Worksite Wellness Barriers Opportunities and Incentives Brett Spencer
Worksite Wellness Barriers, Opportunities and Incentives Brett Spencer Statewide Wellness Coordinator Department of State Health Services 1
Recent Question “Is that decimal point in the right place? ” 2
Limited Funding § Small or No Dedicated Budget § Fundraising Limitations § Limitations on Donation Amounts and Organizations You Can Accept Donations From 3
Opportunities/What We Know § Available funds can be used to support wellness program activities per Gov Code Section 664. 004. § General/State Level and Agency Policies Govern Purchases § Fundraisng/Donations: § No Gifts from any entity that your agency has jurisdiction over § Gifts greater than $500 must be officially acknowledged by your agencies board/leadership § Your agency likely has additional policies/limitations 4
Opportunities/Incentives § Worksite Wellness Promising Practices Recognition Award § 2009 - Four Awards of $1, 000 each § In 2010 we hope to increase the award amount § Partnership of the Texas Public Health Association, Worksite Wellness Advisory Board and the Department of State Health Services 5
Recent Question “What is “ 5%” of Forty? ” 6
Competing Time Demands § Staff Time is Already Limited § Few Agencies have a full FTE Wellness Coordinator § Usually an Additional Duty 7
Opportunities/What We Know § No Easy Answer for This One § Investment in wellness is an investment in a more productive workforce as a whole. § Model Wellness Program Team is working to make the Wellness Coordinator’s job as easy as possible. § www. Wellness. State. TX. US 8
Opportunities/Incentives § Build your committee and “consultants” § Include this Question on Your Needs and Interest Survey: “Are you interested in helping to plan and implement wellness activities at your worksite? ” § Build your committee to be “doers” not just “thinkers” – Share the Workload! 9
Recent Question “What is the Status of That Wellness Action Memo I Sent in July? ” 10
Leadership Support and Buy-In § Agency Leadership is Not “Anti-Wellness” § Leadership Does Have to See the Whole Picture § § § Workers Comp Concerns Legal Considerations Budget/Fiscal Responsibility Facilities Usage Safety 11
Leadership Support and Buy-In § Leadership also has competing demands on their time and attention § Wellness may not be on his or her radar and may not stay on the radar 12
Opportunities § Anticipate leadership concerns and questions and address them as early as possible. § Identify an Executive Sponsor or someone who can keep wellness on the leaders’ radar § Allow leaders a visible role with minimal time demands and duties. § Make it as easy as possible for them to visibly support your program and activities 13
Recent Question “So What is ‘Wellness’ Anyway? ” 14
Getting Everyone on the Same Page § Lots of ideas can fit under the “Wellness” umbrella § Reputable and Not So Reputable Sources/Resources online § We Can’t Address Everything 15
Opportunities § Focus Your Committee’s Efforts on the Six Building Healthy Texans Objectives: § Increase Usage of Preventive Screenings and Services § Improve Tobacco Prevention and Cessation § Increase Physical Activity § Increase Healthy Eating § Improve Stress Management § Improve Support for Breastfeeding Mothers www. Wellness. State. TX. US/activities. htm 16
Recent Question “Where Did All These Policies Come From? ” 17
So Many Policies So Little Time § State Codes § Facilities Commission Policies § Business Enterprise of Texas (Administers the Cafeteria Vendors) § Ethics Commission § Agency Policies § Legal Considerations § Communications Policies § And so on……. . 18
So Many Policies So Little Time § More Activities = More Visibility § We must answer questions that were not asked before. § Considerable Room for Interpretation § Policies Don’t Always Address the Exact Scenario 19
Opportunities § Statewide Wellness Coordinator and the Worksite Wellness Advisory Board are working to clarify statelevel policies and those policies effecting all state agencies § Get to know your agency policies that pertain to: § § § § Wellness Fundraising Accepting Donations Facility Utilization Purchasing Time and Leave Accounting Safety Others 20
Opportunities § Get to know the following people in your agency: § § § Executive Management/Executive Sponsor Facility Manager/TFC Liaison Legal Counsel Communications Staff IT Staff HR Staff § Get them on your wellness committee if possible. 21
Recent Question “How Many Regional Offices Do We Have Again? ” 22
All for Wellness and Wellness for All § Administering a Wellness Program at the Headquarters Location is “Easy” § How Do We Offer Comparable Opportunities to Regional Staff? § What Works for Your Agency is the Best Way for You to Do It. 23
Opportunities § Policies Apply to All Employees § Communication and Coordination with Regional Offices is Key § They Need to Do the Leg Work and Have Ownership of Their Activities § Create an Agency-Level Wellness Committee with Representation From Regional Offices § Create Worksite Specific Wellness Committees within Regions and Sub-Offices 24
Recent Question “Tell Me Again, How Did I End Up on This Committee? ” “I Am a…[Fill in Your Title Here]” 25
I Guess I am the Wellness Expert § Few Agencies Have a Full Time Wellness Coordinator § Usually an Additional Duty for Someone Hired to Do Something Completely Different § How Do We Make Our Co-Workers Exercise and Eat Right? 26
Opportunities § Good News – You Can Do This! § www. Wellness. State. TX. US § Identifying Programs That are as “Turn-Key” as Possible. § We’ll Do the “Health” Part – You Figure Out the Logistics § Monthly Training Opportunities 27
If All Else Fails There is Always Brett Spencer Statewide Wellness Coordinator (512) 458 -7111 Ext. 6161 Brett. Spencer@dshs. state. tx. us 28
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