As the Principal Financial Group® was conducting its wellness survey (see yesterday’s Advisor), Cornell University was conducting a wellness survey of its own—and demonstrating the importance of assessing needs before implementing.
The responses of the 1,400 people who completed Cornell’s survey gave its wellness program clear indicators of where to focus its efforts. It also verified the popularity of innovative programs like Dial-In Diabetes, Dial-In Menopause, and Mind, Body, and Soul cooking classes.
Here’s what Cornell’s respondents indicated interest in:
- Healthy eating—nearly 90% indicated interest
- Healthy cooking—more than 80% indicated interest
- Weight management—almost 80% indicated
For these respondents, Cornell devised the Mind, Body and Soul cooking class. Participants meet for five consecutive Fridays, prepare a variety of recipes during the class, and then eat their preparations as their lunch.
Respondents also indicated interest in the following topics:
- CPR, first aid, and automated external defibrillator (AED) training—nearly 50% were “very interested”
- Stress reduction — 30% interested
- Time management—over 25% interested
- Smoking cessation—about 16% interested
There was also interest in self-defense instruction, heart-disease prevention, and diagnostic testing. Somewhat less interest was shown in cholesterol testing, blood-sugar testing, and blood-pressure testing.
Those survey results gave Cornell specific guidance on what will attract employees to their wellness program.
In addition, Cornell’s survey yielded important suggestions for improving the program. For example, people requested clearer guidelines on the time allotted to attend wellness programming, and they requested more videoconferencing and dial-in services like Dial-in Diabetes and Dial-in Menopause.
“The names may sound a bit strange, but we have had a lot of participation in these,” says Beth McKinney, director of the wellness program. (To join these lectures and facilitated discussions, participants call in from the convenience of their office or home.)
Cornell also reports kudos out of the survey, like this one: “The wellness program offered by Cornell is one of my top reasons for working here (plus I love my job)! The support in the form of nutrition and personal training has made losing 35 pounds—and counting—possible.”
Corporate wellness programs show great ROI. And, as one expert noted, there’s little downside—even small improvements make a difference. Check out BLR’s comprehensive Total Workplace Wellness Program—a guidebook, newsletters, and PowerPoints® updated quarterly—at no cost or risk. Read more.
Is Your Program Getting Kudos?
Are your wellness program participants as enthusiastic as Cornell’s? Do you even have a program? If wellness challenges seem too big to tackle, consider the following:
1. Wellness pays off. It’s not a just “nice-to-have” benefit—it actually makes money. Studies show ROI upward of 300% for many programs. That makes it an easy sell to management.
2. There’s a new turnkey “3-dimensional” tool to help you build your wellness program.
Well-structured and well-run wellness programs do show dramatic ROI, but the key words are well-structured and well-run. Poorly designed programs leave employers just spinning their wheels—no health benefit and no positive ROI either.
What are the keys to wellness success?
–Careful planning and structure
–Ongoing attention
–Keeping it fresh
With this in mind, BLR’s editors have prepared a new and unique 3-part program that has something for everyone—the people who authorize the program, the people who run it, and the people who participate. BLR’s all new Total Workplace Wellness Program includes these key elements:
Part 1—Workplace Wellness. This 373-page guidebook shows you how to set up your program—from convincing management to implementing a workable plan to maintaining its effectiveness over time. It includes a vast collection of ready-to-use forms, handouts, and checklists that both structure your program and provide the metrics to prove its effectiveness to management’s satisfaction.
Check out BLR’s comprehensive Total Workplace Wellness Program at no cost or risk. Find out more.
Part 2–Quarterly Manager’s Newsletter. Clearly written, practical, up-to-the-minute info—the latest in wellness news, case studies of successful programs, and practical tips from the field on running an effective program.
Part 3–Interactive Employee PowerPoints®. Employees stay engaged with these interactive training aids. Each focuses on a key wellness topic such as managing stress, healthy aging, and many more.
PLUS, along with your quarterly newsletter, you also receive quarterly updates for both the guidebook and the PowerPoint training sessions—so there’s no trouble keeping your program humming with fresh ideas and proven suggestions.
If you’d like to examine the Total Workplace Wellness Program on a no-cost, no-obligation basis for 30 days, we can arrange for you to do so. Let us know and we’ll be happy to set it up.