Corporate Wellness Watch: January 2008
Resolve to Help Employees Kick the Tobacco Habit in 2008
The first of January comes along every year and with it usually comes resolve for many of us to adopt a new healthy behavior or to stop an unhealthy habit. For a smoker, kicking a tobacco habit is a resolution that has the most impact on living a healthy life. It is estimated that over 34 million people want to stop smoking. Most people who successfully quit smoking have tried several times before they are successful.
As an employer, lowering the incident of tobacco use among employees is a resolution to keep through out the year. It is estimated that a smoker costs $3,561 a year in direct medical costs and lost productivity due to smoking-related illness, according to the Center for Disease Control1. Making sure that your organization has a comprehensive, on-going smoking cessation program that address smokers at all levels of their readiness to stop is an important goal. Here are some implementation ideas:
- Make your workplace smoke-free and offer programs that support good nutrition and exercise.
- Communicate to employees the importance of quitting and your organization's support in their quitting.
- Make sure your health plan offers effective treatment for smoking cessation including online and telephonic support, and covers pharmacotherapy.
- Disseminate the American Lung Association and American Cancer Society smoking cessation information on a regular basis.
- Offer a quarterly "Are you Thinking of Quitting" information session led by a trained tobacco cessation specialist who outlines the latest pharmacotherapy, nicotine replacement aids and support ideas.
- Offer a variety of on-site programs such as hypnosis, meditation and stress workshops that help people to quit.
- Run on-site smoking cessation clinics periodically and allow relapsed smokers to join the group again.
- Publicize local hospital and clinic programs.
- Offer incentives for healthy behaviors.
Taking steps to good health shouldn't be something to focus on solely in January but an ongoing process over the course of the year. As an employer, when employees successfully make healthy behavioral changes, whatever time of year, it is good for business. They lead to lower health care costs, better on-the-job performance and less absenteeism. Helping employees who smoke to quit is one of the biggest bangs for your wellness bucks.
Fitness Works at Work Welcomes...
- W.R. Grace as a client in November 2007. FWAW designed and is managing a new state-of-the-art fitness center and providing exciting wellness activities for the Grace facility located in Cambridge.
- Papa Gino's as a new client in October 2007. FWAW is delivering a variety of wellness programs to its corporate office in Dedham and locations in Massachusetts.
- Genzyme Corporation as a new client in January 2008. FWAW will provide a calendar of wellness events for all of Genzyme's facilities in Massachusetts, as well as assisting them with offering health promotion programs for their offices nationwide.
"Maintain Don't Gain 2007"
Fitness Works at Work Holiday Weight Management Program
Over 500 employees in FWAW client companies took part in "Maintain Don't Gain" this December. They "weighed in" before Thanksgiving and "weighed out" after New Year's with the goal of not packing on the extra pounds usually associated with the holidays. From Thanksgiving to January, they received email tips and support on exercise, nutrition and holiday stress management. Those that completed both weigh-in and weigh-out received an incentive gift for their efforts. "Maintain Don't Gain" has become an annual program generating lots of fun, competition and support during this time of year. Presenting healthy behavior options in a fun, culture-building manner is a trademark of all Fitness Works at Work programs.
Here's an Easy Wellness Idea
Recognize a quarterly "Wellness Champion". Ask for nominations of employees who have made the greatest steps toward personal wellness, or have contributed to the wellness of the organization during the quarter. Select a winner and publicize his or her contributions. Reward with a day off with pay, a gift certificate or other appropriate prize.
