Corporate Wellness programs have nearly been done to death... no pun intended! I am certain they all have the best of intentions. They start with a health screening to see who needs their program the most, then there is some sort of physical activity contest (pounds lost, most steps, etc.) along with some brief informative session on nutrition. Many employees start, some stick it out and only a few see results that motivate them to stick with the plan long term. It is a trend seen all too commonly in large groups. Why? Because most programs are designed to only target a few types of people - not the working population as a whole. By the end of this article, I hope you will see that Corporate Wellness programs need to truly include everyone better than they have in the past.
Health Screenings - Good or Bad?
They always start out with a "Health Screening" where a healthcare practitioner takes a few metrics as a measure of health (blood pressure, weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, etc.). These are great and necessary for determining the physical well-being of your workforce, but it is not used to create an actionable wellness plan that addresses the health challenges these results uncover. Once the results come in, they usually only target the sick. This is good for those with health challenges who want to change, but it leaves out healthy workers who want to take their fitness to the next level. Too often the "Wellness Champions" are not considered in the design of a plan so they choose not to participate. I personally feel they should stop weighing employees altogether. If body weight were truly a major productivity or cost issue for
working-age people, thinner developed countries would be enjoying
greater economic growth than more obese countries (it’s actually the
other way around), and foreign employers would not be locating plants in
states with the highest obesity rates.
Rewarding Desired Activity
Then there is the issue of the rewards for activity. Seems fair at first glance. Consider a runner who normally runs for 50 minutes at a 10 minute mile pace running a total of 5 miles. As a result of harder training, the runner progresses to an 8 minute mile pace and now only has to run for 40 minutes to run 5 miles. Suddenly, in most point systems for activity, the runner would not earn as many points for running 5 miles in 40 minutes as they did in running 50 minutes. Even though they worked harder, the point system is based on time spent. Step counting and "Biggest Loser" contests can start off fun, but in many cases there ends up being someone with a competitive streak that takes it to a borderline dangerous level because there are time limits on the contests. This can result in overuse injuries, higher risk of falling at work, as well as extreme and unhealthy weight loss habits. On the other side of that coin while there are those who could stand to adopt a few healthy habits like weight management and walking more throughout the day, this leaves out employees who already do this outside of work and don't feel motivated to participate in whatever program their employer is proposing.
Keeping Employees Engaged, Even Those Who Manage The Program
Don't forget that it costs employers money in the beginning just to engage their employees in a program. Some employers offer an up-front bonus in the beginning just for participation, but many participants will disengage after the big initial reward is gone. Don't forget about the costs associated with the Human Resources department who most likely have to keep the program going. The last thing you need is a program falling apart due to lack of interest that will ultimately end up lower and lower on their list of priorities.
To Employees or For Employees?
Ask yourself: Are you doing wellness to your employees or for your employees? The distinction should be self-evident. If a financial forfeiture
(whether phrased as “incentive” or “penalty”) is required to raise the
participation rate or if you need an elaborate “communications plan,”
it’s a threat, not an offer. Our suggestion: Ask employees what they want! In a 2014 survey from BenefitsPro.com, 62% of employees believe their overall health would improve
if their company did more to create a culture of health, and 66% believe they
would be more productive and engaged at work if their company had a culture of
health.
The Lesson: Include Everyone!
Because each company culture is different (for example: a medical office versus a mortgage company), everyone will have different requests or ideas on what they think a culture of health looks like to them. Depending on the size of your company, you will need to partner with a program that already exists to help everyone reach their goals no matter where they are on the wellness spectrum. For many people, all that requires is a little education and a few simple changes! That is where we come in!
In a recent survey of our clients, 91% say they live a healthier life because they are better educated about health and fitness through our messages. Contact us for a consultation and more information about our proven program! For more information, click here.
Ashley@ACultureOfWellness.com
704-770-8214
Stepping onto the scale is a sure-fire way to see if you've gained or lost weight, but because your fitness encompasses so much more than weight, a scale isn't always the best tool. The numbers on a scale can be misleading too. You could wind up frustrated and ill-informed if the numbers don't reflect what you think they should. And even if you're happy with the number on the scale, your weight is no guarantee that you are physically fit. Get the real skinny on your fitness with these 7 additional ways to measure your progress.
- Medical Markers: Hey, we all want to look great in our jeans, but true fitness is more important than vanity; it is about true health. Make an appointment with your doctor to determine your resting heart rate, blood pressure, glucose levels, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. Schedule a follow-up appointment for at least 90 days after you begin exercising consistently. After that, checking out these numbers annually will keep you on track.
- Clothing Size: Anyone who has struggled with weight gain has gone through that confidence-shattering moment - that tidal wave of self-loathing - when you wriggle into a pair of pants that used to fit and you can no longer button them up. On the flip side is that moment of triumph when a dress that was once too small fits again. How your clothes fit and how you feel in them are important indicators of your progress and are arguably tied more closely to your sense of confidence than any other metric.
- Endurance: Last month you couldn't jog down the street without panting like a dog and collapsing from a side stitch. This week, you can make it around the block. When you are able to add time and/or distance to your training, it proves that your body is getting more efficient, you are getting stronger, and your training is accomplishing what you intended.
- Strength: Stronger muscles are a good thing. Not only do you get attractive muscle tone, but more muscle mass increases your metabolism, improves balance and stability, decreases your risk of osteoporosis, and improves your overall body mechanics. When you're able to do more repetitions of a strength training exercise or increase the amount of weights you can use, you've got something worth celebrating. Track your progress so you can look back and see your improvements.
- Body Fat Percentage: Because people who replace fat with lean muscle mass can actually gain weight, it's important to track your body fat percentage rather than just look at the number on a scale. There are several ways to measure your body fat percentage, such as BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis) devices that estimate body tissue makeup through electrical current, calipers that measure subcutaneous fat, hydrostatic weighing, which calculates body mass based on water displacement, and BOD POD, which calculates body mass based on air displacement. While BIA scales and devices and skinfold calipers are affordable and easy to use, they are not always accurate. Hydrostatic weighing and BOD POD offer much more accurate results, but tests can be expensive and not available in all locations.
- Visual Observation: Is there a shadow of a muscle on your bicep? Is your waist trimming down? Actually seeing changes in your body - and being complimented on them by others - is one of the most rewarding parts of getting fit. Don't forget that body transformations require consistency and never happen overnight. It takes about four weeks of consistent effort for you to notice the earliest changes, about eight weeks for your close friends and family to notice, and twelve weeks for everyone else to notice. Take a weekly picture in your workout clothes once a week so you can compare the changes over time.
- Measurements: Most people seek fitness to change the shape of their body - to whittle their waist, build up their biceps, or reduce their derriere. Your measurements will show you exactly how and where your body is changing - something the scale cannot do. As you drop fat and build muscle, the number on the scale might not change a whole lot, but these numbers don't lie. For the most accurate results, measure your waist, hips, neck, chest, thighs, and biceps, then take those measurements two more times. Average all three. Chart your measurements weekly to see your progress.
Be completely still for just a moment...
Can
you feel your blood pumping? Can you feel your food moving through
your bowels? Have you noticed that scratch on your leg looks a little
bit better than it did yesterday? All of that is happening without your
conscious help!
Dear
reader... YOUR BODY IS AN INCREDIBLE, SELF-SUSTAINING ORGANISM! It is
genetically programmed to constantly heal itself even though our
environment is constantly changing. But in our Western society that
takes a pill for every ill, our bodies cannot achieve this goal the way
it wants to.
This I Believe: YOUR BODY'S ABILITY TO HEAL ITSELF IS GREATER THAN ANYONE HAS EVER PERMITTED YOU TO BELIEVE!
Through this article, I hope to inspire you to not only question what
you have been told, but to make a positive change in your life - not
because I say you should, but because you want to!
What
always amazes me about people who have come to know Western Medicine is
when they say, "Wow, it's starting to look like Eastern Medicine is on
to something!" Great! I'm glad you figured that out, but Eastern
medicine has been around for thousands of years. It
has served us so well because they have a different perception of the
body as a whole. Western Medicine thinks of the body like a machine - a
car or a phone, where pieces can be replaced or fixed with a pill.
Eastern Medicine sees the body for the organism that it is - like a
plant. When you put a plant in nourishing soil, water it and give it
sunlight, it flourishes and grows and is healthy... (unless you give
that plant to me! I have a rule in my house that if it doesn't move or
make a noise, it is going to die! In fact, the last time I presented
this talk using a plant as a visual aid, I left the plant at the
venue!).
Here is an unfortunate reality that has hindered the Eastern and Western paradigms from merging:
According to an article published in the New York Times several years ago, fewer than 30% of Medical Doctors (MDs) receive any training in nutrition because many schools do not require it.
Physicians are able to seek out nutrition courses, but it is not a
requirement. For those who have had no training in nutrition, it is
against the law to prescribe food because it is outside their scope of
practice. By that logic, it the cure for cancer were found in our food
(which I believe it is), a Medical Doctor with no training in nutrition
could not recommend dietary suggestions. In fact, it is against the law
in this country for an Oncologist to recommend anything other than
Chemotherapy or Radiation Therapy for treatment (which are both
neurotoxins and cause permanent damage to healthy cells).
The
hope I have left in humanity at this point comes from people like Dr.
Max Gerson who in 1958 wrote a book of how he cured 50 people of
terminal cancer while using natural therapies. Because his therapies
weren't "science-based," his clinic was not welcome here in the U.S. so
he had to open in Mexico. Or like Chris Wark, who after being diagnosed
with Stage 3 Colon Cancer in December 2003 used natural therapies to
heal is cancer after his Oncologist told him he was "insane" for taking
that kind of risk. Today, he has a blog ChrisBeatCancer.com where he tells his story and the stories of many others who have healed themselves through natural means.
Dr.
Max Gerson and Chris Wark speaking out appears to be a thorn in the
side of Western culture because their methods weren't "science-based"
and they are calling the ones healed through natural therapies "LUCKY." That made me laugh... because I don't remember LUCK having anything to do with SCIENCE!
I
am proposing you walk away from the end of this article with a mindset
to become a more informed consumer instead of just crying to your doctor
when you see a new commercial on TV for a drug that causes more
problems than it helps.
Pay
attention to the food you put in your mouth, the fluids you drink, the
air you breathe... and what goes on your SKIN! The skin is your body's
largest organ and it readily absorbs everything it comes into contact
with. Think about that when you go home tonight and get into your
pajamas and sleep for 8 hours under your sheets washed in Tide.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Tide is a registered
pesticide, stimulates the growth of breast cancer cells, is the #1 cause
of Eczema, feminizes male fish and is banned in Europe!
According
to the Society for Human Resource Management, every $1 spent on
wellness saves $3 in healthcare. Let's shift our spending from
management and cure to prevention... because an ounce of prevention
isn't just worth a pound of cure... it IS the cure!
THIS I BELIEVE!
