There is no doubt about it that some of the most successful worksite wellness programs are supported by a network of enthusiastic employees at the grassroots level. Most organizations call them "Wellness Champions" and they are the drivers for building a culture of wellness and encouraging participation in a company’s wellness program.
Topics: Healthy Workplaces, Wellness at Work
As a newbie to the world of corporate wellness, you may be scratching your head. Like any industry, it is filled with jargon and acronyms. But don’t let terminology prevent you from achieving success. Review all the definitions below that you'll need to be a health promotion rock star.
Topics: Wellness at Work
You know Health Risk Assessments (HRA) can lay a solid foundation for making lifestyle changes. You're a believer in the power of HRAs to evaluate employees' modifiable risk factors. And you've been reading up and know that they have one of the best return on investments – with one report finding that HRAs returned $6.04 for every $1 spent.
Topics: Wellness at Work
We all know how important a wellness portal is to a corporate wellness program, but what does it really take to have an excellent portal that drives visitors, increases engagement and supports healthy behavior change?
Topics: Wellness at Work
When it comes to measuring the overall health of employees, a simple measuring tape may be what your on-site biometric screening program is missing.
Topics: Biometric Health Screenings
To be successful in the world of corporate wellness, there are certain essential characteristics that one must possess to improve employees' well-being, plan programs, maintain a positive attitude, encourage healthy behaviors, and build strategy.
Topics: Wellness at Work
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), cardiovascular disease remains the No. 1 killer of men and women in the United States, claiming 2,200 lives every day. Yet the majority of your employees may be dangerously unaware of personal heart risks or the steps to lower those risks.
Topics: Biometric Health Screenings
90 percent of young adults use their smartphone first thing in the morning, often before they get out of bed, according to the Cisco Connected World Technology Report. The third annual report surveyed 3,600 young people ages 18-30 from 18 countries on their tech habits using electronic devices.
Topics: Wellness at Work
For companies considering hosting on-site health screenings, one of the most commonly asked questions is about fasting vs. non-fasting lipid testing.
Traditionally, most doctors will tell you: for accurate results, you must fast for at least eight hours before a lipid profile. But a recent large study in Canada showed that cholesterol levels aren't radically different in people who ate compared to those who fasted before their blood was drawn. The study, which was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in November 2012, suggests that fasting for routine lipid level determinations is largely unnecessary.
While both types of lipid testing provide results concerning total cholesterol levels, there are some items HR and health promotion professionals should consider when choosing health screening tests.
Topics: Biometric Health Screenings
This year, the country is experiencing one of the most severe flu seasons in a decade, which serves as a stark reminder of the flu's unpredictable nature.
Major cities have declared public health emergencies in response to soaring infection rates. Tragically, 20 children with confirmed cases of the flu have lost their lives this season.
