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Employee Health and Fitness Month
Facts:
A study released by the Society of Actuaries (SOA) reported that the U.S. spends $127 billion in excess medical costs related to overweight and obesity each year. An online survey given by the SOA found that 83 percent of Americans 18 years and older were willing to participate in a health and wellness program if incentives were given through their health plan.
Organizations have the opportunity on May 18th to help employees get healthy. Employees who are physically active and healthy will miss less work, have less stress and be more reliable. Organizations can reduce the amounts paid in injury claims, lost time and wages, and workers’ compensation by implementing a wellness program in their workplace.
Healthy employees translate into a thriving business:
“Michigan Surgeon General Healthy Workplace Facts”
History:
EHFM was founded in 1989 and is one of the largest occupational health and safety events in North America. Tens of thousands of employees from around the world participate annually in this national health observance to promote the benefits of physical activity.
The National Association for Health and Fitness is a national sponsor of Employee Health and Fitness Month to encourage all people to live a healthy lifestyle and participate in regular physical activities.
Celebrate EHFM:
May 18, 2011
There are countless things your worksite can do to celebrate EHFM. Here are just a few ideas:
- Host a “fitness walk” during lunch break; ask the CEO to lead a fitness walk with employees.
- Create an indoor walking course at your worksite or around your building with directional signs encouraging the use of stairwells and designated stretching areas.
- Encourage employees to be active during their work day by holding a “worksite relay” where employees take the stairs to deliver the baton to an employee on a different floor (include a check list with employee names and floor locations).
- Designate a wellness ambassador in your office to act as an opinion leader to spread the wellness message.
- Provide prize drawings (health/fitness related items) throughout the day for participating in a “fitness walk” or walking/riding a bike to work that day.
Promote a healthy workplace year-round
- Encourage employees to “take 10”—a 10-minute physical activity break during their workday.
- Organize a lunch hour walking club and offer incentives for employees who participate.
- Encourage employees to hand-deliver messages instead of using e-mail or voicemail.
- Offer healthy snacks at your next office meeting. Provide unbuttered popcorn instead of a bag of potato chips. This is a great way to introduce healthy foods to your employees.
- Send your employees a weekly wellness bulletin, or include healthy tips in your company’s internal newsletter.
- Identify healthy places to eat in close proximity to your workplace.
- Implement a mandatory stretching policy to loosen up your employees before starting a stressful workday. Stretching and exercise can reduce the risk of lower back pain and other stress-related pain.
- Provide employees with an opportunity to sign up for discounted gym membership. (Perhaps your local YMCA would provide a free day pass for every employee.)
- Encourage staff to complete a Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) Tool at www.michiganstepsup.org.
- Encourage employees to “Smart Commute” by walking, biking, or using public transportation during their workday. Your community may have a smart commute program. Find out by visiting www.mismartcommute.org
Resources:
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