Worksite Wellness:
Fostering a Culture of Wellness

Health care costs are increasing primarily because of rapid increases in chronic diseases that are the result of unhealthy lifestyles. The worksite provides a great environment for addressing health and wellness.  While there are many private sector companies providing comprehensive approaches to worksite wellness, the use of these services by employees is very low.  Additionally, while all of these companies purport to address obesity, there is little evidence of success.

In its inaugural phase, this initiative combines strategies from the fields of social psychology, environmental health and safety, business and leadership development, and the small changes research in health and wellness. The business model includes approaches for the individual, the leadership and the culture. We provide tools for worksite wellness audits, gathering interested volunteers, creating specific campaigns, and developing methods for tracking engagement and progress.

Our approach to worksite wellness is creation of a worksite culture of health.  This involves a focus on weight, but particularly on prevention of weight gain, an outcome much more achievable than weight loss. The approach involves engagement of management as role models and in providing incentives for behavior change. It involves evaluating and modifying the worksite environment for food and physical activity. It involves engaging the employees in making small behavior changes to prevent weight gain and to improve health.  Finally, it involves providing information and programs for the employee to take home and engage the entire family.

The Center will work with corporations of all sizes to develop tailored wellness programs for their employees and to provide an avenue for employees to pursue these programs. Benefits for companies include:

• Cost-reduction for corporations through decreased direct medical care expenses
• Increase corporations’ productivity by improving the health status of their employee base
• Connecting to a healthier community which ultimately impacts their bottom line

We are committed to continuing research on worksite wellness and have developed a strategic partnership with Wellness & Prevention, a J&J company that provides worksite wellness to large companies.