1. Julie Jackman Working Toward Wellness Program Mecklenburg County Health Department Worksite Wellness Creating Work Environments that Encourage Health

2. What is Worksite Wellness? From the boardroom to the break- room, supporting healthy behaviors through worksite policy and environmental change. Access to healthy nutrition and opportunities to be active at work. Removing barriers to healthy living in order to create a Culture of Wellness.

3. Steps to Worksite Wellness Step 1: Where to begin. Gather Data Step 2: What you can do. Program Development Step 3: What have others done. Best Practice or Success Stories Step 4: Find valuable resources. Resources to Help

4. Evaluate the worksite. Worksite Self-Assessment

5. What do employees WANT? Employee Interest Survey EMPLOYEE INTEREST SURVEY

6. What do employees NEED? Health Risk Appraisals or Assessments

7. What Works in Worksite Wellness Step 1: Where to begin. Gather Data Step 2: What you can do. Program Development Step 3: What have others done. Best Practice or Success Stories Step 4: Find valuable resources. Resources to Help

8. Starting Your Program  Get management support  Gather your team or coalition  Utilize wellness advocates  Brand your program: Name, Logo, Tag line  Create a Wellness Plan  Plan a launch event to kick off the program

9. Provide Opportunities for Physical Activity: Environmental Changes  Onsite Fitness Classes  Fitness Center or Corner  Company Sports Teams  Connect to Parks & Greenways  Bike/Bus to Work  Take the Stairs Signs  Walking Group Challenge  Map out Walking Paths  Hold a Walking Meeting  Stretching at Work  Treadmill Workstations  Basketball hoop outside

10. Onsite Fitness Fitness Center Treadmill Workstation Fitness Corner

11. Stairwell Makeovers

12. Promote Alternative Commuting! Educate employees of all the different commuting options, will help increase their physical activity, reduce traffic and improve air quality.

13. Support Alternative Commuting 1. Install Appropriate Bike Racks 2. Provide Shower Area 3. Adequate Employee Lockers 4. Offer Incentives for Commuting

14. Hold a Walking Meeting Most meetings just require a melding of minds, share ideas while you walk!

15. 3 Minute Desk Stretches

16. Employee Stretch Break

17. Policies to Encourage Being Active at Work Policy to allow “Walking Meetings”. Flexible work schedule for physical activity. 30 minutes of activity “on the clock” Guaranteed Ride Home Program for employees that use alternative transportation Active volunteerism (Habitat House, Big Sweep) Charity Walk/Run

18. Provide Access to Healthy Food: Environmental Support  Nutritious Vending Options  Healthy Cafeteria Options  Price Adjustments for Healthy Foods  Company Farmers Markets  Onsite Gardening  Community Supported Agriculture  Healthy Snack & Fruit Basket Program

19. Healthy Vending is possible Contract with a company willing to provide healthy options. Create pricing structure that encourages healthy purchasing. Advertise healthy options to employees.

20. Company Farmers Market Onsite Farmers Market Many companies have invited local farmers to sell their produce to employees

21. CSA, more than a worksite farmer’s market What is CSA? Community-Supported Agriculture allows you to support sustainable local food systems by purchasing food from local farms. Know Your Farms delivers boxes of produce to your worksite, directly from the farm.

22. Healthy Snack Program Fruit Basket Program Many companies are providing access to fruit at work.

23. Policies that support healthy nutrition  Healthy Options at Company Events  Company Potluck Nutrition Policy  Healthy Options in Cafeteria Policy  Healthy Vending/Snack Options Policy  No Food Dumping Policy for Employees  Healthy Donation/Gift Policy for Vendors  Breastfeeding Supportive Worksite

24. Provide Education & Information on Healthy Living  Lunch and learns  Wellness bulletin boards  Wellness newsletter  Weekly wellness e-mails  Wellness intranet site  Links to fitness and nutrition websites  Flyers and brochures in break-rooms, elevators and restrooms  Wellness Minute during safety meetings  Fitness & nutrition information center  Screen saver health messages

25. Environment that supports healthy lifestyles  Scales, Blood Pressure Self-Check and Body Fat Machines  Rest and Relaxation Room  Walking Paths and Maps  Outdoor Conference Area  Tobacco-Free Campus

26. Provide incentives to change behavior Money is the most effective incentive. In the form of discounts toward insurance cost or gift cards. Think outside the pocketbook:  Donations from local businesses  Jeans Day  Leave early on a Friday  Trophy, including bragging rights  Recognition and Certificate at company meeting  Featured success story on the Wellness Board

27. Benefit Structure to Support Health Offer coverage for tobacco cessation medications and classes. Low cost or free prescriptions for preventative medications. Health coaching for managing disease. Employee Assistance Program

28. Smoke Free Campus! By taking steps toward having a smoke free campus employers can reduce onsite pollution and improve employee health and productivity. Set employees up for success by offering smoking cessation opportunities before going smoke free.

29. What Works in Worksite Wellness Step 1: Where to begin. Gather Data Step 2: What you can do. Program Development Step 3: What have others done. Best Practice or Success Stories Step 4: Find Valuable Resources. Resources to Help

30. Success Story Fruit and Veggie Snacks Fruit and Veggies for Free during the workday.

31. Success Story Healthier Vending Machine This small manufacturing company requested healthier options in vending machines and worked with vending company to raise prices on unhealthy options and lower prices on healthy options.

32. Success Story Healthy Snack Program They implemented a policy to allow only healthy snacks to be provided to employees.

33. Success Story Afternoon Stretching Program This small business stops for 5 minutes every afternoon to take a stretch break. Employees report feeling more relaxed and focused after stretching.

34. Success Story Fitness Corner This small laboratory testing facility provided free weights and mats in a corner of a small office to allow employees to exercise and stretch during breaks.

35. Success Story Created a beautiful outdoor space out of a retention pond. Employees now use the space as a destination on a walk, a place to read through paperwork or to eat lunch.

36. Success Story Wellness Board of the Month Posted a Wellness Board in English, Spanish and Vietnamese! Translated through Google.

37. Success Story Wellness Newsletter Art department at this progressive architectural firm created their own wellness newsletter.

38. Success Story Employees rarely used stairs to get around in this four story building, even though the elevator was notoriously slow. They posted “Take the Stairs” signs at the elevators and saw a increased use of stairwells.

39. Success Story Container Gardening This small medical facility used a side employee entrance area as a container garden. April June

40. What Works in Worksite Wellness Step 1: Where to begin. Gather Data Step 2: What you can do. Program Development Step 3: What have others done. Success Stories Step 4: Find valuable resources. Resources to Help

41. Worksite Wellness Resources Working Toward Wellness CharMeck.org/WorkingTowardWellness Centers for Disease Control CDC.gov/LeanWorks Eat Smart Move More EatSmartMoveMoreNC.com American Heart Association Start! In the Workplace AmericanHeart.org Wellness Council of America (Welcoa) Welcoa.com (requires membership for some resources)

42. What Works in Worksite Wellness Step 1: Where to begin. Gather Data Step 2: What you can do. Program Development Step 3: What have others done. Success Stories Step 4: Find valuable resources. Resources to Help

43. Thank you! Julie Jackman Mecklenburg County Health Department Working Toward Wellness Program Coordinator 704-432-4526 julie.jackman@carolinashealthcare.org