December 2009, Focus: Human Resources
A proactive wellness program is an asset to your company
A 2008 study by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine found that 62 percent of small- to mid-sized American businesses offer some type of corporate wellness program. Statistics continue to back up the benefits of having such a program in place, from reduced work days to lowering the overall cost of health insurance as employees become healthier.
Some companies take a more passive approach in providing their employees with wellness services. Others, like Menasha-based Faith Technologies, take a much more proactive stance.
In 2005, Faith Technologies rolled out a new wellness program with a structure that not only includes a wellness specialist, but “wellness chargers” at 15 divisional offices throughout the country that actively communicate and implement the program.
“Every year, participation in our program continues to grow,” says Katie Behm, Faith Technologies’ wellness specialist.
Her work, as well as that of the wellness chargers, is twofold. First, their efforts help improve the overall health of both employees and their families. This, in turn, leads to reducing the company’s overall healthcare costs and increasing productivity.
Faith Technologies’ wellness program is fairly broad, with personalized coaching, tailored plans, several rewards programs, tobacco cessation and a health risk assessment.
“One of the programs that we do see quite a bit of participation in is our tobacco cessation program,” says Behm. “Our program is structured so there is a lot of support for anyone who wants to try to quit smoking; the program pays for doctor’s visits as well as tobacco cessation products up to $3,000.”
As a registered nurse and the company’s de facto wellness coach, Behm helps employees improve their overall wellness with very broad brush strokes. On a more localized level, it’s the company’s wellness chargers that often are the first to address employee’s wellness questions and concerns.
“I also do a lot of research regarding local wellness opportunities,” says Rochelle Biermann, a wellness charger at Faith Technologies’ Appleton location. “For example, I try to provide information on activities that are going on in the Fox Valley.”
Local employees are familiar with Biermann, both in her professional role and on a more personal level, simply because she is a co-worker.
“I think that really does help,” she says. “People are more willing to talk one-on-one if they are familiar with you, see you as a person and are comfortable with you if they’ve worked with you personally. I think we all like to put a face with a name.”
That also gives Biermann a chance to lead by example, and she provides a very good example.
“People know that I run, and I do get a lot of questions about training for runs and marathons,” she says. “I try to help everyone, whether they are just starting out in a program or need further training.”
But both Behm and Biermann are also able to help employees, as well as their family members, who have more basic questions about improving their health and wellness.
Recently, Behm responded to a voice mail left by the wife of a technician in Wisconsin. The woman was looking for ways to make healthy changes to her family’s eating routine, noting that they drink a lot of soda and eat a bit too much fast food on the go.
After listening to the message, Behm contacted the woman, asking her to explain the family’s day to day lifestyle, noting that would be a good start for the woman to set some realistic goals for the family and moderate their food choices.
By making their company’s wellness program something accessible and visible throughout all company divisions, Behm, Biermann and the other wellness chargers at Faith Technologies show that the company just doesn’t talk the talk when it comes to supporting improved employee wellness.
“We can tell, tell, tell all we want, but the people who make changes are those who participate personally,” says Biermann.
“Our program gives our employees so many opportunities to see average people improving their health and wellness — and they often think, ‘Wow, if that person can do it, maybe I can too.’”
Laurie Arendt is editor of CRW. She can be reached at crweditor@crwmag.com