Wellness Assessments

Workplace Wellness Program data collection and analysis is frequently avoided because of a perceived lack of resources for this very important Workplace Wellness Program component. Use the suggestions below to take advantage of a variety of resources available at your installation or in the local community. 

Medical Interns and Residents

• If your Medical Center has an internship Workplace Wellness Program, get to know the Internship Director.

• Take advantage of these resources – including having the Director and/or interns/residents implement the outcome data collection plan for your Workplace Wellness Program.

Local college and graduate students

 

• Where appropriate volunteer agreements are in place, use local college/graduate students to help collect, input, and analyze Workplace Wellness Program data.

• Take advantage of the fact that these students are frequently looking for projects.

• If there are no “health-related” students/interns in your area, consider using company students. Let them calculate a cost avoidance or return on investment for your Workplace Wellness Program. 

Other Medical Personnel

• Partner with other Medical Personnel. Find out who is collecting data, what data they are collecting, and how they are collecting it.

• If they are using a survey and the survey administration process is already in place, ask if you can add a question or two.

• Be aware of other research going on at your facility. They may already be collecting data you need OR may have analysis resources that can be shared.

• Ensure that other departments in the Medical center know you can always use some extra help if they have personnel with any down time. Use these resources for data entry or other administrative tasks.

• Make use of the volunteers at your Medical Treatment Facility to help collect and input data. 

Previous Workplace Wellness Program members

• Previous Workplace Wellness Program members are also a good resource.

• They may be willing to lead a class session, provide encouragement to current Workplace Wellness Program members, or help collect data.

You can improve data collection and analysis by taking advantage of local resources. Using these resources expands the reach and impact of your Workplace Wellness Program.

Keeping Workplace Wellness Program data organized is essential in order to be able to determine Workplace Wellness Program impact and participant progress. Use the simple steps below to keep your data organized. 

Manage Workplace Wellness Program data electronically.

• Storing Workplace Wellness Program outcomes data electronically is the best way to manage that information.

• An electronic system will enable you to review and analyze the data more efficiently.

• Scan old surveys and other Workplace Wellness Program information that exist only on paper into .pdf format for permanent storage. 

Find the Workplace Wellness Program system that works best for you.

• Some workers are more comfortable with spreadsheet applications; others prefer to work with database applications.

• You will be more likely to use a Workplace Wellness Program that you are familiar and/or comfortable with.

• Standardize data collection and organization. Keep data columns/fields in the same order for all Workplace Wellness Programs. 

Keep the Workplace Wellness Program as simple as possible.

• You do not have to be a Wellness Programming wizard or use complicated data entry interfaces in order to manage Workplace Wellness Program outcomes data.

• A simple spreadsheet is an excellent way to keep your data organized. 

Store all Workplace Wellness Program data numerically.

• Using numbers (instead of words) will make the data much easier to enter and analyze. By way of example: use “1” for yes; “0” for no OR “1” for male; “2” for female.

• Number survey responses that contain strings of words. By way of example: instead of entering the responses: “patient education videos”, “news,” or “no TV,” number the responses so you only have to enter “1,” “2,” or “3.” 

Label all Workplace Wellness Program data clearly.

• Ensure that all the data columns, rows, or fields are labeled. The data is worthless if you don’t know what data is in which column.

• The spreadsheet/database should include an explanation for column, row, field, and data abbreviations and a key for numbered responses. 

Use consistent Workplace Wellness Program data units.

• Ensure that all data entered into a given column is expressed with the same unit of measure. By way of example, enter all heights as total inches, not as a combination of feet and inches.

Putting your data in order by using a simple system that works for you will enable you to track participant accomplishments. Keeping your data organized also makes it easier to communicate Workplace Wellness Program impact to leadership and make Workplace Wellness Program improvements as needed.

A gap analysis is an assessment tool that enables a company to compare its current capabilities and performance with industry benchmarks and expectations for performance. A gap analysis is used to identify areas that have room for improvement. 

Gap analysis can also be used for your Workplace Wellness Program to determine where the program stands now and how the Workplace Wellness Program can better follow evidence-based recommendations. 

To start a gap analysis, ask these simple questions about your Workplace Wellness Program:

• What is the current state of the Workplace Wellness Program?

• How does the Workplace Wellness Program measure up to evidence-based practices? (i.e., the desired state) 

The gap is the difference between the current and desired states. 

After the gap has been identified, the next step is to determine the action steps that are needed to close the gap. These actions answer the question: “How can the Workplace Wellness Program move forward towards the desired state?” 

Sometimes the gaps that need to be filled can be addressed through Workplace Wellness Program changes; other gaps might require policy changes. However, using a gap analysis will help you identify areas for Workplace Wellness Program improvement as well as the actions needed to make progress towards those goals.

Workplace Wellness Program company plan review (from Key #19)

• A Workplace Wellness Program company plan is a roadmap for success.

• Your Workplace Wellness Program company plan should convincingly demonstrate that your Workplace Wellness Program will help the organization to achieve its goals. 

More smart Workplace Wellness Program company planning strategies 

Planning the Workplace Wellness Program

• Find out how your organization plans so that your planning process will be in sync with what already happens in the organization.

• Involve other workers. A planning team brings their combined experience and perspective to the process. Including potential partners as you plan will make it easier to get their buy-in later. 

Thinking of the big picture

• Look at the barriers and challenges that might be encountered during Workplace Wellness Program implementation. Develop strategies ahead of time to overcome these potential problems.

• Do a SWOT analysis and examine Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. 

This analysis will help you identify potential problem areas or resource shortfalls as well as opportunities for growth or increased partnerships with other installation personnel. 

The WORST company planning strategy: sitting in your office; working by yourself. 

The best Workplace Wellness Program company planning strategies

• Get out of your office; get out of the company. The more workers you involve in the Workplace Wellness Program planning process, the better. Always look for ways to expand your network.

• Keep your budget workers informed. Get to know their philosophy of financial management.

• Be able to articulate the impact if your budget is not fully funded.

      o Avoid basing your impact-if-not-funded argument solely on: “We have to.”

      o Instead, describe the impact-if-not-funded with phrases like: injuries to workers, increased compensation costs, increased medical care costs for patients, lost work time, loss of licenses/accreditations, loss of workload to the Tricare network.

• Always have purchase requests ready to be submitted. There is frequently a short window of time to process these requests. Having the information gathered ahead of time will make it easy to submit the information right away. 

A well thought-out Workplace Wellness Program company plan is essential in these times of shrinking budgets and resources. A good company plan will help you gain leadership support and help you get and keep resources needed to implement the Workplace Wellness Program.

A company plan is a roadmap for success. Use the guidelines below to develop a realistic company plan and budget for your Workplace Wellness Programs. 

What is a company plan?

• A plan for success

• A document that convincingly demonstrates that your Workplace Wellness Program will help the organization to achieve its goals. 

Questions to ask when developing a Workplace Wellness Program company plan

• Why do you need to do the Workplace Wellness Program?

• What are you going to do?

• Where are you going to do it?

• Who is the target audience?

• How are you going to do it?

• Who is going to implement the Workplace Wellness Program?

• How much will the Workplace Wellness Program cost Upper Management?

• What is Upper Management going to get out of the Workplace Wellness Program? Why should Upper Management invest in the Workplace Wellness Program? 

Workplace Wellness Program company Plan Components

• Title and duration of the Workplace Wellness Program

• Points of contact

• Background information (description of need; bibliography/literature review; how the Workplace Wellness Program will help achieve the organization’s goals)

• Workplace Wellness Program description

• Goals and objectives

• Implementation site

• Target population

• Work plan

• Partnerships and collaborations

• Timelines and milestones

• Budget and resource requirements (dollars and workers) 

Gaining the support of leadership

• Clearly link the Workplace Wellness Program goals and objectives to the organization’s strategic plan.

• Focus on the desired outcomes.

• Use the right language for the right audience. By way of example, Upper Management is interested in decreased clinic visits, increased provider productivity, management of the health of the population. However, Upper Management is interested in increased readiness, decreased lost duty/training time, and decreased disability and FECA claims.

A well thought-out Workplace Wellness Program company plan will help you gain leadership support, help you get and keep resources needed to implement the Workplace Wellness Program, and keep the Workplace Wellness Program on track towards meaningful outcomes.

As they say: “timing is everything.” Use the guidelines below to guide the timing of Workplace Wellness Program activities and data collection. 

Timing: Workplace Wellness Program Start-up

• Look at the optimal time to start a new Workplace Wellness Program. Take into account preferences of the target population and other factors that could affect enrollment and participation.

• By way of example, coordinating the start of an adult weight management initiative with the start of school in August or September may be a good tie-in with a “fresh start.”

• On the other hand, starting an adult weight management initiative In January may not be a great idea because of the constraints that weather may put on exercising outdoors.

• Take advantage of other timing cycles at your installation. Planning a marketing blitz just after the PCS turnover has been completed is a good way to let new personnel know what Workplace Wellness Program options are available. 

Timing: Workplace Wellness Program Participant Support

• Look at how frequently Workplace Wellness Program sessions should be offered to provide the best support and education for members and the best opportunity for success.

• Get feedback from members regarding what session frequencies work best for them.

• Look at the timing for other support mechanisms like email encouragement. What timing of those messages will benefit members most: Weekly? Bi-monthly? Monthly? 

Timing: Workplace Wellness Program Data Collection

• Collecting data is an excellent way to track participant progress and also to identify potential problems within a Workplace Wellness Program. So, give some thought to the frequency and timing of data collection.

• Select metrics that can realistically change during the Workplace Wellness Program implementation time period. By way of example, BMI and weight may not change very much during a 10-week Workplace Wellness Program; however, step counts are more likely to noticeably change.

• Some data, such as participant responsiveness to out-of-class assignments (like food journals) and other interim data (like step counts) will provide important information needed to “adjust fire” as needed and make Workplace Wellness Program changes if something is not working.

• Be flexible regarding data collection frequency. Instead of requiring that members complete an physical fitness log every day, for example, consider asking for a “snapshot” summary from two or three days during the week. You will still get information to review, but members will have an easier time complying with the assignment. 

Timing: Workplace Wellness Program Follow-up

• Because the we are such a mobile population, it’s best to plan some sort of post-Workplace Wellness Program follow-up data collection within two to four months after the Workplace Wellness Program ends.

• You can always try to collect additional follow-up data at 6 or 12 months after Workplace Wellness Program completion. However, if you collect the data sooner, you’ll at least have collected some short term Workplace Wellness Program impact information before members are lost to follow-up.

Workplace Wellness Program communication is important to all aspects of Wellness and preventive medicine and is relevant to:

• Healthcare provider-patient relationships

• An individual’s exposure to, search for, and use of Workplace Wellness Program information

• Effective counseling and patient education for behavior change

• Content of public health messages and community campaigns 

Effective health communication should have these attributes:

• Accuracy: content is valid and error-free

• Availability: delivered or placed where the intended audience can access the information

• Balance: content presents benefits and risks of potential actions

• Consistency: content is locally consistent over time and is also consistent with information from other reliable sources

• Evidence-based: content and methods of delivery are based on relevant scientific proof

• Reach: content gets to or is available to as many workers as possible in the target population

• Reliability: content source is credible; content is kept up-to-date

• Repetition: delivery of/access to the content is continued over time, to reinforce the impact with the audience and to reach new members of the target population

• Timeliness: content is provided when the audience is most receptive to, or in need of, the specific information

• Understandability: reading, language levels, and format are appropriate for the specific audience (i.e., Employees, Family Members, Garrison leadership, etc.) 

What the research says about health communication

• Health communication best supports Wellness when multiple communication methods are used to reach specific audiences.

• Effective Wellness and communication initiatives should reflect an audiencecentered perspective, and reflect the preferred formats, contexts, and method of communication for the intended audience. 

Material adapted from: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010. 2nd ed. With Understanding and Improving Health and Objectives for Improving Health. 2 vols. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, November 2000.

http://www.healthypeople.gov/document/HTML/Volume1/11HealthCom.htm

Evaluation of successful Workplace Wellness Programs has revealed several primary Workplace Wellness Program strategies to increase Workplace Wellness Program effectiveness and impact overall Soldier health. 

Strategy #5: Using a small number of targeted priorities maintains Workplace Wellness Program focus.

• Needs assessment data can be used to identify leading health needs and also high risk populations.

• Choosing a handful of specific health needs on which to focus will maximize efficient use of resources.

• Keeping the Workplace Wellness Program focus small will avoid duplication of other ongoing installation Workplace Wellness Programs. 

Strategy #6: Use standardized processes whenever possible. 

Reduce the amount of variation within your Workplace Wellness Programs by standardizing all the processes needed for Workplace Wellness Program planning and implementation. By way of example:

• Use the same spreadsheet format for data collection so that the columns are in the same order. This way you can compare data more easily.

• Reuse the same forms for enrollment and attendance. Change the heading as needed.

• Look at other Wellness Programming processes (like registration, evaluation, marketing, etc.). What parts of those processes can be standardized?

• The Wellness and Prevention Initiatives website (http://chppmwww. apgea.army.mil/dhpw/Population/HPPiFunction.aspx) has many standardized Workplace Wellness Program resources in a variety of topic areas. 

Strategy #7: Workplace Wellness Program delivery methods should be flexible and adapted to population needs.

• Delivery of products and services may depend on: unit needs, training requirements, other scheduling considerations (such as work/duty schedules, school scheduling, etc.), participant preference, and/or availability of staff or space.

• Be flexible: the same produce/service delivery methods may not work for every population.

• Some units may want services provided to them as close as possible to the unit location; other units may prefer as many services as possible bundled together at once (regardless of location).

• Take Wellness and preventive medicine beyond the walls of the company in order to meet leadership and staff member needs. Answer the question: “How can we best help leadership and Employees to fulfill their mission?”

 

Evaluation of successful Workplace Wellness Programs has revealed several primary Workplace Wellness Program strategies to increase Workplace Wellness Program effectiveness and impact overall Soldier health. 

Strategy #1: Communication with leadership is essential

• Assess leadership priorities.

• Report Workplace Wellness Program outcomes back to leadership in a timely manner.

• Equal investments of support from both the medical and line community will result in enhanced Workplace Wellness Program success. 

Strategy #2: Workplace Wellness Program planning must be driven by data.

• Determine specific needs of the target population.

• Focus on the health status of the population as a whole to identify the top health concerns.

• Information should drive decisions regarding which health needs should be addressed first. 

Strategy #3: Use electronic data collection and reporting as frequently as possible.

• Centrally collected data in an electronic format is essential for determining population health needs.

• Electronic reporting is also very valuable when communicating Workplace Wellness Program outcomes to leadership and other stakeholders.

• Flexible reporting capabilities allow data to be presented as information that can support decision-making, in formats that decision-makers prefer. 

Strategy #4: Multidisciplinary collaboration enhances staff member health and maximizes available resources.

• Collaboration between health disciplines increases effectiveness of Wellness and preventive medicine initiatives.

• Don’t forget to look outside the company for collaboration partners.

• Optimized Workplace Wellness Program outcomes can be achieved by coordinating the activities of medical consultants, cadre, community agents, and funding sources.

• Bundling services together also provides the additional benefit to units by conserving training and mission time.

Implementing these strategies can improve Workplace Wellness Program effectiveness and optimize available resources.

Changing health-related behaviors is a difficult challenge. Incorporate the tools below into your Wellness initiatives to assist members in successfully changing health behaviors. 

Tool #1: Establish effective goals

      • Focus on areas that can impact the overall goal.

            • By way of example, if the overall goal is to lose weight, the most productive areas to focus on are the dietary and activity changes that will lead to long-term weight loss.

            • By way of example, stress management and improving self-esteem may also impact weight loss; however, improving relationships, while a worthwhile topic, will not necessarily impact weight loss.

      • Make the goals specific, attainable, and forgiving. By way of example:

            • “Exercise more” is too general.

            • “Walk five miles everyday” is specific, but may not be attainable.

            • “Walk 30 minutes everyday” is specific and more attainable, but is not very flexible.

            • “Walk 30 minutes, five days a week” is specific, attainable, and forgiving.

      • Use a series of short-term goals to achieve the ultimate goal.

            • Short-term goals break big challenges into more easily attained pieces.

            • Smaller steps also provide Workplace Wellness Program members with encouragement and success. These small successes are essential for maintaining motivation towards a long-term goal. 

Tool #2: Increase self-awareness

      • Self-monitoring is useful for tracking behavioral and environmental cues that trigger a particular behavior.

      • Keeping track of behavior status is also useful for times when progress towards a goal is difficult to measure, or when an individual is in a maintenance stage. 

Tool #3: Provide rewards and motivation

      • Encourage members to reward themselves for achieving small successes on the way to their ultimate goal.

      • Remember that rewards don’t always have to be “things.” Words of encouragement and praise can provide powerful motivation when spoken by a teacher, instructor, parent, friend, etc. 

Tool #4: Respond effectively to set-backs

      • behavior change is conceptually a continuum. However, movement along that continuum is not just in one direction. Employees can move backwards or forwards or sometimes just stay put. Communicate to members that set-backs, lapses and even staying the same (i.e., maintenance) are common for individuals trying to change behavior.

      • Stress is frequently a factor in lapses and relapses. Provide a variety of stress management resources to help members better handle the stress which could trigger a set-back.

      • Brain storm to create a list of potential (and probable) barriers to participant behavior change. Then formulate strategies to meet each of those challenges.

      • Improved time management and decision-making skills can be effective ways to overcome behavior change relapses.

      • Provide members with information regarding the behavior change process so that they will be better prepared for the challenges they will face. A brief overview of the Stages of Change may be helpful.