HR Management & Compliance

Wellness on a Shoestring—Programs that Any Boss Will Fund


Most everyone in HR is convinced that wellness programs are cost effective and good for the organization (and the employees), but that doesn’t mean that management wants to shell out for wellness. Today we share low- and no-cost wellness tips.


First, from the Fort Worth Business Press, Jacqueline Benavidez, a client wellness coordinator at McQueary Henry Bowles Troy LLP, shares some of her low-cost wellness ideas.



  •  Insist that your vendors fill vending machines with healthier choices—your employees may try healthier snacks they had not considered before.

  •  Provide fresh fruit and vegetables free or at cost.

  •  Organize a WeightWatchers® or similar program at your workplace.

  •  Make sure staircases are secure and pleasant to encourage people to take them, and avoid elevators.

  •  Sponsor or co-sponsor community health events such as walks, races, or league sports teams.

Then there’s the New York State Physical Activity Coalition, which actually offers 101 tips—but we’ve distilled them down a bit.


Physical Activity



  •  Develop walking maps. Measure the distance in halls, around the building, and in the surrounding area for setting walking goals.

  •  Encourage employees to walk to a specific location and log individual miles for incentive prizes.

  •  Encourage participation in community walks (i.e., heart, cancer, March of Dimes). Consider sponsoring employee participants or matching employee contributions.

  •  Encourage managers to hold walking meetings when meeting with a small number of employees.

  •  Offer flexible lunch periods/breaks to encourage individual, group or “buddy” walks.

  •  Offer incentives for distance parking and for employees who walk or bicycle to work.

  •  Conduct an “Avoid the Elevator Campaign.”



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  •  Suggest that employees stretch for 1 minute before work each day. Announce a 1-minute stretch on the PA system.

  •  Start a running club, biking club, in-line skaters club, or line dancing club.

  • Encourage employer-sponsored youth athletic teams, along with employee volunteer coaches.

  • Have a Goal of the Week or Month (i.e., I will exercise every day for a week). Keep a chart of weekly or monthly exercise goals in the office.

  • Negotiate corporate discounts for health club memberships.

  • Provide bicycle racks or a fenced-in area for bicycle storage in well-lit section of the property.

Food and Nutrition



  • Work with your vending machine company and cafeteria to post calories and nutrient contents and amounts on vending machines, lunchroom tables, etc.

  • Celebrate “free fruit day” on which you give away apples.

  • Have a homegrown fruit and vegetable exchange.

  • Offer reasonable prices on—or subsidize—healthy snacks (i.e., fresh fruit, yogurt), meals and salad bars.

  • Request that cafeteria vendors offer low-fat, low-cholesterol, nutritious foods.



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  • Hold low-fat cooking demonstrations in the cafeteria.

  • Change a donut break to a bagel and low-fat topping break at meetings.

  • Plan company functions with heart-healthy eating choices in mind.

  • Offer information on packing healthful brown bag lunches.

  • Hold an employee luncheon for which employees bring a healthful lunch to share, and then share the recipes.

  • Have employees bring Crock-Pots® of heart-healthy soup and share with others.

  • Develop a support group for weight management.

  • Promote “eat your greens” on St. Patrick’s Day.

Stress Management


First of all, remember that exercise and good nutrition are great stress-busters. In addition try these:



  • Take stress relief breaks (i.e., meditation, walking, close the door).

  • Encourage employees to take time out for themselves.

Smoking Cessation



· Subsidize nicotine patches.Lower health insurance costs for nonsmokers.*
· Give a $50 U.S. Savings Bond to expectant mothers who agree to not smoke and avoid alcohol during pregnancy.*
(*Editor’s note: With programs that depend on a health factor, certain requirements must be met to comply with HIPAA.)


In the next issue of the Advisor, we’ll share the program support ideas and talk about a new comprehensive wellness program from BLR.


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