Corporate Health Promotion Programs: Low-Cost Programs That Work

Corporate Health Promotion Programs that support employees and the environment that they work in have been shown to be a good return on investment. Corporate Health Promotion Programs can be extensive and sometimes expensive. However, there are ways for small corporations to make positive changes at little or no cost.

Corporate Health Promotion Program: Physical Fitness/Weight Management Programs

1. Provide access to on- and off- worksite gyms and recreational activities before, during, and after work hours.
2. Offer and encourage participation in after work recreation or leagues.
3. Offer cash incentives or lowered insurance costs for participation in physical activity and/or weight management or maintenance activities.
4. Offer shower and/or changing facilities onsite.
5. Offer outdoor exercise areas such as fields and trails for employee use.
6. Offer bicycle racks in safe, convenient, and accessible locations.
7. Offer worksite fitness opportunities, such as group classes or personal training.
8. Offer an onsite exercise facility.
9. Set up programs that have strong social support systems and incentives and rewards, such as:
o Buddy or team physical activity goals
o Programs that involve staff members and family
o Programs to encourage physical activity, such as pedometer walking challenges
o Consider discounted or subsidized memberships at local health clubs, recreation centers, or YMCAs
10. Offer flexible work hours to allow for physical activity during the day.
11. Support physical activity breaks during the workday, such as stretching or walking.
12. Host walk-and-talk meetings.
13. Map out worksite trails or nearby walking routes and destinations.
14. Have employees map out their own biking or walking route to and from work.
15. Post motivational signs at elevators and escalators to encourage stair usage.
16. Offer exercise/physical fitness messages and information to employees.
17. Offer or support recreation leagues and other physical activity events onsite or in the community.
18. Begin employee activity clubs such as walking or bicycling clubs.
19. Offer worksite child care facilities to facilitate physical activity.
20. Sponsor a bike to work day and reward employees who participate.
21. Set up a box and solicit fitness and health tips.

Corporate Health Promotion Program: General Health Education Programs

1. Have a current policy outlining the requirements and functions of a broad-based workplace Corporate Health Promotion Program.
2. Have a wellness plan in place that addresses the purpose, nature, duration, resources necessary, participants in, and expected results of a workplace Corporate Health Promotion Program.
3. Orient employees to the Wellness Program and give them copies of the physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco use policies.
4. Promote and encourage employee participation in the physical activity/fitness and nutrition education/weight management program.
5. Offer health education information to employees.
6. Have a committee that meets at least once a month to oversee the Corporate Health Promotion Program.
7. Offer regular health education presentations on various physical activity, nutrition, and wellness-related topics. Ask voluntary health associations, health care providers, and/or public health agencies to offer worksite education classes.
8. Host a health fair as a kick-off event or as a celebration for completion of a wellness campaign.
9. Designate specific areas to support employees such as diabetics and nursing mothers.
10. Conduct preventive wellness screenings for blood pressure, body composition, blood cholesterol, and diabetes.
11. Offer confidential health rist assessments.
12. Offer worksite weight management/maintenance programs for employees.
13. Add weight management/maintenance, nutrition, and physical activity counseling as a member benefit in medical insurance contracts.

Corporate Health Promotion Program: Tobacco Cessation

1. Establish a company policy prohibiting tobacco use anywhere on the property.
2. Offer prompts/posters to support no tobacco use policy.
3. Policy supporting participation in smoking cessation activities during duty time (flex-time).
4. Offer counseling through an individual, group, or telephone counseling program onsite.
5. Offer counseling through a health plan sponsored individual, group, or telephone counseling program.
6. Offer cessation medications through medical insurance.