1. Audrey Thompson, MS TxDOT Statewide Wellness Administrator
Biometric Screenings
Audrey Thompson, MS
TxDOT Statewide Wellness Administrator

2. TxDOT workforce 12,000 employees Average age -47 years
70% of agency’s workforce between ages 40 and 60
60% work in the field
79% male; 21% female
A diverse population — different climates and cultures
Source: Human Resources, Workforce Analysis Workforce Plan 2015–2019

3. TxDOT Wellness Program
Authorized by HB 1297 passed in 2007 (80th Leg. Session):
Employee allowance of 30 minutes for exercise 3 times each week.
Eight hours of leave per year for annual physical exam/health risk assessment.
Wellness Policy includes wellness education during the workday (2015)

4. Building a statewide culture of wellness
Partnered with HR
Wellness duties integrated into coordinators’ performance plans
Wellness Program presentation part of New Employee Orientation
Statewide initiatives
Flu shots
Wellness fairs
Stretch and Flex

5. Low-cost or free program offerings
Lunch-and-Learn series
Healthy Eating Every Day
Healthy cafeteria
Wellness coaching
Education
Vaccinations
Freedom from Smoking
Onsite diabetes education
Annual wellness and safety fairs
Prevention
Chair massage
Stress management class
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Gardening
Mindful meditation
Caregivers group
Stress Management
Running and conditioning classes
Bike rides (Bike Texas)
Yoga, taught by certified instructor
Water sports
Zumba (YMCA)
Boot camp
Cooking class
Nutritional series
Farm to Work
Mini-workout facilities
Exercise and Nutrition
Mission: To promote a culture of wellness by providing an all-inclusive program that results in a healthier, happier and more productive workforce.

6. Top three health risks Hypertension Diabetes
Intervertebral disc disorder
43% of TxDOT employees are affected by one or more of these risks

7. Biometric screenings initiative
Justification:
Only 10% of TxDOT employees take advantage of annual physical incentive (eight hours of paid leave)
Awareness of the highest risks: diabetes, hypertension
Discussions with field workers
Sought support from senior leadership to provide funding (guerrilla marketing)

8. Strategic partners-building culture of wellness
Occupational Safety Division (OCC)
Integrated wellness activities:
Get a Physical campaign
Tailgates, monthly safety meetings
Stretch and Flex
Wellness fairs
Biometric screenings
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Wellness coaching and classes
United Health Care
Lose and Win
Get an annual physical and earn 8 hours of miscellaneous leave!

9. Wellness and Safety Better health means better safety:
Reduce the risk of vehicle/equipment incidents and injuries caused by employees’ personal health.
Encouraging employees to stay healthy with programs like Stretch and Flex and biometric screenings helps them be ready to work, and reduces the risk of injury or unexpected illnesses. 
TxDOT is self-insured for workers comp, so reducing injuries reduces costs.

10. After funding approval
RFP process
Contractor chosen
Promotion

11. Promotional materials

12. Program goals
Provide onsite testing to help motivate employees to take appropriate actions to improve their health
Increase routine annual physicals
Identify health risks across employee population
Establish a baseline from which improvements can be measured
Target wellness programming geographically
Set goal of 40% participation

13. Screenings performed Blood pressure Cholesterol Glucose
Body fat (BMI and waist circumference)
Prostate screening (PSA)
Fasting optional
Results in 10 minutes
Cost:
$39.50 per employee
PSA: $25

14. Implementation Wellness coordinators training
Vendor webinar training for site coordinators:
Worked closely with group of informal leaders known as MOMS.
Promotional events:
Wellness fairs.
Traffic and Maintenance Conference.
Weekly calls with vendor to troubleshoot issues
Monitored participation:
Partnered with Maintenance director to increase engagement and participation.
Regular check-ins with site coordinators.
“Good job” acknowledgements.

15. Results 4,272 screenings , 125 sites
Screenings performed over 4-month period
69% of testing population received PSA
Total participation increased month by month:
January: 29% participation
February: 36% participation
March: 48% participation
April: 49% participation
Total participation: 37% /Maintenance offices 52%
Total cost -242k

16. Best results
Over 100 potential lives saved-critically high blood pressure and glucose and high PSA scores

17. Biometric program components
Senior-Level Support
Align with Agency’s Strategic Plan
Employee Engagement
Supportive Environment Creates Wellness Culture
Funding
Deputy executive director
Support
Maintenance director
Occupational Safety director
HR director
Aligning wellness goals with safety initiatives
Wellness presence at Safety Banquets and Wellness fairs
Providing wellness articles and presentations for newsletters, magazines, tailgate meetings and safety training
Statewide wellness coordinators provide leadership for local engagement
Educational programs: lunch and learns, wellness fairs
Behavior modification: physical fitness activities, challenges, healthy eating class, smoking cessation
Vaccinations
Attractive promotional materials and video
Wellness policy: flexible work schedule to work out
Wellness education during work hours
Screenings on location

18. New agency values
Approved by the Texas Transportation Commission in February 2016.
Value our Employees
Respect and care for the well-being and development of our employees.
Emphasize internal communications.
Support and facilitate the development of a successful and skilled workforce through recruitment, training and mentoring programs, succession planning, trust, and empowerment.
Encourage a healthy work environment through wellness programs and work-life balance.