Obesity/Weight Management Employer Survey and Interview Project

More documents

Recommendations

Info

E Sample policies and other tools especially asadaptable for smaller worksite locations,E Examples and approaches for program refreshmentand sustainability,E Outcomes measurement examples and information,andE Peer group access with networking opportunities52. What do you think are the main benefits oradvantages for your organization of having yourworkplace obesity program?The wellness program includes weight managementand obesity so does not single out any one health issue.Programs demonstrate the fact that the company caresabout employee health and, with appropriate metrics,can demonstrate cost effectiveness.53. Think for a moment about the main sourcesof obesity related information you chose inthe survey. Why did you seek out this sourceof information (e.g., referred to it by another,credible source, existing relationship)?Information sources are from the wellness vendor,networking, and organizations such as WELCOA orWELCOM.54. The survey indicated that very few employerspolled are actively working with communitybasedorganizations around obesity and healthissues. Has your organization formed partnershipsaround employee health generally and/or obesityspecifically (YES/NO)? Thinking about thesepartnerships…The company has no relationships with communityorganizations. The wellness program does providepoints for employees who submit a request usinga wellness program request form, who participatein community events such as the Breast CancerAwareness Walkathon, Heart Health Walk, or otherhealth improvement related programs. The companyhas no systematic way to identify and adviseemployees about these events.Employer Interview F55. Could you begin by telling us a little more aboutyourself?Interviewee, Compensation and Benefits Administrator,has a Master’s in health promotion and moved to thisposition after having been responsible for the wellnessprogram at a larger employer. Interviewee’s trainingand former position bring a wealth of expertise tothe company since interviewee understands and hascontacts with community-based health resourcesand experience working with wellness programs thatprobably far exceeds that of the average benefits staffperson.Company is a provider of fuel transportation with about200 employees with locations from Michigan to theGulf coast. Headquarters are in the Midwest.56. Did you consult with others to complete theonline survey? No57. Tell me about your obesity prevention program.What kinds of activities (education programs,policies, workplace supports such as stairwellimprovements, onsite fitness facilities ormenu labeling in the cafeteria, benefit design,incentives) does your organization offer toemployees? How often?The wellness program is supported from the executiveoffice with both funding and buy in. The companyhas an approach that is family-oriented with acommitment to help take care of its employees. Thisphilosophy allowed the development of the wellnessprogram. A Wellness Committee was established witha designated employee from each location. No safetypersonnel are directly involved in the wellness programpresently. The program includes obesity and weightmanagement. The program is built on the mindbody-spiritconcept so no one issue such as obesityis singled out. The program exemplifies the fact thatcompartmentalization is not realistic since one area ofhealth prevention and wellness often leads to another.For example, tobacco cessation may have an impact onweight management or depression may be part of theissues that need to be addressed for obesity.The company has tobacco-free work place policiesthat reinforce the wellness program. This programfor tobacco-free extends not only to worksites, but tocompany vehicles.76National Business Coalition on Health
Program features include an online health assessmentwith screening at the corporate location for metrics.Points can be earned for participation for up to $120per year. The incentives are paid via a reloadabledebit card that is also used for other companyaward programs such as safety or other recognition.Resources for the program include those providedby the insurance company as well as communitynonprofits such as the American Heart Association,American Lung Association, etc. who have educationprograms and information that can be made availableto employees. The local Health Department has aregistered dietician who has been able to supporteducation and a Quit Line for tobacco cessationsupport.Since the company has a fully insured health benefitsprogram, program success is measured in terms ofcorporate culture and participation. Measurement is atthe aggregate level.58. Many employers find it difficult to initiate aconversation with their employees around healthyweight and obesity prevention and control. Fromyour own experience, walk us through the processof what you consider(ed) when deciding how andwhat to discuss with your employees?We want to be supportive but not intrusive withemployees plus reach out to the dependents ofemployees, recognizing that health benefits andprograms have a link to home. The wellness programhas been put in that context and as a holistic approach.Recognition of the dispersed locations of employees isalso a strong consideration since the company wouldlike employees to have access to the same types ofprograms and opportunities.59. Switching gears to think about other employers,from the survey, we learned that most employerspolled feel obesity is an important health issue,but less than half reported that they currentlyhave a program in place to address the issue. Canyou discuss, from your perspective why you feelthere is a disconnect between the perceived needand lack of action(s) taken?Employers look at health issues, including obesity, as apersonal issue. While concerned about employee healthand well-being, employers do not want to be viewedas “big brother.” Another barrier is the perception thata large budget and resources are essential to addresswellness. Leveraging community resources to addresswellness does not appear to be a well-developedapproach and many employers do not know what theseresources are in their community.Ideas that might help increase the number ofemployers who have programs include:E Thinking about a wellness program and healthyworkplace culture as a continuous qualityimprovement process,E Measurement, especially for smaller employers,and moving away from cost avoidance as the majorapproach,E Ways to build “health” into the work day with quickand easy approaches,E Examples of how management models the behavior,E Understanding the impact of obesity-related healthconditions, etc., andE More information about the mind body connectionfor behavior change including motivation and stagesof change/readiness to change60. What do you think are the main benefits oradvantages for your organization of having yourworkplace obesity program?The wellness program reinforces the company caringand support for employees that affect the companyculture and employee morale. Cost savings in terms ofdirect and indirect costs are also a component — evenif the employer cannot extract all of the data for exactmeasurement. (These savings have been demonstratedby other employers.)61. Think for a moment about the main sourcesof obesity related information you chose inthe survey Why did you seek out this sourceof information (e.g., referred to it by another,credible source, existing relationship)?Credible sources include CDC as well as the entitiessited previously. New information is needed targeted atthe motivational aspects of change and easy to accesscommunity-based resources.62. The survey indicated that very few employerspolled are actively working with communitybasedorganizations around obesity and healthissues. Has your organization formed partnershipsaround employee health generally and/or obesityObesity/Weight Management Employer Survey and Interview Project 77
Page 1:
Obesity/WeightManagementEmployer Su
Page 5 and 6:
Executive SummaryA person’s place
Page 7:
BackgroundOver the past thirty year
Page 10 and 11:
ApproachNBCH, CDC, and NSC develope
Page 12 and 13:
esponsibilities associated with a j
Page 14 and 15:
Length of Time Obesity Program in P
Page 16 and 17:
A workplace culture of health provi
Page 18 and 19:
Employer Ranking for Importance of
Page 20 and 21:
Barriers for Employers to Take Acti
Page 22 and 23:
plans and vendors or consultants. T
Page 24 and 25:
Existing Community Partnerships. Re
Page 26 and 27:
Figure 14. Continuum of Program Evo
Page 28 and 29:
those individuals in the safety fun
Page 32 and 33: The small number of employers curre
Page 34 and 35: E Employers need information to dem
Page 36 and 37: Recommendation 2Help Employers addr
Page 38 and 39: Endnotes1. Sepulveda M, Tait F, Zim
Page 40 and 41: Your organization’s industry type
Page 42 and 43: When thinking about the potential i
Page 44 and 45: F. SafetyNot Important Neutral Impo
Page 46 and 47: N. Strategies and ActionsNot Import
Page 48 and 49: D. My employees are knowledgeable r
Page 50 and 51: As an employer, how much of a barri
Page 52 and 53: Barrier: Lack of employee data on o
Page 54 and 55: Centers for Disease Control and Pre
Page 56 and 57: Information Use: To educate employe
Page 58 and 59: Product: Web ToolsEmployer Size Not
Page 60 and 61: Communication Means: Training or De
Page 62 and 63: How important to you is each of the
Page 64 and 65: Partnership Benefit: Access to usef
Page 66 and 67: As an employer, how much of a barri
Page 68 and 69: Partnership Barrier: Partner’s re
Page 70 and 71: 4. From your own experience, what i
Page 72 and 73: then move on to successful ways to
Page 74 and 75: Discussed in prior questions.23. Fr
Page 76 and 77: access on a voluntary basis to a he
Page 78 and 79: employees. Others have included wor
Page 82 and 83: specifically (YES/NO)? Thinking abo
Page 84 and 85: 75. Can you discuss why you feel th
Page 88: National Business Coalition on Heal
show all

Obesity/Weight Management Employer Survey and Interview Project

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?