Worksite
A coordinated approach from all sectors of the community is needed as the SHIP initiative works to improve the health of all Minnesotans. Businesses and worksites are a vital part of these efforts and are uniquely situated to support healthy behavior among their employees.
Worksite Wellness is Effective
Worksite wellness is an organized approach to making the work environment, policies and programs support employee health and encourage positive lifestyle behaviors such as increased physical activity, improved healthy eating, smoking cessation services, reduced tobacco exposure, and reduced stress. Worksite wellness efforts are fast growing because many preventable health risks can be addressed at the workplace and thereby improve employee productivity.
Comprehensive worksite wellness efforts have been found to be effective in improving employee health risks (e.g. being overweight, lack of physical activity, poor food choices, tobacco exposure and use, stress and alcohol).
Today's Challenges
A larger percentage of our population is in the workforce, which leaves less time at home to be active with children and prepare nutritious meals. Thus, convenience foods have become the norm in the workplace and at home. Additionally, our sprawling communities and complicated lives make it difficult for employees to walk or bike to work. While 5 percent of employees account for 80 percent of health care costs, the individuals who populate this expensive grouping change over time. Therefore, while it is important to support those who are very ill, it is also very important to keep healthy individuals healthy.1
There is a high cost to not taking action:- Obesity is associated with increased rates of work absenteeism, costing the U.S. an estimated $4.3 billion per year.1
- Minnesota loses $2.6 billion annually from health care expenditures and lost productivity caused by tobacco-related illnesses.
- In 2000 an estimated
$495 million was spent in Minnesota treating diseases and conditions that would be avoided if all Minnesotan adults were physically active.1
Benefits of Worksite Wellness Initiatives
These changes are typically seen within six to 12 months, with a 25 percent plus reduction in sick leave, health plan, workers’ compensation and disability costs. Worksite health promotion represents one of the most significant strategies for enhancing productivity of American workers.1
Wellness programs are associated with:
- Reduced health care costs
- Improved employee health risks (e.g. being overweight, lack of physical activity, poor food choices, tobacco exposure and use, stress and alcohol).
- Increased productivity
- Lower absenteeism
- Improved recruitment and retention
- Enhanced employee health and morale
Worksite wellness efforts help employers manage the cost of health care, benefits and insurance by providing a positive return on investment (ROI). The annual ROI for wellness programs has been $3 to $6 every $1 spent, or a ROI of 3-6:1.
What’s Happening in Cass County?
Cass County SHIP will work with worksites to implement a comprehensive employee wellness initiative that provides health assessment with follow-up coaching; ongoing health education, and has policies and environment supports that promote healthy weight and healthy behaviors
Examples of how Cass County SHIP is supporting Worksite Wellness
- Support increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and other nutritious foods through food service, catering options and healthy vending.
- Implement a tobacco-free campus policy.
- Offer access to smoking cessation services.
- Encourage walking or biking to work.
- Provide Health Risk Assessments and follow up health coaching.
- MDH (2009). SHIP and Worksites Working to reduce chronic disease in Minnesota. Retrieved from http://www.health.state.mn.us/healthreform/ship/about/SHIPWorksitesFactSheet.pdf
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