Or do you just have a wellness program? By Jill Lackey Sponsored by Allegacy Business Solutions
An HR manager named Carl says: “We’ve had a wellness program now for two years and we haven’t saved a dime. Our insurance carrier promised lower rates if a certain percentage of our employees participate in the wellness program. Any savings from the carrier due to participation was offset by the fact our overall claims costs went up. We implemented a weight loss challenge, offered a lunch-n-learn on heart disease and we have an employee assistance program as part of our benefits plan. What more could I have done?” Carl’s story is very common. So what’s the problem? Arbitrary wellness offerings do not create a culture of health. Yes, having a culture of health includes some of the same things that Carl invested in, but it is so much more. Health and well-being is not just about one’s physical health. As a result, a culture of health is holistic. It includes having a sense of purpose, as well as emotional, social and financial health. If an employee is deeply in debt, fearful of losing his home and unable to pay his monthly bills, he will not be as productive at work. Additionally, that stress can lead to numerous physical and emotional problems. Effective wellness programs often include financial planning sessions, access to counseling and intervention programs, participation incentives, social events with healthy food options, and employee-driven volunteer efforts as a way of giving back and building camaraderie. Employees are also offered opportunities to learn and grow, and career development is embedded in the company’s practices. Employees can sense when their company cares about them. Since Allegacy Business Solutions began its evolution to a culture of health in 2009, it has seen a 116 percent increase in employee engagement scores and, more importantly, a 225 percent increase in our trust scores. Employees say Allegacy Business Solutions’ commitment to their health and well-being through AllHealth Wellness shows the company cares about them. Creating a culture of health starts by ensuring that senior leadership not just supports the creation, but is willing to walk the talk. Nothing demonstrates a culture of health better than the CEO saying, “It's 5:15, I have to leave to get to my Pilates class” or having the controller lead a financial literacy class. Organizations that are most successful start their efforts because it is just the right thing to do. Most cultural change initiatives take three to five years to fully implement and recognize the benefits. If your only driver is to reduce health care costs and get a positive ROI on any wellness initiatives, you will have a difficult time creating a culture of health. When doing what is right is the primary motivator, the results will come. Jill Lackey provides coaching, human resource consulting, talent and team development, and organizational development to Allegacy Business Solutions clients, and focuses on instituting or improving wellness initiatives and culture within those organizations. Allegacy Business Solutions is a collaboration of services offered by Allegacy Federal Credit Union and its wholly owned credit union service organization Allegacy Services, LLC. You may also like reading about Goldenwest FCU’s Hubbub Health wellness program, in “HR Answers: What’s All the ‘Hubbub’?” Also read “Race to Financial and Physical Fitness.” Both articles are from Credit Union Management magazine.
