MSU Extension Chronic Disease

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “effective workplace health programs can reduce health risks and improve quality of life for workers in the United States.”

Today’s workplaces may be considering ways to improve the wellness of their work environment. Statista reported that, in 2021, 83% of large firms with 200 or more employees offered a wellness program. Worksite wellness includes a variety of focus areas, including mental health and emotional well-being, financial and work-life balance support.

Worksite wellness programs that include nutrition and physical activity components have claimed to improve workplace morale, improve work productivity, increase employee energy and decrease sick time among employees. Programs often aim to assist employees with tobacco smoking cessation, maintaining safe physical movement across a workday, and doing preventative screenings for cholesterol, blood pressure, cancer and other conditions.

But do worksite wellness programs really improve all these components and save a company money? Recent research from the National Institute of Health found that the employees of iThrive who chose to participate in worksite wellness already have lower healthcare costs and fall into the higher income bracket. This may encourage an intentional shift to recruit and include lower-income employees with higher health care costs into worksite wellness programs.

Worksite wellness programs may assist in boosting employee morale, along with recruitment of employees who are interested in worksites that might provide a gym in their building or discounts to local recreation, and for consulting with a registered dietitian.

As a worksite, an employer may want to consider options before investing large amount of money into a worksite wellness program. It is recommended to survey the needs of employees and start small. This may include partnering with community organizations that offer health education programming free or at a low cost.

Michigan State University Extension offers programs that may be one no-cost option to start to build a worksite wellness program. For example, an employer could provide information and referral pathways into health programs such as:

• My Way to Wellness, an online nutrition education course. My Way to Wellness is an online, interactive intervention emphasizing behavioral goals and strategies associated with healthy weight. Topics covered in the course include goal setting, nutritional needs and physical activity, building a healthy MyPlate, picking the portion best for you, reading food labels, and more. The online course includes a pre- and post-assessment with 10 self-paced educational modules that include physical activity and food safety demonstration videos.
• Personal Action Toward Health (PATH). PATH provides individuals the skills and communication tools to manage their chronic health conditions. People who participate in PATH workshops are better equipped to face the daily challenges of living with one or more chronic conditions. Through PATH, learn to deal with the challenges of not feeling well, talking to healthcare providers and family members, overcoming stress and increasing relaxation, and ways to handle everyday activities more easily, set goals, and stay independent.
• Tai Chi for Better SLEEP. Tai chi has been shown to increase strength, improve balance, and prevent falls. Participants will also learn techniques to improve the quality and quantity of their sleep. ​
• Mindfulness for Better SLEEP. Mindfulness has been shown to reduce stress-related symptoms such as worry, depression and physical tension. It may also be helpful in managing chronic conditions. Participants will learn techniques to improve the quality and quantity of their sleep. ​

Michigan State University Extension is a great place to begin when creating or maintaining a worksite wellness program within your organization. For more information about programs and information, visit our Virtual Health Programs calendar.