Central Pennsylvania businesses embrace and broaden wellness programs

REGION

Healthy workplaces are increasingly common in Central Pennsylvania, as more companies implement employee wellness programs and push them to the next level.

Lancaster General Health has been helping companies roll out wellness programs for more than 20 years and is noticing greater emphasis on results, said Brynn Kline, manager of corporate health at Lancaster General. "Companies have dabbled in wellness and now they're saying, 'We know if we can improve the health of our employees it's going to improve the bottom line.'"

But when it comes to being healthy, the definition varies. Each wellness program operates differently. But despite the variety, there are some key elements that benefit businesses in their quest to be fit.

Curing the culture

The most important facet of a successful wellness program is creating a culture of wellness throughout the workplace. Once thinking about health becomes a natural component of a company, the wellness program will be accepted with less resistance.

One example is becoming a smoke-free facility. Harrisburg Area Community College operates a wellness program for employees and students, and it is a smoke-free campus.

Tom Houtz directs employee health and safety programs for the college. He described HACC's wellness program as contemporary: The college focuses not only on the physical aspect of health but also on emotional and mental health. At the Harrisburg campus, officials recently installed a labyrinth, which is a circular walking path designed for meditation.

Highmark Blue Shield in East Pennsboro Township and Pittsburgh operates a gym onsite for employees to use, as well as a clinic and a pharmacy.

"We try to be an example for our customers," said Rachel Yost, manager of client advancement at Highmark Blue Shield.

Identifying issues

When deciding what type of wellness program to implement, companies should consider the specific illnesses and health concerns affecting employees. For Kline, this includes a total population health management strategy. Once culture is established, LG Health pulls in data from employee claims, considers their pharmacy activity and studies race, ethnicity and other factors to determine what type of wellness works for them.

According to Kline, there are three factors that LGH considers in its own wellness program and when advising employer groups:

1. Data. Determining the employee readiness to change (health risk assessment), then screening data from employee claims.

2. Culture audit. What do employees need and want, and does the work culture align to promote this?

3. Food services. Are there healthy food options available in the corporate cafeteria?

From there, companies can decide what things they need to focus on, such as nutrition advice from dietitians, health presentations and workout ideas.

Offering incentives

Although wellness programs are voluntary, employers should encourage employees to participate.

According to Highmark Blue Shield, the most effective incentives are premium discounts on health insurance followed by cash. Yost also said raffles are very effective, and they offer a "significant premium discount."

Kline discussed LGH's outcome-based programs. If employees participate in a health risk assessment and on-site screening, they will earn cash rewards in their paycheck. But, based on the outcome of those results, they also receive another incentive. If they meet certain criteria for the data being collected, such as a healthy body mass index or if they are a nonsmoker, they get another reward in their paycheck. This way, they aren't just rewarded for participation but also for achieving healthy results.

Measuring success

The big question: Is the wellness program working, and what can be done to improve it?

"We encourage people to develop three-tofive-year strategies," said Yost. At Highmark, administrators have found that several years is critical to see changes and a return on investment. They have found that wellness programs do save the company money in the long run.

At HACC, officials haven't tracked a return on investment from their wellness program or noticed a correlation between having a wellness program and spending less money on health care for employees. The college has always had a wellness program.

"It's not a cost driver for us," said Aimee Brough, chief human resources officer at HACC. "It's really about the well-being of our employees."

A successful program includes not only management by an outside expert in health but a dedicated team in-house. HACC boasts a wellness committee comprised of both employees and students.

"Your employees are the experts to your employer," said Kline at LGH. "They hear what employees want, can promote the programs, and they know what works and what doesn't."

"Your employees are the experts to your employer. They hear what employees want, can promote the programs, and they know what works and what doesn't."

Brynn Kline, Lancaster General

BY LENAY RUHL

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