Management Report: Obesity Costs U.S. Companies as Much as $45 Billion a Year
The rate of
obesity in the United States has doubled in the last 30 years, and
those extra pounds weigh on companies’ bottom lines, according to
a report by the Conference Board. Today, 34 percent of American adults
fit the definition of "obese." Obese employees cost U.S. private
employers an estimated $45 billion annually in medical expenditures and
work loss, the report said.
Motivating Employees Always A Challenging
Goal, Managers Say
Motivating
and incenting employees to participate in their
organization’s
wellness programs is a much cited chief concern of wellness and health
promotion professionals responding to the Workplace Wellness Management
Survey, sponsored by WellnessJunction.
Practical Tips for Getting Your Employees
Internally Motivated Toward Wellness
Motivating
employees to participate in wellness programs consistently tops the
list of problems for wellness professionals each year, according to our
exclusive Wellness
Management Leadership Surveys.
Active Listening Essential for Wellness
Professionals – at Work and Home
After
a rough
day at work — placing others people’s problems into
perspective — you may be faced with communication conflicts
at
home as well. For that reason, effective communication is a
must!
Wellness Manager Professional Discussion
Group Fosters Information Sharing
Inter-office
weight loss challenges, fitness center membership incentives, wellness
and disease management, health risk assessments, indicators of success,
have all been among the information-sharing topics by members of the Wellness Manager Online
Discussion Group.
Online Resources To Help Wellness Managers
With Smoking Cessation Programs
Wellness
managers have a wealth of professional information on all aspects of
smoking cessation programs at their fingertips courtesy of
WellnessJunction.com and Wellness Program Management
Advisor.
2008 Fitness Trends Predicted
More
educated and experienced fitness professionals are predicted to be the
number one fitness trend in 2008, according to the results of a new
survey. This development will result in exercisers having even more
options when choosing a trainer to complement their fitness
routines.”
HPM Bootcamp Program To Stamp Out
Healthcare Problems
Keeping
people healthy is crucial to how well business will succeed today and
in the times to come, according to Health & Productivity
Management
Advisors Inc. (HPM). To help kick-start the strong relationship needed
between employee health and productivity in America’s
workplace,
HPM has launched a hands-on approach for employees –
a boot
camp.”
16-Week Wellness Program Targets Hawaii
Local Community
Take
It Off Hawaii
is a wellness program that encourages residents of the Hilo area of
Hawaii to improve the health of the community and is sponsored by the
Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA).”
Coalition Launches Wellness Seminar
The
Wellness
Coalition America debuted a new series of educational and interactive
seminars for adults called “For the Health of It: Optimizing
Wellness.”
Insight For Workplace Wellness Managers:
What Motivates Employees to Change Lifestyle Behavior
While
nearly half (44 percent) of all employees considered themselves in
above average health, a surprising few (one in five employees) actually
adhere to the minimum standards of healthy eating, including consuming
one serving of whole grain and fruit each day, found a recent national
survey. And, only one in two employees undertake minimal physical
activity such as walking or gardening for ten minutes at least four
days a week.
Health Plan Includes Telephone And Online
Wellness/Health Improvement Programs
Health
Partners has expanded its mail-based services to include telephonic and
online health behavior change programs. The service is open to non-plan
members as well as members within the Health Partners’
network, according to Jackie Boucher, manager of phone initiatives and
outcomes advisor for the health plan’s Health Behavior Group.
Resources, Tips, Sharing, And Helpful
Hints Are Useful Benefits of Wellness Manager Discussion Group
Membership
Pedometers,
HRA resources, on-line wellness education resources, fitness center
management software, signage to promote walking, guidelines for a
wellness visit, studies on stress and workplace outcomes wellness
committees, and discussion of a wellness strategic plan were among the
recent discussion topics among members of the online Wellness
Manager Discussion Group.
Top Trends in Wellness and Health Promotion
The
key
ingredients for successful workplace wellness programs, comparative
statistics, best practices, how you can motivate your employees,
"real-world" management methods, new and emerging trends in health
promotion and disease prevention and what other companies are doing,
all organized and compiled for you in the new Wellness
Program Management Yearbook, Third Edition.
West Virginia's Well City USA
Well
City USA
is an initiative that evolved out of the Well Workplace Awards. Similar
in approach, the objective of Well City USA is to engage entire
business communities in building healthy workforces, according to the
Wellness Council of West Virginia (WCWV).
Wellness Manager Professional Discussion
Group Fosters Information Sharing
Inter-office
weight loss challenges, fitness center membership incentives, wellness
and disease management, health risk assessments, indicators of success,
have been among the information-sharing topics by members of the
Wellness Manager Online Discussion Group.
Link To Our Site Offers Chance To Spread
Wellness Message to Employees, Staff
Wellness
managers looking for low-cost ways to enhance their wellness programs
are encouraged to link to the Wellness Junction Web site, free of
charge, at www.wellnessjunction.com.
Workplace Injuries And Illnesses Decrease,
DOL Says
The
number of
workplace injuries and illnesses has declined, and the U.S. Department
of Labor (DOL) expects the reductions to continue......
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