Healthy Employees Create a Healthy Library

Workplace Wellness is Worth Checking Out

Leslie HartleyAdult Services Manager

Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library

• Main Branch is a Carnegie library built in 1906

• 6 other branches throughout the county

• We have 48 staff members

• County population of 77,000

• We have 29,000 card holders

• We circulated 572,232 items in 2013

Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library

• Began our wellness program in 2009

• Received a Healthy Ohio Worksite Wellness Award 5 years in a row.

• Received a Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award in 2011.

Agenda• Identifying the Need for Worksite Wellness Programs• Benefits of Worksite Wellness Programs• Establishing a Wellness Committee• Assess Employee Needs and Interests• Designing a Wellness Program – Develop Mission

Statement, Goals and Objectives and Wellness Budget• Implement the Wellness Program• Selecting Wellness Program Incentives• Evaluate the Success of the Wellness Program

Worksite Wellness defined

• Workplace wellness is any workplace health promotion activity or organizational policy designed to support healthy behavior in the workplace and to improve health outcomes.

Identifying the Need• Obesity has been linked to numerous chronic diseases

including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, stroke, osteoarthritis and some cancers

• Each year obesity contributes to an estimated 112,000 preventable deaths.

• Many workplaces are now sedentary settings and often provide easy access to energy-dense food and beverages.

• As a result, workplaces are contributing to the obesity epidemic.

Cost to Employers• Obesity drives up costs for employers and is

associated with increased absenteeism, disability, injury and healthcare claims.

• In 2000 the health costs of overweight and obesity in the US were estimated at $117 billion.

• Being overweight increases yearly per person health care costs by $125, while obesity increases costs by $395.

Cost to Employers• A survey of North Carolina Department of Health and

Human Services employees found that approximately 70 cents of every healthcare dollar was spent to treat employees who had one or more chronic conditions, two thirds of which can be attributed to three major lifestyle risk factors: physical inactivity, poor diet, and tobacco use

• Obese employees spend 77% more on medications than non-obese employees and 72% of those medical claims are for conditions that are preventable.

Benefits of a Wellness Program

• Decreased healthcare costs• Lower short term sick leave• Increased performance and productivity• Higher employee morale

Getting Support from the Start • Is there support from the Library Board and from

Administration?• Are managers willing to participate in worksite

wellness programs and encourage others to do so?

• What do they see as the benefits of worksite wellness programs for employees and the organization?

• What kinds of worksite wellness activities are they willing to allow?

The Wellness CommitteeEmployee involvement is vital to the success of any wellness program.The wellness committee should include:

Employees from a variety of departments and job classifications

Potential participantsA member of Administration

The Wellness CommitteeThe wellness committee serves several functions.

1. Its an employee-driven advisory board encourages “buy-in” from both management and potential program participants.

2. A representative planning committee will help assure that the program is responsive to the needs of all potential participants.

3. The committee can be responsible for carrying out or overseeing the rest of the steps in the planning process.

Employee Needs and InterestsSince worksite wellness programs are for employees, it’s a good idea to find out from them what approaches have the greatest chance of success. A simple survey made up of 10 or 12 questions can provide valuable information. For example:

• Discover how employees want to receive program information.

• What health components are they most interested in addressing and how?

• What types of groups might employees be most inclined to join

• Do any employees have expertise that may be useful to the program?

Designing the Program• It is important to think about what you hope to accomplish

and who will do what, when and how.

• Develop a mission statement and vision statement that list the overarching values that drive the venture and the ultimate goals or accomplishments that the project will strive to achieve.

• Set goals that have one or more objectives established to ensure that the goal will be successfully accomplished.

Mission:To create and sustain a healthy organizational culture that promotes good nutrition, physical activity, and encourages preventative medical care.  Vision:To encourage positive lifestyle choices that enhances our employees’ personal and professional productivity, and improves physical, mental and emotional well-being.   Strategic Priorities: Continue to adopt organizational policies that promote wellnessDevelop and build sustainability into the wellness program to keep employees engaged and challengedContain health care costs, reduce absenteeism, and improve morale and productivity  Committee Members: Nick Tepe - DirectorLeslie Hartley – Adult Services ManagerRick Edler – Facilities ManagerDebbie Nunziato – Community Relations ManagerTammy Newlun – Clerk Main Library Cathy Carroll – Technical Processing ClerkLaura Kruger – Clerk Northside BranchMissy Exline – Technical Processing Clerk Goals for 2013: Offer lunch and learn programs for staff that focus on heart health and good nutrition.Offer fitness activities focusing on reducing stressOffer health screenings that cover cholesterol, blood pressure, blood glucose, BMI, and skin cancer.Continue to register staff for first aid training.Promote employee participation in health challenges, and community fitness events.

Wellness Budget• An accurate and comprehensive wellness budget will allow

the committee to better compare program costs and outcomes during the program evaluation.

• Employee cost-sharing for specific activities is also an option.

• Keep in mind that programs with moderate costs are more likely to demonstrate cost-savings.

• Research the availability of grants

• Find ways to partner with other community organizations

Put Your Plan Into ActionThis is the fun part!

Put Your Plan Into Action• Use survey results to plan activities• Add wellness activities to staff meetings and in-

service days• Alternate programs between physical activity,

nutrition and emotional wellness• Messages should be repeated and themes

reoccur

Examples of Programs• Lunch and learns• Walking Challenges• Ergonomic

Assessments• “Biggest Loser”

Challenges• Yoga Classes

• Chair Massages• Recipe Contests• Health Screenings• Internal recognition

program

Finding Community Partners• West Virginia University Extension• Local Health Departments• Local Hospitals and Doctor’s Offices• Workers Compensation• YMCA

Secure Grant Funding• The money is out there• Make sure at least one wellness

committee is comfortable writing grants

• Some sources might include: LSTA, Bureau of Workers Compensation, National Network of Libraries of Medicine

Change the OrganizationMake sure organizational policies and practices match the wellness messages.• Smoke free campus• Healthy food offerings at meetings and in-

service• Healthy vending options

Incentives• Wellness program incentives attempt to build motivation

by offering individuals external rewards for taking steps in the right direction.

• Don’t underestimate the power of wellness incentives to motivate people to change. The fact is that people are not intrinsically motivated to live health lives – if we were then we wouldn’t need wellness programs.

• Don’t be afraid to ask for donations from health insurance providers, local agencies, farmer’s markets etc. The worst they can say is no.

Incentives• Pedometers• Cookbooks• Gift Cards• Stress Balls• Wellness Leave

Evaluate Your Success• Periodically review wellness programs to determine their

efficiency and effectiveness.

• A good wellness program evaluation looks at information to learn both how well the program is working (process measures) and whether or not it is achieving expected results (outcome measures).

• Pre and post program surveys can be very helpful.

Summary Benefits of worksite wellness programs for employees include:• Weight reduction• Improved physical fitness• Increased stamina• Lower levels of stress• Increased well-being, self-

image and self-esteem• Better nutrition

Benefits of worksite wellness programs for employer include:• Reduced healthcare costs• Decreased rates of illness

and injuries• Reduced employee

absenteeism• Improved employee

relations and morale• Increased productivity

Leslie Hartley740-702-4145

hartlele@oplin.org