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Engaging Employees for Better Health and Well-Being

When we consider that most of us spend more than 2,000 hours each year at our jobs, workplace health suddenly holds more significance.  But even for those employers who see the value in promoting workforce health, the challenge can often be how to begin a wellness program at their organization.

Aiming to address that very issue, Kaiser Permanente offers free, do-it-yourself resources for employers—including a workbook focused on maintaining a healthier workforce.  Healthy employees are less likely to be absent or exhibit “presenteeism”—being on the job but not productive because of a chronic condition or illness.  According to one report, organizations with highly effective health and productivity programs have 20 percent more revenue per employee.

KP’s free HealthWorks toolkit, which features step-by-step guidelines and supporting materials, can help companies get started.  It can be found on KP’s BusinessNet website.

Simple ways to improve health and productivity at work:

  • Encourage employees to eat healthy and get physically active as a means to reduce stress
  • Promote walking meetings and lunchtime walks
  • Clean and brighten stairways so employees can use the stairs
  • Install bicycle storage racks to encourage employees to ride to work
  • Set aside an exercise area or invite a fitness instructor to offer a class at work
  • Create a company sports team or walking challenge to get the workforce active

For help with engaging folks in a walking challenge or program, one resource to tap is the Every Body Walk! mobile app (available for free on OS and Android platforms).  For Kaiser Permanente HealthWorks subscribers, there is Thrive Across America—a popular workforce online tool that lets users track their activity across a virtual route—that also has an app that is available to subscribers.  The video below highlights employees from the County of Marin, who participated in Thrive Across America for 10 weeks and saw significant positive results.

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