Winning at Workplace Wellness: Why Quality of Life Matters More Than ROI

Winning at Workplace Wellness: Why Quality of Life Matters More Than ROI

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Wellness is a hot topic in corporate America and around the globe.

CEOs, HR execs, and wellness managers are exploring all manner of

answers to the question:

How can we inspire employees to adopt healthier habits — and keep them engaged, thereby

reducing healthcare costs?

The root of the answer lies in a more fundamental question: Why do

people adopt healthier lifestyles? For many reasons, to be sure — but

the most powerful motive is also the most personal:

to enjoy a better quality of life.

Most of us simply want to feel better — emotionally and physically

— living free from the burdens of poor health, chronic disease, aches

and pains, or injury. We want the well-being and stamina to do what

we love and aspire to; we want stronger relationships; we want to

stress less about money; we want to help our families flourish, and

truly thrive — not just today, but throughout our career and

into retirement.

But there’s a growing disconnect between modern approaches to

workplace wellness and what drives people to make lasting health

behavior changes. Open enrollment messages touting financial

incentives/penalties, principles of healthcare consumerism, and

the latest company-wide wellness program have less impact when

workers get the sense that nobody understands what matters most

to them.

More and more, workplace wellness is all about the numbers — with

83% of large and mid-size US employers offering incentives for

participation in data-gathering activities like health risk assessments

or biometric screenings, and 58% planning to impose consequences

for non-compliance.1 Desperate to justify their wellness programs with

a positive ROI, employers are resorting to big carrots and sticks to

drive participation and results.

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Quality of life (QOL)……is a holistic measure of overall well-being — accounting for factors like financial stability, job satisfaction, living arrangements, and social/physical/emotional health.3

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL)…

…is a subjective measure of well-being focused on factors that affect physical and mental health — socioeconomic status, ability to perform activities of daily living, level of social support, and health risks and conditions.4

But for employees and their families, wellness ROI doesn’t resonate

and isn’t a powerful driver. For them, quality of life matters most —

and a workplace wellness program that addresses a broad range

of well-being factors helps make life better. Some stress-reducing,

health-enhancing examples:

•  A respectful work environment leads to higher satisfaction and

more productivity

•  Walking programs promote fitness and increase energy

•  Money management resources equip families to make sound

financial decisions and feel more secure.

And managers who support such efforts also decrease stress while

enabling employees to perform at their best.

In workplaces where workers feel valued and are adequately

compensated, a comprehensive wellness program is priceless in

terms of employee and dependent well-being, recruitment, retention,

loyalty, morale, and performance. At best, an ROI-first emphasis

offers only a narrow view of a program’s true value.

It’s time to invest more energy into measuring and improving

overall quality of life — and less on ROI, which typically

overlooks the powerful influence of emotional, social,

financial, personal, and workplace factors on well-being

and productivity.2

In this paper, we’ll explain:

•  Why targeting quality of life improvement is a smarter, more sustainable approach to workplace wellness

•  How to drive engagement by shifting your wellness focus from numbers to people.

•  According to the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, self-assessed health status is a more powerful

predictor of mortality and morbidity than many objective

measures of health.6

•  Baseline self-reported well-being (including physical,

behavioral, social, emotional, work-related, and financial

factors) was a significant predictor of healthcare,

productivity, and retention outcomes in a sample of 11,700

employees. Improved well-being over the 1-year study

was linked to lower healthcare costs, fewer unscheduled

absences and presenteeism problems, and stronger plans

to stay with the employer.7

•  People with low well-being scores had 2.7 times the median

annual medical expenses of those reporting high well-being;

for every 1-point increase, they were 1.0% less likely to incur

any healthcare expenses, 2.2% less likely to have a hospital

admission, and 1.7% less likely to visit the ER.8

•  A study of 19,000 workers associated improvement in a

broad range of well-being risks with a significant boost in

productivity measures over 12 months, equivalent to saving

$468/person/year.9

•  Successful wellness programs aren’t solely focused on cost

savings; their workplace cultures also promote well-being to

enhance employee QOL.10

Many people aren’t fully aware of the influence of physical,

emotional, social, financial, and workplace factors on well-being

— until quality of life is compromised. Even then, they may not

grasp the close links that tie everyday choices, personal well-

being, and performance at home or on the job.

A QOL approach inspires employees to connect the dots

— envisioning how their lives can be better — and provides

resources to help them set and achieve goals when they’re

ready. Instead of outlining the negative consequences of not

changing behaviors or penalizing non-participants, this approach

paints a vivid picture of how healthful behaviors can enhance

enjoyment of everyday life — empowering workers to move

forward with encouragement and hope instead of staying stuck

in a cycle of shame and fear.

Focus on What Matters

The recent RAND report concluded that healthcare cost savings

from workplace wellness programs are insignificant — implying

that from an ROI perspective, wellness programs don’t work.5

But assessing wellness program success or failure based

solely on ROI for healthcare expenses is the problem; it paints

an incomplete picture. Yes, organizations need to manage

healthcare costs and consider health and productivity an asset,

just as they do equipment and buildings. But unlike bricks and

mortar, people are not static, interchangeable parts that fit a

neat mathematic formula. And while some employers have

done an admirable job of attempting to honestly measure the

true financial impact of wellness, the average workplace doesn’t

come remotely close to having the resources to measure ROI

with any degree of confidence. Nor should they.

Employers don’t typically evaluate ROI for pensions, paid time

off, family leave, adoption assistance, long-term care insurance,

casual days, contraception benefits, legal assistance, sports

team sponsorship, or retiree medical. Organizations make

these investments because they think it’s good for business;

yet in almost all instances they have no proof-positive financial

justification. They offer these benefits because they think they’ll

attract and retain the best employees to make their organization

successful. And that’s the rationale we need again for workplace

wellness.

In business, profits and cost savings matter; but neither is

sustainable without a positive workplace culture. Corporate

decision makers need to get back to the idea that a well

conceived, expertly executed wellness program adds to the

quality of work life; it’s another reason employees love to come

to work. It’s a key element in a culture that values people for

their contribution within a community working toward the same

business objectives, while recognizing that those workers are

more than the sum of their salaries and healthcare expenses.

And when the organization’s emphasis is on what employees

value, they are more motivated to pursue better health, which

enhances the likelihood of a positive ROI.

An abundance of research supports the value of shifting focus

from obsessing over ROI to developing a workplace culture that

supports well-being/QOL:

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Beyond Onsite Yoga

Enhancing QOL involves offering a range of programs and

resources that reach beyond subsidized gym memberships,

weight loss support groups, and healthful dining options. Scientific

evidence demands attention to the influence of stress, financial

health, job satisfaction, relationships, family life, and other factors

on worker well-being. When employees have the support they

need to cope with life’s challenges, they’re more likely to perform

well on the job and make the choices that reduce their health risks

and costs.

•  The higher an individual’s level of debt, the greater their

chance of being overweight or obese, regardless of other

variables.11

•  The number of real-life (as opposed to online) friends

positively correlates with subjective well-being, after

controlling for income, demographics, and personality

differences. Doubling the number of real-life friends has the

same effect on well-being as a 50% increase in income.12

•  High reaction levels to daily stressors predict degree of

distress, anxiety, and depressive disorders 10 years later.13

•  41% of surveyed workers report feeling stressed out during

the work day; unclear expectations, heavy workloads, low

salaries, and no opportunities for growth or advancement

were among reported sources.14

•  High work stress doubles risk of developing type 2 diabetes in

women, according to a 15-year follow-up study.15

•  Job stress is associated with increased levels of the

inflammation marker C-reactive protein in otherwise healthy

workers, doubling their risk of cardiovascular disease.16

•  Industrial workers reporting high job demands plus low

control, job satisfaction, and job appreciation have a

significantly higher risk of low-back pain.17

•  Women with high job strain (high demand, low control) and

those with active jobs (high demand, high control) are 38%

more likely to experience a cardiovascular event than women

with low job strain (low demand, high control).18

•  A supportive work environment helps relieve work-life conflict,

mitigates stress, and reduces absenteeism, tardiness, and

presenteeism problems.19

Wellness managers and HR executives who broaden

their scope of programs and benefits to address these

QOL issues foster a workplace culture where employees

and families can truly thrive — positioning organizations

to gain a strong competitive edge through productivity,

recruitment, and retention.

Steps to Purpose-Driven Wellness

In The Blue Zones, author Dan Buettner describes Power 9® — the 9

factors shared by the world’s longest-living populations.20 A close look

reveals that 4 of the 9 are connected to relationships and community

that contribute to meaning and purpose.

We’re not suggesting you lobby for the title “Director of Why I Am Here.”

But you can begin to shift your program’s image from fixer-of-all-that’s-

wrong-with-people to a vital part of the organization that helps people

achieve their life goals. Here are some practical steps:

• Support your community. People need connections to schools,

neighborhoods, churches, civic organizations. You can highlight these

groups in your wellness communications and offer suggestions for

getting involved. You also can support charitable causes through your

program by serving as a collection post, meeting facility, or volunteer

recruitment source.

• Alternate health assessments with values or purpose assessments. If you can’t go cold turkey on your longstanding HRA,

add an “inventory” where you ask individuals to explore their values,

passions, gifts, and talents. There’s nothing to score necessarily, but it

forces people to take stock of how they’re spending their time/life and

offers clues about what matters most.

• Extend your offerings. Experiment with social, emotional, spiritual

messages and programs. Blend them with existing services early so

it’s not perceived as a radical shift in your role. For example, consider

a Walks of Life program to engage people in a fitness activity while

encouraging them to explore life meaning and purpose.

The Blue Zones research also highlights 5 attributes around traditional

wellness subjects (including physical activity, nutrition, and stress

management) that contribute to a healthy life. We’re not suggesting you

abandon what works. But if you want real impact on well-being and

not just cholesterol scores, plan how to move toward a more purpose-

centered, comprehensive wellness program model.

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Health-Related Quality of Life

Physical activity and nutrition habits aren’t the only factors

affecting QOL or productivity, but they’re still key areas of focus

for any comprehensive wellness program. Most people have

a genuine desire to feel good, perform well, and live life to the

fullest; nobody gets sick or develops chronic conditions on

purpose. But many are unknowingly influenced by cultural,

social, environmental, and personal factors to adopt lifestyle

habits that leave them exhausted — and lacking the physical or

emotional stamina needed to operate well at work and home.

Evidence from health and medical research underscores the

importance of helping employees and their families understand

the vital connections between everyday choices, medical

conditions, and quality of life:

•  Highly active adults score better in HRQOL across different

measures and types of activities.21

•  Moderately active adults with hypertension, diabetes, or

obesity (or a combination) score higher in QOL measures

related to physical well-being compared to those who

are inactive.22

If You Can Do Only 1 Thing to Improve QOL, This Is ItCreating a robust walking culture is the easiest, most effective way to help employees and families improve QOL. Walking is inexpensive, simple, fun — and appropriate for all ages or fitness levels. It boosts physical and mental well-being and is linked with enhanced QOL 27; walking with a friend, family member, or a group also bolsters social well-being.

Here’s how to encourage more daily walking at home and at work:

• Run a team-based walking challenge where participants track daily steps in pursuit of a virtual destination

• Provide free or low-cost pedometers; watching total steps increase from day to day is extremely motivating; pedometer use also boosts total physical activity, reduces blood pressure, and promotes weight loss28

• Help employees organize break-time walking groups for fun and social support; even 10-15 minute walks help reduce stress and boost energy

• Encourage walking meetings, especially for 1:1 conferences; walking while working feels good — and inspires people to find more opportunities to move

• Work with facilities staff to make stairwells more appealing with enhanced ventilation, pleasant paint jobs and artwork, and inspiring signs.

•  People with arthritis who exercise regularly experience less

pain and discomfort and a higher HRQOL compared to

inactive subjects, even after controlling for demographics,

socioeconomic status, emotional support, BMI, activity

limitation, health status, co-morbidities, and more.23

•  Eating 5-8 servings a day of fruit and vegetables is

associated with better mental well-being, even after

controlling for education, socioeconomic status, smoking,

exercise, BMI, and other factors.24

•  A diet rich in Mediterranean-style foods (like olive oil,

nuts, and produce) is linked with positive mood states. In

contrast, Western foods are linked with low positive mood

overall and with negative moods, especially in women.25

•  Obesity and overweight are associated with a lower HRQOL

compared to normal weight; this is attributed primarily to

declines in physical health, but also to mental health in

women.26

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Workplace Culture Matters

Even the most well planned, flawlessly executed wellness

initiative will struggle or fail in a workplace environment of poor

communication, distrust, and low morale. Building a culture of

openness, respect, and trust doesn’t happen overnight. It takes

a consistent, unified effort by all departments and leaders—

but it lays the only strong foundation for a wellness program.

More and more studies reveal just how influential culture is in

terms of employee well-being, job satisfaction, performance,

retention, and recruitment:

•  Having an effective workplace culture accounts for up

to half the difference in operating profit between similar

businesses 29

•  Employee health and level of commitment to the

employer are influenced directly and indirectly by perceived

organization and supervisor support, work-life balance, work

stimulation, and job clarity 30

•  Frequent social interactions, workplace friendships, and

emotional support are identified as strong predictors of job

satisfaction across a variety of industries and occupations 31

•  50% of workers who don’t feel valued in their current job

will look for a new one in the next year compared to 20% of

those who feel valued.32

Wellness and HR directors can get things moving in the right

direction. Approach executive leaders from an organizational

development standpoint — linking a positive, healthy work

environment with better performance and productivity, greater

customer satisfaction, fewer injuries and illnesses, and lower

healthcare costs, among other benefits.33 Training all leadership

levels to focus on these attributes will go a long way toward a

positive culture:

•  Be clear about job responsibilities/expectations

•  Assign reasonable workloads

•  Allow appropriate levels of autonomy

•  Advocate career advancement

•  Foster camaraderie.

Bring Your Sense of Humor to Work

A corporate culture that nurtures a light-hearted outlook does more than make workers smile; on-the-job fun:

• Reduces stress, increases job satisfaction, and improves perception of customer service 34, 35

• Stimulates creativity, strengthens work relationships, and enhances team performance 36

• Has a bigger impact on perceived job fit and intention to pursue other employment than pay level or opportunities for advancement.37

Workplace fun isn’t about wasting time or hiring a clown for your next meeting; it’s about cultivating a climate that makes work more enjoyable. Try these ideas to support the natural evolution of fun at work:

• Help workers get to know each other through team wellness challenges, affinity groups, and other opportunities for shared experiences

• Encourage celebrations and recognition — team accomplishments, employment anniversaries, and birthdays are occasions for employees to rally around and cheer each other on

• Promote a cheerful mood with seasonal decorations, personalized work stations, and casual attire days

• Hold humorous contests and ceremonies; crowning someone Ping Pong Champion or Veggie Czar helps weave laughter and levity into the culture

• Spread the story — post fun workplace photos in central locations or on an internal website; write humorous posts for the company blog.

Making work a place where a little merriment is welcome helps employees thrive — and that’s good for business.

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Messages That Motivate

“Energize your day and boost your mood for up to 12 hours42 with a single cardiovascular workout like running, brisk walking, or a group cycling class.”

“Feeling stressed? Take a brisk walk around the building; even a vigorous, 10-minute walk can make you feel a whole lot better.”43

“Mood-boosting tip: Load up your plate with colorful fruits and veggies every chance you get.”44

“Feeling a little sluggish? Could be dehydration. Have 8 ounces of water for a quick energy boost… and keep drinking H2O throughout the day.”45

“Stuck at your desk? Remember to get up and stretch, move around, breathe deeply, and regain your perspective for at least 2 minutes every couple of hours.”

“Pump it up to help with weight loss; strength training builds muscle that helps you burn more calories all day — even as you rest.”46

“Mid-morning munchies got you down? Trade pancakes or cereal for eggs with cut veggies to keep up your energy and beat back hunger.”47

“Set a soundtrack to your day. Listening to a variety of music can invigorate your mood, improve concentration48, calm your nerves, and even help with pain management.”49

“Support your weight-loss efforts by getting 40 winks — starting tonight. Sleeping 7 or more hours regularly can help control appetite, while giving you more energy for workouts.”50

“Sleep better tonight and wake up refreshed by shutting down your computer, TV, and phone at least an hour before hitting the hay.”51

Successfully shifting to a QOL approach requires changing the messages used to drive worksite wellness engagement. It’s no secret

that a rising number of US workers are sedentary, overweight, and stressed out.38, 39, 40 For the most part, they’re acutely aware of

their well-being issues; they don’t need to be told exactly how inactive, fat, or disease-prone they are; and they don’t need more

admonishments about how things will get worse if they don’t change.

Regrettably, wellness programs are notorious for delivering a steady stream of doom and gloom messages. “Sitting too much increases

your risk of diabetes.” “Eating too much meat can cause cancer.” “High blood pressure raises your risk of stroke.” No wonder workers roll

their eyes and walk the other way when they see the wellness manager coming; who wants to be nagged or cajoled into doing anything?

Recent research suggests pointing to disease prevention — a long-term benefit — isn’t a strong motivator

for behavior change. So what does work? Building wellness messages around more immediate

improvements in health-related QOL.41 Examples:

Posting employee and family

success stories is another

powerful way to encourage

action. There’s nothing more

inspiring than someone

overcoming obstacles to

achieve a substantial goal — like

maintaining a big weight loss,

paying off mountains of debt, or learning parenting skills that

dramatically reduce household tension. Testimonies like these

generate hope and a can-do mindset — “If she can do it, so can

I.” Actively solicit tales of trial and triumph, then spread them

throughout the workplace year-round; here’s how:

•  People often share accomplishments on social networks, so

use internal sites to request submissions and look for leads

•  Invite coworkers to nominate each other for awards based

on QOL improvement efforts

•  Request stories based on monthly themes — such as heart

health for February, financial wellness for April, or lifelong

learning in September

•  Broadcast stories through the internal website or blog,

bulletin boards, and other HR communication venues,

highlighting any employer-sponsored benefit or service that

played a role

•  Include a brief success story in HR benefits and vendor

materials to personalize the messages; embed them in open

enrollment seminars and workshops

•  With employee permission, pitch a series of success stories

to media outlets.

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Money for Nothing People aren’t robots or circus animals... they can’t be programmed or trained to change deep-seated health behaviors for something as insignificant as money — whether in the form of a carrot or stick. They need to make a conscious decision and establish a plan for living healthier. You can help them get to that point by shifting your wellness program from a financial or risk-driven emphasis to QOL awareness, education, intervention, and support.

Instead of dangling financial carrots or wielding sticks, sell

participants on the better life they’ll enjoy with a healthier lifestyle;

the success stories are proof. People tire of being nagged or

bribed to sign up for the latest wellness campaign. But you’ll

get their attention with a vision of how different life can be

when they have more energy, feelings of more control, stronger

relationships, and a better grip on finances. Include a mention of

how their positive changes will also affect those around them —

at work and at home.

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Implementing a QOL Approach

Modifying messages to promote QOL awareness and benefits

of taking action is a key. Actually measuring QOL — and

tracking the trends — is another factor in achieving this

approach.

A variety of validated instruments can be used to assess QOL

and HRQOL; the Healthy Days Measures — a CDC tool (www.

cdc.gov/hrqol/methods.htm) — and the Gallup Healthways

Wellbeing Index (http://well-beingindex.com/default.asp) are

examples. Employers can also develop custom assessments

with help from a research expert.

A simple, though unvalidated, way to get wellness participants

thinking about QOL — and to start gathering data — is

asking targeted questions in surveys, internal blog posts, and

individual coaching sessions.

1. Overall, how would you rate your quality of life? (1-5 scale)

2. How do you feel about your current level of work-life effectiveness? (1-5 scale)

3. Rate your average level of job stress over the past month; how frequently do you experience job stress? (1-5 scale)

4. Rate your level of agreement with this statement: My current break schedule gives me enough time to exercise. (1-5 scale)

5. What’s the main thing you’d like to be able to do that you can’t do now for health/financial/time/relationship/etc. reasons?

6. Specifically, how do you envision your life will be better when you adopt a healthier lifestyle/commit to a budget/take steps toward career growth, etc.?

7. What new employee benefit or program — or change to existing offerings — would most help improve quality of life for you and your family?

Sample QOL Questions

Next, use de-identified data and feedback to zero in on needs and gaps in benefits, resources, and services. Invite leaders and

employee representatives across the organization to generate and assess ideas for new, cost-effective ways to improve QOL.

Look for ways to leverage existing internal and community resources.

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•  Survey your employees to reveal any special talents they’d be willing

to share with coworkers (such as gardening, creative writing, public

speaking, or martial arts)

•  See if your EAP contract includes onsite or web-based classes, such

as setting boundaries with teenagers, coping with grief, or building

resilience

•  Ask your 401(k) administrator to provide resources and coaching on

personal financial management

•  Partner with non-profits like the American Heart Association (www.

heart.org), Family Caregiver Alliance (www.caregiver.org), and

American Institute of Stress (www.stress.org/); organizations like

these typically offer an array of free or low-cost resources, including

speakers’ bureaus, education programs, and online support

communities

•  Invite a nearby medical center to send a primary care provider,

cardiologist, or podiatrist to talk with staff about preventive care and

new treatments

•  Find faith-based organizations that conduct free or low-cost marriage

enrichment workshops, parenting support, or spiritual growth groups

open to the community

•  Research parks and recreation departments and community colleges

for classes in foreign language, music, cooking, and arts, as well as

recreational sports leagues, fitness facilities, and special events

•  Request outside organizations to visit the worksite with information

about their resources and ideas for joining forces.

Propose fresh, innovative offerings as needed — and as the budget allows.

Then implement, evaluate, and repeat.

It’s About People Whatever the size of your population, remind yourself every day that

they’re people — people who want to come home from work with enough

energy to fix dinner and play with their kids; people who want to be

healthy enough to travel when they retire; people who are coping with loss,

relationship difficulties, and financial stress.

Many of them don’t care so much about your HRA or program du jour —

and they’re not losing any sleep over your wellness ROI, either. Make the

effort to show you’re a positive force in their lives instead of someone who

heaps on more to-dos with more stress. They’ll soon participate because

they want to… because they feel connected to you and how you can help.

Ideas:

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Dean Witherspoon is President and founder of

Health Enhancement Systems

A Wellness Story… by Dean Witherspoon

Natalie started getting chubby in middle school and struggled

throughout high school to not gain more weight as she

bounced between fad diets — from French Women Don’t Get

Fat to Cabbage Soup to Raw Food. “I lost weight each time

— sometimes as much as 20 pounds — and fast. But I came

to hate the foods and quit each diet within a month or so. The

weight came back almost as fast as I lost it, and in the end I

disliked myself more with each failed attempt.”

Heading into her sophomore year at Syracuse, Natalie had

gained another 12 pounds since high school graduation

and was carrying 194 pounds on her 5’ 4” frame. Then she

enrolled in HTW 227, Healthy You Practicum — a course

that changed her life. The class allowed Natalie to explore

her interests in writing and design of health information in the

context of developing a health magazine for college students.

“I started to study health and behavior not for the purpose of

losing weight, but to understand what causes people to make

the choices they do and develop healthy or unhealthy habits.

When I separated myself from my own struggles with weight

and looked at health behavior from the outside, academically,

I was able to see the issues objectively — without the shame

and emotion I associated with what I felt were my own

weaknesses or failures.”

This self-directed course led Natalie to explore the work

of Deci and Ryan around extrinsic and intrinsic motivation.

She began to understand the negative self-image she

had developed grew out of a desire to try to please others

(extrinsic) — her Mom, friends at school, even some strangers

— and not be the “fat” girl everyone quietly pitied.

As the realization sunk in that her on-again, off-again attempts

at weight loss were driven by motivation to make others more

accepting — to “like” her — she felt the weight of the world

was being lifted off her shoulders. Natalie’s attitude began to

change from what can I do to lose weight so others will like me

to how can I feel my best for me. Her motivation had naturally

shifted from extrinsic to intrinsic as she recognized this for the

first time: If she was going to adopt healthier habits, it had to

come from within.

“I immediately started setting goals for myself that had

nothing to do with weight — daily walks, more vegetables,

better sleep habits — things I had learned contribute to

better overall health regardless of size. In hindsight, they

don’t seem like they were that big; but I can tell you, for me,

they were huge. I’d never been able to keep at these things

for more than a couple of months. But the key difference was

my overall mission being to feel better for me instead of trying

to get to a target number on the scale I thought would make

others accept me.”

Natalie credits another event mid-way through her second

semester with helping her cement new health habits. “I met

Lindsey at a Relay for Life walk. She was tall, blonde, and

beautiful — the kind of girl who stops traffic… not the kind

to typically hang with the chubby girl. But we had 1 thing

in common: her Mom and my Dad both had cancer they’d

been fighting for 3 years. We had an immediate emotional

bond and talked nonstop as we circled the track for hours

that April night. Lindsey and I became walking buddies and

cancer support friends. As her Mom got more ill, I became

even more determined to be there for her, just to walk and

talk. We estimated we had walked close to 2000 miles

together in the final year and a half of her Mom’s life.”

When Natalie graduated from SU in 2005, she weighed

134 pounds — about 50 pounds less than the start of her

sophomore year. She believes it’s because she stopped

dieting and quit trying to be what she thought others wanted

her to be. “That change in my thinking has made all the

difference. I jog and walk, eat healthier, and get more sleep

not because I should to stay at a certain weight, but because

of how it feels. In fact, I almost never think about how much

I weigh anymore; I just do the things that make me feel good

today and every day.”

This fall, Natalie will be escorted down the aisle by her Dad

at Hendricks Chapel on the SU campus. Natalie’s dear friend

Lindsey will be waiting as her Matron of Honor. No doubt

they will have spent the early morning walking and talking…

just as they had so many times almost a decade earlier.

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Conclusion

All organizations want to limit

healthcare expenses and

improve productivity to be best

positioned to compete in their

respective markets. Those most

successful in the 21st century

will understand that the path to

long-term growth and profitability

isn’t about the right incentives or

disincentives for health.

It’s about the ability to hire great

people and keep them excited

about their work and how it

contributes to their lives.

Happy, healthy employees bring a

level of energy and joie de vivre to

the workplace that money can’t

buy. An employer that supports

good health for good health’s

sake, with an environment and

tools to reinforce positive health

practices, will go a long way

toward attracting and maintaining

top talent.

Reinvent Your Wellness Program to Boost QOL: A Summary of 12 Ways

Use a QOL assessment in place of — or integrated with — a traditional HRA. Track trends in self-reported QOL for your population, and use this data to shape HR and wellness program design.

Join forces with benefits, recruiting, employee health, ergonomics, disability, wealth management, vendor partners, non-profits, faith communities, and other relevant groups to share resources, brainstorm, and strategize for enhancing employee and family QOL. For example, employees undergoing cancer treatment may want American Cancer Society support programs in addition to medical plan care coordination. Make it easy to plug in to both internal and community resources.

Evaluate the scope of current HR and wellness offerings; using QOL assessment results, work with stakeholders to implement new resources and streamline existing resources as needed to bridge gaps in career, financial, emotional, family, relationship, and social well-being.

Cultivate community. A strong sense of belonging is a basic human need and vital to QOL52; look for ways to bring people together toward a common purpose — and gear messaging around doing good for yourself and others. Example: Organize teams to train together for a charity run/walk or enlist small groups for volunteer work in your company’s neighborhood.

Remember manager support is vital for wellness program success. Identify an HR champion to partner with you early in the transition to a QOL approach; reach out to all levels of leadership to clarify the advantages, invite their input, request their support, and keep them informed.

Work with HR to design an integrated wellness communication plan; schedule time for training nurse line, tobacco cessation, EAP, and other vendors so employees and families receive consistent QOL messages.

Replace messages laden with warnings, guilt trips, and long-way-off rewards with positive, here-and-now language.

Include opportunities for continuing education, mentorships, tuition reimbursement, in-service training, and job advancement with other wellness communications. Career development is often overlooked as an aspect of employee well-being, resulting in the loss of talent at all levels.

Help employees get to know each other; mentoring programs, informal after-work gatherings, and team challenges/events are just a few ideas. A strong social network builds resilience while helping people feel more connected to the organization and similar goals.

Encourage wellness staff to sharpen interpersonal relationship skills with in-service training and coaching. Make sure they understand that cultivating positive, meaningful connections with the people they serve is a performance expectation. Develop an in-house program, or bring in a vendor specializing in this type of training.

Expand employee phone-based, online, onsite, and webinar offerings to include relationship and parenting support, financial advice, eldercare resources, and concierge services. With less stress, more peace of mind, and a better sense of control over their lives, employees are more likely to perform their best at work.

Invite employees and families to share stories about their well-being journeys; create inspiring blog posts or video clips highlighting challenges, how they overcame them, and any employer-sponsored resources they used to achieve and maintain their goals. Personal stories are an extraordinarily powerful catalyst for lasting change.

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24 Blanchflower D, Oswald A, Stewart-Brown S, Is Psychological Well-being Linked to the Consumption of Fruit and Vegetables?, The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 996, University of Warwick, Department of Economics, 2012

25 Ford P, et al, Intake of Mediterranean Foods Associated With Positive Affect and Low Negative Affect, Journal of Psychosomatic Research, Vol 74, Issue 2 , pp. 142-148, February 2013

26 Bentley, Palta, et al, Race and Gender Associations Between Obesity and 9 HRQOL Measures, Quality of Life Research, 2011, 20:665–674 DOI 10.1007/s11136-011-9878-7

27 Pucci G, et al, QOL and Physical Activity Among Adults in Brazil, Quality of Life Research, DOI 10.1007/s11136-011-0083-5

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32 American Psychological Association, APA Survey Finds Feeling Valued at Work Linked to Well-Being and Performance , March 2012, www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2012/03/well-being.aspx

33 American Psychological Association, APA Center for Organizational Excellence, Benefits of a Psychologically Healthy Workplace, 2013, www.apaexcellence.org/resources/creatingahealthyworkplace/benefits

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38 American Psychological Association, Fact Sheet by the Numbers, Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program, 2010

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44 Blanchflower D, Oswald A, Stewart-Brown S, Is Psychological Well-being Linked to the Consumption of Fruit and Vegetables?, The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 996, University of Warwick, Department of Economics, 2012

45 Armstrong L, Ganio M, Casa D, et al, Mild Dehydration Affects Mood in Healthy Young Women. The Journal of Nutrition, February 1, 2012, Vol 142, No 2 382-388

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