Wellness at Work

Amber Long, M.Ed. Fitness Coordinator, KU Student

Recreation Fitness Center

Hollie Swindler, B.S. Graduate Assistant, Fitness, KU Student

Recreation Fitness Center

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure………….

Health vs. Wellness

Health: Condition of being

of sound body with emphasis on freedom from pain and disease.

Wellness: A multi-dimensional

state of well-being, a holistic approach to life that encompasses bodily, mental, emotional, environmental, spiritual and community health.

ACE Fitness Matters Jan/Feb 2009

7 Dimensions of Wellness

1. Emotional2. Environmental3. Intellectual4. Occupational5. Physical6. Spiritual7. Social

http://www.undstudenthealth.com/PDFs/recommendations.pdf

Emotional Wellness

Having the ability to feel and express emotions, like happiness, sadness, and anger.

Manage stress, possess self-esteem and self-acceptance, and appropriately sharing your feelings with others.

skills include: seeking and providing support, learning time management skills, practicing stress management skills, and accepting and forgiving yourself.

http://www.undstudenthealth.com/PDFs/recommendations.pdf

Environmental Wellness

Includes protecting the earth and its resources and modifying your surroundings to help you achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Ideas: conserve water and other natural resources reduce, reuse, recycle minimize your exposure to chemicals renew your relationship with the earth

Modifying your environment to remove or minimize barriers. Example: rearranging your work area to allow

you to be more productive.

http://www.undstudenthealth.com/PDFs/recommendations.pdf

Intellectual Wellness

Striving to improve your intellect and your creative spark. Examples include:

taking a course or workshop learning a foreign language reading for personal enjoyment seeking out persons who challenge you

intellectually taking up a hobby.

Making health decisions based on solid scientific evidence obtained from reliable sources.

http://www.undstudenthealth.com/PDFs/recommendations.pdf

Occupational Wellness

Preparing and making use of your skills and talents. Finding a career that is meaningful,

enjoyable and rewarding is vital to job satisfaction.

Ideas include: exploring career options creating a vision of your future being open to learning new skills

http://www.undstudenthealth.com/PDFs/recommendations.pdf

Physical Wellness

Encompasses a variety of healthy behaviors including: adequate exercise proper nutrition abstaining from harmful behaviors like

drug use and alcohol abuse

http://www.undstudenthealth.com/PDFs/recommendations.pdf

Spiritual Wellness

Set of beliefs, principles, or values that guide your life. (Not strictly religion) Increase your spiritual well-being by:

exploring your spiritual core being inquisitive and curious listen to your heart and following your

principles allow yourself and others around you the

freedom to be who they are

http://www.undstudenthealth.com/PDFs/recommendations.pdf

Social Wellness

Receiving and giving support to family and friends, enhancing diversity and becoming active in issues that you care about. Ideas include:

interacting with people of other cultures, backgrounds & beliefs.

cultivating healthy relationships sharing your talents and skills contributing to your community communicating your thoughts, ideas and

feelings.

http://www.undstudenthealth.com/PDFs/recommendations.pdf

Employee Wellness

Relatively new concept Unhealthy lifestyle leads to chronic

disease: Smoking, poor nutrition, physical inactivity,

and alcohol account for 800,000 deaths annually.

108 million people in U.S. have a chronic condition

50% of premature deaths in U.S. are related to modifiable lifestyle factors.

Chronic disease accounts for 70% of nations medical costs.

12

Increasing Costs and Concern

A bunch of beans……..

“Starbucks spends more on health insurance for employees per year than on raw coffee.”

American Heart Association

Determinants of Health

HealthBehaviors50%

Environment20%

Genetics 20%

Access toCare 10%

Healthy or unhealthy behaviors impact an individuals health more than anything else.

Physical Activity Nutrition Tobacco/Alcohol/

Drugs Stress

Management

Physical (In)activity

ACSM recommends 30 min of activity everyday.

Most (75%) of Americans do not meet this goal.

Exercise 30-40 minutes/day most days per week can delay onset of disability by 10-12 years.

Sedentary living costs the nation an estimated $150 billion per year in health care costs.

It is estimated that an employer can attribute 15% of all healthcare costs to sedentary related disease.

WELCOA.org

Reality Bites (nutrition)

About 67% of American population is obese.

12% of an employers health care costs attributed to disease related to obesity.

McDonalds corporate mission: 4.5 minutes from nearest outlet at all times!

Americans spend more on fast food than on higher education, computers or new cars!

WELCOA.org

Blowing Smoke(tobacco)

23% of population uses tobacco Tobacco associated disease

Female age 23- $106,000 Male age 23 - $220,000

WELCOA.org

Ahhh! (stress management)

Depression is predicted to be the leading occupational disease of the 21st century

responsible for more days lost than any other single factor

$300 billion, or $7,500 per employee, is spent annually in the U.S. on stress

Compensation claims, lost productivity, health insurance claims, medical expenses.

Americans work 164 hrs/yr. more than they did 20 yrs ago!

Stress Directions, Inc.

Corporate Response:Workplace Wellness

Cost - Shifting Public Policy Wellness Programs

• Employees pay higher deductibles, premiums and co-payment fees

• 62% of large employers said they would keep costs down by shifting increases to employees

• Doesn’t contain costs and alienates employees and unions

• 33% of companies said that they are placing a greater emphasis on improving employee health through wellness programs and 33% are considering it.

• Incentives

• Onsite Screenings

• Employee Assistance Programs

• Online, interactive tools

• Communications i.e. newsletter

• Healthy vending machine choices

• Lobby lawmakers to impact legislation to control healthcare costs

Consumer Driven Health Plans

• High-deductible medical plan coupled with an employer-funded reimbursement account for each employee

• Intended to encourage more cost-conscious personal healthcare decisions

• Account for about 2% of all healthcare coverage in the U.S.

Trends in corporate response to the rising cost of healthcare:

•American Heart Association

Benefits of Employees Wellness Programming

Employer & Employee Benefits Employers can save $2.30 to $10.10 in medical

expenses per dollar spent. Helps prevent obesity, cancer, heart disease,

hypertension other chronic issues. Less absenteeism, more productivity. Improves worker leadership and morale. Better working environment.

www.employeewellnessusa.com

Your Wellness at Work

University of Kansas – Employee Wellness Services HealthQuest

Screenings, incentives, assessments, chronic condition care, tobacco, weight stress mgmt programs.

Lifeline Employee Assistance Psychological services, life coaching

KU Recreation Center Open recreation, fitness programs, outreach programs

Robinson Center Open Recreation and swimming

Weight Watchers Wellness Resource Center

Hawk Health Environmental Services Others?

The next step in employee wellness programming: What now?

Step 1: Collect data Step 2: Form Wellness Committee Step 3: Establish goals, objectives &

strategic plan Step 4: Design programs based on

feedback Step 5: Implement programs Step 6: Evaluation

Your Ideas?

What are you interested in? Seven dimensions of wellness – specific

types of programs or specific areas of concern?

What would you participate in? Incentives? Ideas from other organizations?

Thank-you!

Amber Long Fitness Coordinator, KU Student Recreation

Fitness Center Ajlong@ku.edu

Hollie Swindler Graduate Assistant, Fitness, KU Student

Recreation Fitness Center Hcs@ku.edu

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure………….