep the plan flexible. You may have to change direction in response to employee feedback or changes in the company’s structure.

Obtain senior staff approval. Support for employee time and a budget are required.

Put activities in place. Provide a variety of activities that establish awareness, expand knowledge, cultivate skills, and provide social interaction. (Activities could include walking clubs, participation in national campaigns such as Workplace Health Promotion Programs Week, SummerActive, WinterActive, corporate challenge, golf days, and newsletters that provide information about area resources.) Workplaces are able to also make it easier for employees to make healthy choices by providing flextime to allow employees to fit exercise in when it is convenient or by subsidizing programs in cooperation with area or private fitness facilities. A policy on catering for meetings has the potential to be sure that healthy foods are offered.

Assess the plan. Share your successes with others, learn from your mistakes and modify activities.

A wellness program doesn’t have to be complicated or a huge expenditure. Just do it. Obtain backing from senior staff, bring a few committed people together to generate some ideas and get started.

Wellness Coach: Creating a Supportive Environment

admin — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 08:23:10 +0000

How does it feel to walk into your worksite? Do people look happy? Is the place well lit and cheerful? Do you feel welcome, wanted and energized? Or do you feel a gloom descend upon you, and count the hours until you are able to leave?
The power of the worksite environment on the health and wellbeing of employees is profound. First there is the physical look, feel, smell, and sounds of the place. Then you’re affected by the policies, like whether others are allowed to smoke around you. As time passes, more subtle factors begin to affect you. Do your attempts to adopt a healthier lifestyle get recognized at work, or are they sabotaged? Are your managers inspiring you by being healthy role models? Do you get regular opportunities to discover healthier behaviors?
In a supportive environment, employees feel that the company they work for supplies them with encouragement, opportunity, and rewards for healthy lifestyles. And the spirit that results is highly contagious. Workers who feel cared are naturally more loyal and constructive.
The following ideas will help you transform your workplace environment into one that truly supports the wellness of your workers and employer.

Corporate Wellness Program Ideas for Creating Supportive Environments

Wellness Friendly Facilities

When you enter a worksite, do you feel comfortable? Could you be happy working there? Is there proper light and clean air? Are there pleasant work areas, places to eat decent food, take a walk before lunch? Close your eyes. How does it smell? Sound? Do the workers have proper space?
• Vending machines with healthy diet choices like non-fat milk, fruits, sugar-free and caffeine-free beverages and low-calorie snacks
• Workout area, walking paths, playing fields, basketball hoop, or other exercise opportunities worksite or nearby
• Cafeteria offers healthy foods that may include a salad bar with low-fat dressing
• Natural light is used whenever possible; all lighting is appropriate and adequate
• Heating and ventilation is adjustable, comfortable and healthful
• No cigarette machines, ashtrays, or smoking areas onsite
• Noise levels are safe and conducive to concentration
• Work station furniture conforms to ergometric standards
• Safety hazards have been eliminated
• Lockers and showers are available for employees who exercise before work or during breaks
• Stairs are clean and well lit, convenient and pleasant to use
Familiarity can make it tough to evaluate a workplace. People get used to stressful conditions and forget that conditions ever bothered them. It may provce useful to ask people who are unfamiliar with your workplace to walk through with you. Professional consultants can also assist.

Proactive Wellness Policies

One clear way to impact behavior is through policies and procedures. If nurses aren’t permitted to work more than twelve hours consecutively, there will be less medication errors. If parents are given flextime to attend to their children’s needs, they’ll be less stressed. If employees have the potential to apply unused sick days to planned vacation time, they’ll save them up rather than calling in sick to utilize them all.

Supportive corporate policies may include:

• Safety Belt use demanded in employer vehicles
• Drug and alcohol policies are relevant to the industry
• Emergency procedures are developed, known, and practiced
• Flexible work schedules allow workers to exercise, attend children’s school conferences, etc.
• Tobacco-free policy is enforced
• Excessive overtime is discouraged
• Membership at fitness facility is partially reimbursed
• Shift staff members are scheduled to allow adequate rest
• Medical Costs coverage rewards good health
• Rates of Absenteeism policy rewards workers who don’t use sick days
• Employee Assistance Program(EAP) ready to help staff members with chemical dependencies, depression, family concerns
• Meaningful consequences are given for unsafe, unhealthy, prohibited behavior. Your employer may have a policy against alcohol use during work hours, but if everyone looks the other way when someone comes back from lunch smelling like beer, the culture is one that permits drinking during lunch-and one in which written policies can be safely ignored. Prohibited behaviors must be confronted promptly. Otherwise your policies become mere lip service instead of springboards to health.

Consistent Recognition And Rewards For Success

Attention, praise, and rewards are provided for wellness achievements.
You have the potential to show you value the Worksite Health Promotion Programs by celebrating your programs and those who’ve made lifestyle improvements in company newsletters, on bulletin boards, and at annual banquets, meetings, and celebrations. Incentives are a direct way to demonstrate appreciation, too.
Wellness mentors are sought and applauded, too. Workers who support others’ efforts to improve their health are noticed and appreciated. Peer modeling and mentoring classes are able to advocate those who enjoy assisting others to step forward into a new role.

Managers Model And Support Healthy Behavior

Nothing could say “We encourage you to exercise frequently” better than a manager going on a bike ride during the lunch hour–or your supervisor sitting next to you in a weight management class. Wellness activities encourage relaxed interaction between people from different departments and at different levels in the chain of command. That promotes relaxed communication and a feeling of solidarity that is pure gold.
Managers are able to also provide support for workers who are working on working on their health. It doesn’t take anything fancy-just a “good job” or “nice to see you at the health club” can put a glow on the cheeks of most of us.
Managers are able to also help by allowing staff members the flexibility to attend wellness events.

Ongoing Workplace Wellness Programs

It’s valuable to give employees the sense that the wellness program is a permanent and valuable part of the company, not a company fad. That can activate as soon as a new employee is hired.
New employees are oriented to the wellness program as one of the employee benefits. Information about the program should be presented by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable person who encourages the new employee to take part.
The employees are familiar with the ongoing wellness programs.
The wellness programs and wellness coordinator are well known in the business. Opportunities to take part are abundant and it’s simple to sign up.
A wide variety of awareness classes are offered. There are subject matters of interest for everyone.

Wellness Coach : Motivational Workplace Health Promotion Program Events

admin — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:23:10 +0000

These are fun and easy events that can be done within your business to excite healthy behaviors during a contest or during other times. The objective is to encourage employee participation. Some examples:
• Design a sub-committee of enthusiastic workers who will help encourage the fitness program by offering ideas, suggestions and encouragement to fellow workers.
• Create monthly mailbox brochures to encourage a contest or provide fitness-related education/encouragement information.
• Send a periodic voicemail on each participant’s phone with encouraging wellness messages.
• Provide regular cumulative health progress reports.
• Provide reduced fat or heart-healthy lunch selections once a week in your cafeteria or have employees 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 kicks off.
• Allow workers “Fitness 15-Minute Walk Breaks;” company time to walk, exercise, etc. If appropriate, you could use a space not currently used to set up a treadmill, elliptical, bicycle, some free weights and relaxation music.
• Have 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 put up in the office showing how they have progressed – employees can get very creative with this and design pins that reflect their personalities.
   • Use a chart to compare progress.
   • Use a “thermometer” type graphic and illustrate progress – consider a different, fitness-related graphic all together and color it in as you progress.
• Offer aerobic dance or walking videos in your conference or break rooms.
• Compile a list of organized activities in the area 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
• Establish or go to a health-and-fitness workshop or retreat.
• Have a soup-and-salad luncheon followed by a hula-hoop contest!
• Use the mall as an alternate walking location during inclement weather.
• Designate “Move it Mondays” – allow employees to take an extra ten minutes at lunch for physical activity.
• Establish “Tasty Tuesdays” – provide employees with low-calorie treats/snacks.
• Designate “Walking Wednesdays”- allow workers to take an extra ten minutes at lunch to walk, or “Wacky Wednesdays” that allow workers to explore new exercises.
• Create “Thirsty Thursdays” – make healthy smoothies or juice drinks for workers.
• Create “Fresh Fruit Fridays” for employee – offer seasonal produce treats.
• Send weekly physical activity tips to staff members via the most effective communications vehicle in your workplace.
• Partner with another organization 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).
• Create walking clubs with executive/supervisory leadership.
• Seek out local aerobic opportunities or classes through churches, area groups, college, YMCA, etc.
• Contact several local area fitness centers and ask if they can or will offer group discounts for physical activity programs, waive enrollment fees, or set up a 12-week program as opposed to signing an extended contract.
• Hold 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.

Wellness Coach : Healthy Emails / Wellness Emails

admin — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:23:10 +0000

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

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

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

SAMPLE #1 Job Site Wellness E-mail Messages

From: Employee Health Promotion 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% 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 needed, over the sweatsuit, you have the potential to 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% 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% of your body’s heat is lost through the head. Wear a hat and cover your ears.
Lips — Don’t forget lip balm containing sunscreen … even in winter!

SAMPLE #2 Job Site Wellness E-mail Messages

From: Worksite Health Promotion Program
To: Wellness Team
Subject: Energy Boosts

Need an energy boost? 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 has the potential to make a big difference in your energy level the next day.
• Eat less more often. Have small, 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 sufficient amounts of water. Dehydration contributes to fatigue, which you are able to offset by drinking water throughout the day.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine. Both have the potential to contribute to dehydration and fatigue. They also tend to disrupt sleep patterns.

Wellness Coach : Wellness Seminars / Lunch and Learn Programs

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:23:09 +0000

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 find a speaker. Choose a site for the “Lunch and Learn” session, usually a lunchroom or break room. Depending upon your budget and objectives, staff members have the potential to brown bag the lunch or you might offer the meal. Meetings have the potential to be mandatory or elective, your choice.
Experience tells us the most success will be experienced if these Wellness Seminars / Lunch and Learn Programs are elective and if the company supplies lunch.
Goals for Wellness Seminars / Lunch and Learn Programs

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

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

Education on the importance 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 concerns.
• Prescription Drug Businesses – numerous organizations 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 – can discuss walking safety, advantages 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

• Bicycling – benefits and opportunities for cycling
• Nutrition and health (Heart Healthy lunch for all attendees)
• Cardiovascular 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 issues
• Starting an exercise program – include the significance of seeing the doctor before beginning of any new exercise program
• Self-defense
• Domestic violence
• Safety in general
• Exercise safety
• Walking/running benefits and safety tips Tobacco dangers and avoidance