Results Health and FitnessHealth and Wellness in the Workplace:
Ideas for Health Promotion Activities
· Set up a health and wellness in the workplace committee and have them take responsibility for implementing the selected ideas for health promotion activities
· Allocate a budget for health and wellness in the workplace activities
· Develop good employment practice and policies, eg, communication systems; training and personal development; supervision, appraisal and mentoring; attendance / absence management; equal opportunities; return to work/rehabilitation for people with illnesses or disabilities; time off for career responsibilities (children, other dependants); job sharing; flexi-time and flexible hours / days; dealing with harassment and bullying; grievance procedure; disciplinary procedure
· Include health and wellness in the workplace activities in managers’ objectives
· Link green transport issues with opportunities for physical activity - walking and cycling to work
· Assess the needs for different kinds of health and wellness in the workplace activities
Health and Wellness in the Workplace: General health activities
· Health and wellness seminars / discussions – with guest speakers
· Wellness information – notice boards, leaflet racks, information points, wellness handouts
· Regular supply of specific information / leaflets to all staff individually via wage slips, email
· Participate in national health and wellness in the workplace campaigns
· Health and wellness in the workplace articles in regular staff newsletter
· Employee Health and wellness newsletter
· Awareness raising, workshops, training sessions on health topics
· Training in team building, assertiveness, time management, communication skills
· Health promotion videos playing in waiting areas
· Health and wellness in the workplace awareness days or events
· Brief sections on health awareness in health and safety training and first aid training
· Health policies and procedures – alcohol and substance use, general health and well being, healthy eating, HIV/AIDS, physical activity, smoking, stress and mental health
· Health Risk assessments to take account of health and lifestyle related behaviors
· Paid time off for staff to go for employee health screenings (via GP or other facilities, rather than at work)
· Give employees some paid time off (a certain number of hours per month or year) to pursue activities they feel are good for their health
· Share health and wellness in the workplace activities and resources with other local workplaces
· Allow staff with back or musculoskeletal problems paid time off to attend appointments with physiotherapists or other health professionals
Health and Wellness in the Workplace: Alcohol and Substance Abuse · Policy for all staff to raise awareness of issues
· Training for all involved in implementing the policy
· Support and referral for staff with an alcohol or substance use problem
· Information about agencies and organizations dealing with alcohol or substance misuse problems
Health and Wellness in the Workplace: Physical Activity
· Arrange for intra-company games and sports teams
· Provide an onsite fitness center
· Provide onsite group exercise classes like yoga, tai chi or similar sessions before work / in lunch breaks / after work Encourage people to use stairs rather than elevators
· Provide marked routes, with distances, for walks during breaks
· Provide bicycle racks, showers and changing facilities: to encourage people to cycle to work or to do some physical activity during breaks
· Allow people to arrive 5 or 10 minutes late and leave 5 or 10 minutes early (without loss of pay) if they walk or cycle to work
· Arrange corporate memberships or negotiated reduced fees for local health clubs and facilities Health and Wellness in the Workplace: Smoking
· Policy on smoking and protecting staff from passive smoking
· Total ban in the workplace to provide a smoke-free environment
· If smoking is allowed then restrict it to designated smoking areas
· If smoking is allowed then restrict it to designated smoking times
· Help for staff who want to give up smoking: paid time off to attend stop smoking counseling or
· group sessions
· Training for volunteers who want to help others to give up smoking
Health and Wellness in the Workplace: Healthy Eating
· Training for catering staff
· Negotiate with local restaurants or cafes to provide some healthy options
· Allow staff to take paid time off for appointments with dietitians about any eating problems
· Let staff eat or drink at regular intervals if they need to as part of medical treatment for various eating disorders or diabetes
·Health and Wellness in the Workplace: Stress and Mental Health
· Stress audit to identify problem areas / jobs
· Develop a stress action plan to tackle problems
· Awareness raising sessions for all staff on recognizing stress and mental ill health symptoms in themselves and others
· Training for managers, supervisors, trade union representatives on recognizing stress and mental ill health symptoms in themselves and others
· Avoid stigmatization of people who have taken time off or sick leave for mental health reasons
· Relaxation, aromatherapy, yoga or similar sessions before work / in lunch breaks / after work · Counseling service in-house or referral to outside agency
· Rehabilitate back into the workforce anyone who has been off sick with mental health problems
· Encourage social activities among work colleagues
