Health-Related Programs

It is important for the overall workplace health program to contain a combination of individual and organizational level strategies and interventions to influence health, including:

• Health-related Programs – opportunities available to employees at the workplace or through outside organizations to begin, change or maintain health behaviors

Programs and services can be:

• Informational approaches – directed at changing knowledge or attitudes about the benefits of and opportunities for healthy lifestyles
• Behavior or social approaches – designed to teach employees the behavioral management skills necessary for successful adoption and maintenance of behavior change

Examples of workplace health programs and services might include:

• Classes or seminars on health topics such as fitness, nutrition, tobacco cessation, or stress management
• Weight loss programs that offer counseling and education
• Exercise classes
• Ergonomic assessments and equipment
• On-site influenza vaccines
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
• Chronic disease self-management tools
• Emails or newsletters with health information

Workplace health programs are not add-on benefits but basic investments in human capital, similar to training, mentoring, and other employee development programs.

Regardless of which interventions are selected, the program should strive to:  

• Use multiple interventions, such as combining a policy and a health benefit intervention, for a single health issue.  Combinations are more effective than any one intervention alone
• Use interventions that address multiple health issues at the same time, which is more effective than addressing each single health issue separately