1. Healthy Employees Create a Healthy Library
Workplace Wellness is Worth Checking Out
Leslie Hartley
Adult Services Manager

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. Benefits of a Wellness Program
Decreased healthcare costs
Lower short term sick leave
Increased performance and productivity
Higher employee morale

10. 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?

11. The Wellness Committee
Employee 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 participants A member of Administration

12. The Wellness Committee
The wellness committee serves several functions.
Its an employee-driven advisory board encourages “buy-in” from both management and potential program participants.
A representative planning committee will help assure that the program is responsive to the needs of all potential participants.
The committee can be responsible for carrying out or overseeing the rest of the steps in the planning process.

13. Employee Needs and Interests
Since 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?

14. 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.

15. 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 wellness
Develop and build sustainability into the wellness program to keep employees engaged and challenged
Contain health care costs, reduce absenteeism, and improve morale and productivity
Committee Members:
Nick Tepe - Director
Leslie Hartley – Adult Services Manager
Rick Edler – Facilities Manager
Debbie Nunziato – Community Relations Manager
Tammy Newlun – Clerk Main Library
Cathy Carroll – Technical Processing Clerk
Laura Kruger – Clerk Northside Branch
Missy 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 stress
Offer 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.

16. 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

17. Put Your Plan Into Action
This is the fun part!

18. 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

19. Examples of Programs Lunch and learns Chair Massages
Walking Challenges
Recipe Contests
Ergonomic Assessments
Health Screenings
Internal recognition program
“Biggest Loser” Challenges
Yoga Classes

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

21. 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

22. Change the Organization
Make sure organizational policies and practices match the wellness messages.
Smoke free campus
Healthy food offerings at meetings and in-service
Healthy vending options

23. 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.

24. Incentives
Pedometers
Cookbooks
Gift Cards
Stress Balls
Wellness Leave

25. 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.

26. Summary Weight reduction Improved physical fitness Increased stamina
 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

27. Leslie Hartley