Kimberly Greene • Ron Sonntag Public Relations, Inc.
(414) 354-0200 x110 • Kimberly@rspr.com
Beth Maniero • TOPS Club, Inc.
(414) 482-4620 x43 • bmaniero@tops.org
EDITOR’S NOTE:
For more information on the TOPS chapters in your area, visit www.tops.org. If you would like to speak with a local representative from TOPS, please contact us.
TOPS: Talks fitness in the workplace
MILWAUKEE, WI – May is Employee Health and Fitness Month, an opportunity to promote the benefits of workplace wellness to employers and employees. How can a company emphasize the importance of healthy lifestyles? Establish an employee wellness program. It not only improves employees’ health, but it can also contribute to a company’s bottom line. TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization, explains the impact of workplace wellness and offers tips for a successful program.
Improve Your Employees’ Health
The success of an employee wellness program depends on its structure and employees’ participation level, but in many cases, these proactive programs can prevent or reduce health issues and educate employees to overcome health risks, including smoking and obesity. According to the Harvard Business Review, in a study performed by Drs. Richard Milani and Carl Lavie, 57 percent of participants were converted to “low-risk status” after a six-month wellness program.
An effective wellness program equips participants with knowledge and tips to manage stress, eat well, lose weight, exercise properly, and more. “Wellness programs help employees understand that they are ultimately responsible for their individual health,” explains Maggie Thorison, Wellness Manager for TOPS. “Many employees are literally changing their lives through wellness programs.”
Save Costs
Chronic diseases, obesity, and other preventable health concerns can cost businesses thousands of dollars each year. The website Healthcare.gov explains, “The indirect costs of poor health – including absenteeism, disability, and reduced work output – may be several times higher than direct medical costs. Productivity losses related to personal and family health problems cost U.S. employers $1,685 per employee per year, or $225.8 billion annually.”
The financial impact of employee wellness programs can vary, but many help companies save money on healthcare expenditures and absenteeism costs. According to a February 2010 article in Health Affairs, company medical costs fall an average of $3.27 for every dollar spent on wellness programs, and absenteeism costs decrease $2.73 for each dollar used. Implementing an effective wellness program can help boost an organization’s productivity and rein in their healthcare costs.
Create an Impactful Program
• Encourage employees to move. Make changes to your campus to promote exercise. Offer bike racks for commuters, start a lunch hour walking group, put together a team for a local run/walk or relay, kick off a simple walking challenge among coworkers, or create a workplace fitness center. “Here at TOPS, we are in the process of turning one of our unused rooms into an exercise studio,” says Thorison. “We are starting with the basics – dumbbells, resistance bands, and stability balls. A gym doesn’t necessarily have to mean a treadmill.”
• Bring the gym to work. See if your local health club will provide an instructor to lead an on-site boot camp, yoga, or dance class. Offering this option, even just two or three times a year, may spark employees’ interest in fitness.
• Offer incentives. Motivate employees to participate in the wellness program by offering incentives. “Items such as gift cards, sporting event tickets, or even paid time off are a great way to keep the program fun and keep employees enthused and engaged,” explains Thorison.
• Ask employees to “invest” in their health. A monetary commitment by employees to their wellness may make them feel more accountable and more likely to participate. Employers could offer reimbursement if employees stick to the program for a set period of time.
• Lead by example. Management should participate in the wellness program to demonstrate the company’s and their personal commitment to a healthier work environment.
• Start an exercise DVD exchange. Ask if employees are willing to share their fitness DVDs with other employees and/or give them the option of following a DVD together during their lunch break or after work.
• Empower employees. Include a wellness section in the company’s newsletter and encourage employees to share their ideas and stories. Offer “lunch and learns” or other educational programming, so employees can make informed health decisions.
For more workplace wellness ideas, visit the TOPS blog, www.tops.org/WellnessBlog.
TOPS Chapters in the Workplace
Start a TOPS weight-loss support chapter for your employees. TOPS workplace chapters are an affordable, flexible, and convenient opportunity for employees to take charge of their health and well-being. To start a workplace chapter, TOPS’ Field Staff meets with the human resources department or wellness coordinator to tailor the program to the company’s culture and needs. Employees receive education and support to achieve a healthier lifestyle. For more information, contact Maggie Thorison at mthorison@tops.org or (414) 482-4620 x23.
TOPS Club Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) is the original weight-loss support and wellness education organization. Founded more than 64 years ago, TOPS is the only nonprofit, noncommercial weight-loss organization of its kind. TOPS promotes successful weight management with a “Real People. Real Weight Loss.” SM philosophy that combines support from others at weekly chapter meetings, healthy eating, regular exercise, and wellness information. TOPS has about 170,000 members – male and female, age seven and older – in nearly 10,000 chapters throughout the United States and Canada.
Visitors are welcome to attend their first TOPS meeting free of charge. Membership is affordable at just $28 per year in the U.S. and $32 per year in Canada, plus nominal chapter fees. To find a local chapter, view www.tops.org or call (800) 932-8677.
