How Important is Wellness to an Organization?

Rose Ford of Cuyahoga County Library System introduced me to the propfessional group for Public Employees it is called IPMA-HR. Ms. Ford is the President of the group. Going in I didn't know what to think about this organization. I had never heard of it and wondered if they be would be accepting of someone who was not already in HR?

This group was far more intimate than other professional associations in that, the group was far smaller and it seemed everyone in the room truly knew each other.

The speakers were very engaging. I learned a lot of things I will be able to use professionally. Let me explain.

Understanding that wellness is an important part of any companies strategic and integrated plans is crucial to costs. According to Constance Beutel, Wellness Coordinator from Medical Mutual of Ohio, 75% of all health costs come from preventable diseases e.g alcohol abuse, blood pressure and body weight. If a company can institute a wellness program by asking people to join and quite possibly offering incentives the results, at least monetarily can be immediate. By proposing that employees participate many health care insurers premiums can be minimized.

Who should participate?

Everyone should participate. Usually within a company the vast majority of people live healthy lifestyles. It is only about 20% of people who subsist on McDonald's and refuse to wear a seatbelt while driving. But what about the people who go for checkups regularly and drink three glasses of milk a day? These are the no/low risk individuals whom Ms. Beutel says we should focus on. Make sure they get their 10,000 steps a day and learn how to handle on the job stress easily. In other words healthy people need programs too.

When and how should these programs happen?

Most employers know when people are not in the workplace they can't control for situations. For that reason programming should be set during work hours. Perhaps, a group leader can be chosen to chair and chart progress. This person should be someone the group would like to work with. Someone who has motivating factors about themselves and someone the group can trust.

What are the challenges of having a Wellness Program?

There are two main challenges to a Wellness program. One challenge is employees may believe the organization is being paternalistic and trying to manage their lives.

The other may come from the organization itself. Some companies may not see the value or understand the ROI in implementing Wellness programs.

The HR department must make both the employee and organization understand the benefits and values of the program.

Information on wellness programs can be found at:

http://www.healthyohio.org/wellnesscouncil/

This Not for Profit agency is based in North East Ohio. It is a resource for any department wanting to implement a Wellness program.