Bakersfield Life

Becoming fiscally fit

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     When reviewing your benefits package with your new employer, the list of benefits may go something like this: health insurance, dental, on-site health screenings, 401(k) …
Wait, on-site health screenings? Yes, and free to you.

       More Bakersfield employers and their employees are reaping the benefits of worksite wellness and health promotion programs. Worksite health promotion is, according to The American Journal of Health Promotion, “the science and art of helping people change their lifestyle to move toward a state of optimal health.” It is a well-designed program that facilitates a lifestyle change through a combination of efforts to enhance awareness, change behavior and create environments that support good health practices.

     With health care costs continuing to rise and employers bearing much of the burden, containment of these costs has been a prime focus. In 2006, The San Francisco Chronicle reported that nationally, medical costs are rising about three times as fast as wages. Worksite wellness programs have been increasingly successful in curbing the cost burden to employers. Once considered just a fad, these programs have a proven track record of success. In fact, more than 86 percent of companies with 50 or more employees have some type of wellness program in place.

The benefits aren’t just financial
     While saving on the bottom line is important for any company, the benefits of such wellness programs extend far beyond the fiscal. Studies have demonstrated that employees involved in fitness programs have higher morale. The feeling that their employer truly cares for them by providing such programs increases employee job satisfaction.
     Bakersfield company ELCO Inc. has been very successful in offering onsite employee wellness services such as health screenings and classes. “ELCO has always recognized that a healthy work force is a productive and safe work force,” said ELCO Facility Manager Greg Dufresne. Dufresne adds, “Benefits for many of our employees have been weight loss, blood pressure reductions, blood sugar control and the behavioral changes that bring the enhanced good feeling about oneself that healthy living brings.”

Programs can grow as need grows
     Generally, the most successful approach is to implement wellness programs in “upgradeable modules.” As the needs increase, program components can be added and customized for the population.
For example, one company may simply start with a monthly newsletter, distributed through interoffice mail or e-mail. Every month, topics such as ergonomics, healthy recipes, interesting health facts and more can be highlighted. Increasing health awareness in a nonthreatening manner can lead to the next level of components: on-site classes.

      Classes on such topics as nutrition, fitness, back care, stress management, cholesterol and more can be offered at work. One of the most successful class components is a “brown bag” sessions in which employees bring their lunch to an onsite, lunchtime session. This makes for a more relaxed, thus more effective, learning environment.

      Finally, to demonstrate program effectiveness and health impact, add the pinnacle of personalized wellness services: the health screening. Such screenings can allow employees to have their blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, height, weight, body composition and even fitness evaluated on-site. This baseline data can be collected and used for future tracking to insure your employees are achieving better health and wellness. It is vital to keep information confidential and simply use aggregate date to show trends over a period of time, not individual results.

Plan today for benefits tomorrow
      There is little doubt that worksite wellness works. Though Bakersfield hosts large companies such a Chevron, Occidental and State Farm, companies don’t have to be massive to offer such programs. In fact, regardless of size, most companies cannot afford to be without such a program.
      While programs may seem large and cumbersome, one can start slowly: circulate that simple newsletter or host a local health professional for a “lunch and learn” event.
     When designing a program, get buy-in from the employees and survey their needs. Then work on realistic solutions together.
With a little planning and research, you’ll soon discover that worksite wellness truly does make cents.