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Corporate Health Promotion Programs Becoming Increasingly Popular

Corporate Health Promotion Programs are Becoming Increasingly popular outside the worksite, showing the ever-increasing importance of disease prevention and health risk management.  Private insurance corporations, as well as state Medicaid and Medicare offices are working on ways to enhance the health of the people they insure in hopes to save money in the long run.  They are finding that mini-Worksite Corporate Health Promotion Programs are definitely the way to go.

Corporate Health Promotion Programs Aid in Early Intervention

According to an article that recently appeared in The Indianapolis Star, organizations, insurers and government agencies are turning to “early intervention to change the behavior of those struggling with common but dangerous health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, heart failure and coronary heart disease.”

The tactics that they used to enhance their beneficiaries’ wellness postcard reminders for different lab tests or check-ups; and possibly even phone calls from nurses to work with the patients to make sure that they are taking their medicines properly and following the lifestyle changes that were suggested by their medical care provider.

Corporate Health Promotion Programs Provide Quality Benefits

There are more positive aspects to a Company Wellness Program than just the cost savings that an corporation or a state agency will see; there is the benefit to the actually patient.  The patient is going to get the motivation and the incentive reward to get better or to manage their health by having to answer to someone, whether that someone is a full-time wellness employee at their company or a nurse affiliated with their insurance company.

Corporate Health Promotion Programs are proven to improve productivity and reduce medical care costs.  For a business, that makes a difference in the bottom-line. Today, more than 81 percent of America’s businesses with 50 or more employees have some form of Company Wellness Program with the most popular being exercise, tobaccos cessation classes, back care programs, and stress management. Most companies offer Corporate Health Promotion Programs simply because they think the benefit is worth the cost. Yet business leaders continue to ask themselves how to control huge annual increases in health insurance premiums and medical care costs.

For many organizations, health costs can consume half of company profits or more. Some employer’s look to cost sharing, cost shifting, managed care plans, risk rating, and cash-based rebates or incentives and rewards. But these methods merely shift costs. Only Corporate Health Promotion Programs stand out as the long-term answer for keeping employees well in the first place.

Corporate Health Promotion Programs are an example of medical care reform that works. Results from America’s finest organizations, summarized here, are reason enough to consider offering Corporate Health Promotion Programs.  This investment in your most important asset – your employees – can have a positive impact on your bottom-line.

Company Wellness Program Statistics:

Providence Everett Medical Center, a member of the Wellness Councils of America, in Everett, Washington, saved an estimated 3 million or a cost-benefit ratio of 1 to 3.8 over 9 years of an outcomes-based Corporate Health Promotion Program. By offering financial incentives and rewards ($250 – $325) to employees who meet specific organizational and employee health initiatives the Company Wellness Program continues to meet cost containment expectations in the area of medical care use, sick time, injuries, while improving health habits and self-care practices.

During the first 4 years of the Company Wellness Program there was a 28 percent average reduction in medical care utilization compared to nine other Providence hospitals that were used as a control group.

Du Pont saw that every dollar invested in their Company Wellness Program saved $1.42 over two years in lower rates of absenteeism costs at Du Pont Co. (Well worksite Gold in Delaware). Absences from illness unrelated to the job among 45,000 blue-collar workers dropped 14 percent at 41 industrial sites where the Company Wellness Program was provided, compared with a 5.8 percent decline at 19 sites where it was not.

The Travelers Corporation claims a $3.40 return for every dollar invested Corporate Health Promotion Programs, yielding total company savings of $146 million in benefits costs. Sick leave was reduced 19 percent during the four-year research study. In addition to improving the overall health of 36,000 employees and retirees by lowering poor health habits and increasing good ones, The Travelers realized cost savings by decreasing the number of unnecessary visits to a doctor and emergency rooms. In a similar but smaller research study, members of a Travelers fitness center Company Wellness Program were absent from work significantly fewer days than non-members.

The Company Wellness Program at Reynolds Electrical & Engineering Company, located in Las Vegas, cost $76.24 per employee during the two years it has been in operation. Over half of the 1,600 employees took part in the Corporate Health Promotion Program. Participants significantly lowered cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and weight and experienced 21 percent lower lifestyle-related claim costs than non-participant. Resulting savings: $127.89 per participant in the Company Wellness Program with a benefit to cost ratio of 1.68 to 1.

Superior Coffee and Foods, a Bensenville, Illinois-based subsidiary of Sara Lee Corporation, attributes impressive results to the success of the organization’s complete Corporate Health Promotion Program. Superior showed 22 percent fewer admissions to a hospital, 29 percent shorter hospital stays, and 42 percent lower expenses per admission when comparing costs for this division’s 1,200 employees with costs for other divisions. Long-term disability costs were down by 40 percent.

With health costs per employee at $6,000, nearly twice the national average, Union Pacific Railroad introduced their Company Wellness Program to its 28,000 employees, mostly union and blue collar, in 19 Western and Southern states. Beginning with a modest health self-care initiative at an annual cost of $50 per person, the Company Wellness Program achieved a net savings of $1.26 million. In addition, a voluntary Company Wellness Program to help employees reduce health risks projected a cost-benefit ratio of 1 to 1.57 after one year. Workers in a treatment group reduceed their risk of high blood pressure (45 percent) and high cholesterol (34 percent); others moved out of the at-risk range for weight problems (30 percent); and 21 percent stopped smoking.

Average health costs of high-risk Steelcase employees- those whose lifestyles include two to four health risks such as smoking, little exercise, overweight- are 75 percent higher than those of low-risk employees. But high-risk employees at this Grand Rapids, Michigan-furniture manufacturing organization who enhanced their health habits through the company’s Company Wellness Program and became low risk cut their average health claims in half thus lowering their health insurance costs by an average of $618 per year. If all high-risk employees (20 percent of the total employee population) in one location changed their lifestyles to become low risk, the projected savings could total $20 million over three years.

Workers at Berk-Tec, a small manufacturing organization in Lancaster County Pennsylvania, learned self-care techniques and reduceed their organization’s medical care costs in one year. By using a self-care guide, the 938 employees and their family members made smart health decisions and saved $21.67 per employee and dependent a nearly 18 percent reduction in costs. By combining reductions in doctor visits and emergency room use, the business saved $39.06 per employee a 24.3 percent decrease in costs over the previous year.

A health claims-based research study of 72,000 people insured through 285 Wisconsin school districts found a lower demand for health services among those with access to Corporate Health Promotion Programs and self-care programs. Reductions in health services results in savings for the Wisconsin Education Insurance Group of as much as $4.75 for each $1 spent, higher savings were found in the group receiving access to a 24-hour phone-based nurse advice line, a self-care reference book, and health education materials.

CIGNA’s Healthy Babies prenatal Company Wellness Program delivered an average savings of $5,000 per birth by offering expectant mothers with educational materials and rewarding early and regular prenatal care. And 80 percent of participants had normal births without complications compared with 50 percent for non-participant.

With savings estimated to be as high as $8 million, the California Public Workers’ Retirement System sent its 55,000 retirees a health rist assessment followed, in some cases, with individualized reports and letters and self-care materials to encourage change and help reduce health risks among retirees and at the same time reduce the medical care claim costs. In another research study, Bank of America retirees in California who chose the full Company Wellness Program and demand reduction program showed a decrease in total direct and indirect costs of 11 percent compared with an increase of 6.3 percent for those who completed only a simple health questionnaire.

With lower medical care claims, health costs decreased 16 percent for staff members in the City of Mesa (Arizona) who took part in the complete Corporate Health Promotion Program. The city realized a return of $3.60 for every dollar invested in the wellnss program for the city staff members.

To prevent back injuries among its staff members, a county in California targeted white- and blue-collar workers, provided classes and fitness training. As a result, there was a significant rise in employee morale, reduced worker’s comp claims, health costs and sick days related to back injuries producing a net cost-benefit ratio of 1 to 1.79.

Corporate Health Promotion Programs: Results

Corporate Health Promotion Programs offer Long-Term Results

Corporate Health Promotion Programs, according to an article in Crain’s Detroit Business, come in two choices:  Corporate Health Promotion Programs or Medical Insurance products that aim to lower costs if healthy habits are followed.  Both options are good, but only one will really offer long-term medical benefits for your staff members and lower costs over the years.

Corporate Health Promotion Programs offer Assistance

Insurance-based products offer staff members the opportunity, according to the article by Jay Green, to save money on their premiums if they follow certain steps, including performing an internet-based health assessment, visiting their doctor, and agree to adopt a healthy lifestyle.  These plans usually involve one coach call to the employee during the first 90 days.  We wonder if these brief wellness encounters will actually change a person’s lifestyle.

It is the overall change in a person’s lifestyle, as well as disease prevention that will lead to lower medical cots in the future.

Corporate Health Promotion Programs offer convenient Health Risk Assessments / Health Risk Appraisals and health screening for things like diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure.  As the article notes, these have initial start-up costs, but the savings accrue over time and staff members are more likely to stay active in an workplace employee Health Promotion Program.

Corporate Health Promotion Programs Get Results

Finally, the article notes that corporations with an effective Company Wellness Program can expect to see “500 percent lower absenteeism, 400 percent fewer disability claims, and 350 percent lower medical care costs.”  These are numbers that are very hard to argue with.

Organizations are no longer able to trim extra savings out of their health insurance programs, and the majority of organizations have been cost shifting, asking employees to cover more of their medical care costs. Health insurance costs continue to climb (10 percent or more per year) at 2-3 times the general inflation rate. With nowhere else to turn, companies are – more than ever – looking to get employees engaged in Corporate Health Promotion Programs as a means of slowing medical care costs and improving productivity.

For example, last year 53 percent of large companies provided Health Risk Assessments / Health Risk Appraisals for their staff, up from 35 percent just two years earlier, according to a Mercer survey. Change is being driven by cost, but Corporate Health Promotion Programs a win-win solution for both companies and employees.

Here are other Company Wellness Program trends organizations are implementing:

More organizations are integrating Corporate Health Promotion Programs into their benefits plans. If they want the best plans or the lowest individual costs, they need to participate in the Company Wellness Program and meeting minimum goals.

More organizations are offering workplace weight loss programs as part of the Corporate Health Promotion Program, especially after Duke University’s new research showing the high cost of overweight employees and increased cost for worker’s compensation for sedentary and overweight employees.

Organizations are offering more Corporate Health Promotion Programs designed to assist employees with chronic health conditions: health coaches, nurse advice lines, telephone counseling, and self-study guides

Organizations are offering more online Company Wellness Program interventions and health information resources

More organizations are offering regular workplace employee health screenings including cholesterol, glucose, A1c, blood pressure, weigh-ins, and other checks as a component of their Corporate Health Promotion Program. Some Corporate Health Promotion Programs even include bone-density checks and skin cancer screenings.

Many organizations are offering fitness programs, either in the community or workplace, as a component of their Corporate Health Promotion Program.

Corporations are offering more prizes, rewards, and incentives getting engaged in Company Wellness Program activities

Some organizations are adding emphasis to maintaining health. It’s one thing to lose weight or stop tobacco; it’s another to maintain these changes. Helping employees stay engaged and maintain their health changes is important for long-term success.

Organizations are putting more emphasis on keeping healthy people healthy rather than just working primarily with high-risk individuals. Research shows this approach results in a greater Company Wellness Program ROI.

Wellness organizations are offering great resources for organizations’ employees over the Internet – online wellness centers, monthly health and wellness newsetters, wellness challenges, online points tracking systems, virtual fitness programs, online wellness coaching or interventions, interactive health calculators, healthy recipes, even downloadable health tips for your iPod.

Organizations who are becoming more proactive are making a big impact on their future medical care expenses and productivity. Ohio State University announced that they expect to save $30 million dollars with their complete Company Wellness Program over the next 5 years!

Corporate Health Promotion Programs and prevention are sound ideas whose time has come. Health Promotion is more fun and less expensive than treating disease.

References: TIME in partnership with CNN, “Businesses Help Workers Lose Weight.” Website accessed July 2007.

Corporate Health Promotion Programs begin and end with individual health. Individuals, after all, are able to make decisions about maintaining and / or improving their health and wellbeing. Employee Corporate Health Promotion Programs must therefore provide the tools and resources needed to assist and motivate individuals to actively participate in the program.

Individual health is only one component of creating employee Corporate Health Promotion Programs. Below you’ll find some things to assist you in your efforts to develop a healthy atmosphere for you and your coworkers.

Encouraging Your Employer to Create an Company Wellness Program

This is the first step in creating a Corporate Health Promotion Program. In recent times more and more companies are creating to see the value of promoting and supporting the health of their employees. Partnership for Prevention, a nonprofit organization, has released a sourcebook called “Healthy Workforce 2010″ (http://www.wellnessproposals.com/pdfs/tool_kits/healthy_workforce_2010.pdf). This sourcebook is an excellent resource containing information on:
•    Benefits of Corporate Health Promotion Programs
•    Suggestions on where to begin
•    Tools like surveys and evaluation forms

These resources are for both companies and employees to lead the development and assess the effectiveness of their new Corporate Health Promotion Program. Provide it to your employer as a place to begin or read it yourself and present your ideas.

Participating in Corporate Health Promotion Programs

Once you have an employee Company Wellness Program established, taking part fully in all phases of the program is important. Many of us know that we need to more actively engage in Corporate Health Promotion Programs to enhance our health, yet have difficulty finding and taking the time to do so. These simple steps can jumpstart your participation in an employee Corporate Health Promotion Program:
•    Examine the offerings that interest you and that you need for health  improvement.
•    Schedule time to go to the presentation or service.
•    Actively following through with recommendations from the program.
•    Make a decision now to enhance your health. You will feel better today and tomorrow and the next day for actively moving towards wellness.

Here is a list of potential Corporate Health Promotion Programs that might be available to you at work:
•    ergonomic evaluations and training classes
•    lactation rooms and classes
•    prenatal education
•    quiet rooms for relaxation
•    stress management programs
•    onsite fitness centers
•    onsite corporate massage
•    nutritional information
•    workplace primary medical care services
•    child care facility or resources and referral service
•    tobacco cessation programs parenting classes
•    Senior care resources and referral service
•    cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose screening programs
•    influenza vaccinations
•    weight management programs
•    medical care consumerism programs
•    employee assistance programs
•    lifestyle coaching
•    mobile mammography

More information to follow in my next posting about Employee Corporate Health Promotion Programs

Studies suggest that for every $1 invested in Corporate Health Promotion Programs, a organization saves $3 to $5 in health and safety costs. Organizations that invest in Corporate Health Promotion Programs reap the financial incentives through savings on medical care costs, disability pay, rates of absenteeism, turnover and safety problems.

worksites have already proven to be a great place to promote wellness. After all, people spend more time at work than doing anything else. Eighty-two percent of the U.S. population is linked in some way to a worksite. Therefore, offering Corporate Health Promotion Programs is a great way to reach a substantial number of people in your area.

Corporate Health Promotion Programs in Small Companies

Unlike large organizations, small organizations often lack the resources to provide Corporate Health Promotion Programs to their employees. However, they may be the most in need of such services. Small businesses are the hardest hit by health insurance costs and have the highest rates of substance abuse. Employee well-being and physical or mental illness can also be more disruptive in a small business setting. Corporate Health Promotion Programs in small organizations also makes sense because small firms employ the majority of working citizens.

Regardless of the size of a business, Corporate Health Promotion Programs can pay. Statistically, even if there are only 100 people in a organization:

• 60 sit all day to do their work
• 50 don’t wear their safety belts regularly
• 50 feel they’re under moderate stress
• 35 are overweight by 20 percent or more
• 30 smoke
• 27 have cardiovascular disease
• 25 or more have high cholesterol (over 200 mg/dl)
• 10 are heavy drinkers
• 10 have high blood pressure
• 5 have diagnosed diabetes and another 5 have undiagnosed diabetes
• 7 use marijuana
• 1 uses cocaine

Bottom Line Company Wellness Program Benefits

At least one quarter of the medical care costs incurred by working adults can be attributed to modifiable health risks (e.g., diet, exercise, tobacco use, etc.) Fortunately, there is a way to hold back the trend. Growing research links an individual’s lifestyle behaviors to their health risk.

The good news is Corporate Health Promotion Programs can:

• Decrease medical care costs
• Decrease workers’ compensation claims
• Decrease employee rates of absenteeism
• Increase worker productivity
• Improve employee morale

The bottom line is that Corporate Health Promotion Programs can benefit any size business — small or large.

There are a number of reasons why a Company Wellness Program is beneficial.

1. Improved Morale – When the organizational culture begins to change as a result the Corporate Health Promotion Program, you and your employees may actually begin to see and feel a new level of energy within the organization.  Ultimately, one of the most ambitious goals of any complete Company Wellness Program is to attempt to sway the attitudes and actions of the organization’s most valuable resource — its employees.

2. Lowered Turnover – As we all know, employee replacement costs can be quite high for any kind of business.  The effort and expense associated with running employment ads, reading applications, checking references, interviewing qualified candidates, hiring and training a new employee can be a serious burden on any business.  In light of the challenges that high employee turnover pose, many organizations are looking to Corporate Health Promotion Programs as an additional perk that can help to prevent employees from jumping ship.

3. Improved Recruitment Potential – In the midst of a very tight labor market, organizations are forced to pull out the stops in order to recruit new talent.  In some instances, Corporate Health Promotion Programs can prove to be a very valuable tool in sealing the deal.

4. Lowered Absenteeism – When an employee misses work in a business environment, the entire organization is forced to absorb his/her responsibilities.  Even in the event of the occasional absence caused by things like colds and the flu, work can back-up and tensions can build.

Even worse is a long-term absence caused by a major health event that requires hospitalization and/or rehabilitation.  By preventing certain types of illness caused by poor lifestyle habits, Corporate Health Promotion Programs can play an important role in lowering rates of absenteeism.

5. Health Care Cost Containment – Most organizations don’t create a Company Wellness Program with cost containment in mind.  However, cost containment for certain health problems should be considered a viable goal by many organizations.

6. Improved Employee Health Status – One of the greatest advantages of a well-designed Company Wellness Program is the promise of enhanced health.  There is a growing body of evidence that suggests well-designed Corporate Health Promotion Programs can successfully impact such behaviors as smoking, high-risk alcohol use, seatbelt use and more.

It is important to measure the effectiveness of all Corporate Health Promotion Programs. There are several very simple ways to measure Corporate Health Promotion Programs:

How many attended the corporate health and Corporate Health Promotion Program, and was there participation or a visible level of interest?

Use a short and simple pen and paper evaluation that people fill out at the end of the Company Wellness Program /presentation. Statements that are rated on a scale from 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree) will give valuable information. Ask about:
•    The value of the Corporate Health Promotion Programs to the individual
•    The style of the presenter
•    The presenter’s knowledge of the topic
•    The level of knowledge gained by the employee
•    Other areas that would be of interest for future Corporate Health Promotion Programs

Examples of Questions about Corporate Health Promotion Programs
•    This program provided me with information and/or skills I will use.
•    The presenter was knowledgeable about the subject matter.
•    There was adequate time for questions.
•    The methods used to present the information were effective.

Open-ended questions about Corporate Health Promotion Programs may include:
•    The best component of this Company Wellness Program was…
•    The component that needed improvement was….
•    I would attend another Company Wellness Program by this speaker…
•    Topics I would like to see included in other presentations or Wellness Programs…

This would be a process evaluation that examines how well the Corporate Health Promotion Programs were started. It is also important to evaluate health outcomes and cost outcomes of Corporate Health Promotion Programs.

More in-depth information about the cost-effectiveness of Corporate Health Promotion Programs can be found by analyzing data before and after Corporate Health Promotion Programs concerning medical care claims, workers’ comp claims, sick time, productivity levels, etc. Health outcomes for Corporate Health Promotion Programs can be measured by looking at health claims and sick time.

It is also important to evaluate the impact of Corporate Health Promotion Programs on family members. For example, tobacco by pregnant mothers may lead to the birth of a severely impaired child. This could cost an employer or medical plan hundreds of thousands of dollars, an expense that could have been avoided with well-designed Corporate Health Promotion Programs.

You can also compare the cost per employee of running the Corporate Health Promotion Programs to the savings per employee. One evaluation of Corporate Health Promotion Programs involving 20,000 to 25,000 employees at New York City-based Citibank showed a return of $6.70 for every dollar the organization invested in Corporate Health Promotion Programs. The findings were based on a research study of health costs and rates of absenteeism.1

An ongoing evaluation of your Corporate Health Promotion Programs should be performed annually and additional periodic evaluations of Corporate Health Promotion Programs should be conducted on an ad hoc basis. An ad hoc evaluation of your Corporate Health Promotion Programs might be initiated by a variety of triggers. For example, at the end of flu season, a organization might want to measure its flu shot program.

Employee retention is a challenge. Corporate Health Promotion Programs can help. offering perks such as incentives to exercise, healthy food, stress management and weight loss programs at work is a way to keep your employees satisfied.

Attracting new staff members are also a challenge, and anything you can do to “stand out” from other employees is to your advantage. Remember, salary isn’t everything. Often, the possibility of flex hours or a discount at the local gym may be the deciding factor for a future employee. Once again, Corporate Health Promotion Programs to the rescue!

How Are Corporate Health Promotion Programs Administered?

Whether running small Corporate Health Promotion Programs in-house or using outside corporate wellness organizations to oversee the whole thing, program promotion is vital. You may have a great speaker come in to talk about a very “hot topic,” but if no one knew about it, it was a waste of the speaker’s time and your money.

Corporate Company Wellness Program setup and promotion go hand and hand. Depending on the size of your organization, it may be handled by one person or an entire Corporate Health Promotion team. You may even have an employee who is interested in physical fitness and would love to organize some educational wellness seminars and programs.

Other employees may have areas of interest and would be willing to set up some educational programs. Especially for smaller companies, once you have chosen your events and programs, it is best to set up a calendar with a schedule of events. Then publish the entire calendar as well as announcing each individual event as it comes up.

Access to Corporate Health Promotion Programs

To make access easy, offer a wide range of Corporate Health Promotion Programs and programs that can fit into everyone’s schedule. For example, some employees may find it difficult to get to a presentation at work or make a commitment for 8 weeks of the Weight Watchers at Work program. However, they will take advantage of a reduced rate at the gym and will borrow tapes from the health and wellness library.

If you have shifts, don’t forget to schedule events for the after 5:00 group. Nothing will undermine Corporate Health Promotion Programs more quickly than promoting great programs that are only convenient for first shift employees.

Sometimes, Corporate Health Promotion Programs can take advantage of “special situations” that occur and which offer an excellent opportunity for employee education and support, at little or no expense to the employer. Not only do these situations help employees personally, but also they are an opportunity for the employer to be seen in a positive light. For example:

A company had several employees with cancer, as well as a number of employees with family members with cancer. Their HR staff had received numerous questions about what to say to a coworker with cancer, as well as hearing about how difficult it was for the caregivers to manage work and home demands. They thought that it would be a great idea to initiate a lunchtime monthly “discussion/support group” to talk about the struggles, frustrations, and fears that people were facing. This activity was included under the umbrella of Corporate Health Promotion Programs that the company provided.

The group was facilitated by a rep from the Employee Assistance Program, but it was not a therapy group, nor was it promoted as such. It was informal and employees came as they could fit it into their schedules.

Did it solve all their problems? Of course not, but it did give them a place to vent, talk, and get some information and support. It was a powerful statement from the employer saying, “We care about you and we’d like to help you with this,” and the employees were very grateful. Effective Corporate Health Promotion Programs clearly convey this type of message to their employees.

Another employer had an employee who was autistic and often exhibited some odd or unusual behaviors. He had some significant difficulties and had to be out of work for several months. As time came for him to return, coworkers became anxious about what to expect.

The employer had someone come in to talk about autism and how best to deal with a person with the disease. It was a general discussion, and there was no discussion of the employee’s personal information. However, coworkers felt much more prepared to handle his return.

An employee with epilepsy told her coworkers about her condition in case she had a seizure. The employer then had someone from an epilepsy advocacy group come in and educate employees about the illness and what to do.

You may believe taking steps like this are not the responsibility of the employer, that it is not your business. But physical and mental illnesses affect just about everyone and are natural elements of Corporate Health Promotion Programs.

Workers who are preoccupied and worried about someone having a seizure or catching HIV from a coworker are not focused and productive. When you spend time informing and supporting employees, you not only have productive employees, you also have their respect.

Corporate Health Promotion Programs are also an effective way to educate employees/parents about substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, depression, mental illness, learning disabilities, and other issues that affect adults, children, and teens. Arming parents, other relatives, and concerned friends with information is a way to prevent problems in the future, for themselves and their children.

Workers may not be comfortable attending Corporate Health Promotion Programs entitled “Substance Abuse and You” or “Dealing With Depression,” fearing they have “self-identified” just by their presence. However, when much of that same information is billed as “Teens and Substance Abuse” or “Recognizing the Signs of Depression in Teens,” there may be a full house for the presentation.

Once this occurs, the levels of awareness are raised. An employee who is concerned that he or she is actually depressed can attend and gain life-saving information. Using this type of approach in Corporate Health Promotion Programs goes beyond raising awareness among parents whose children are struggling with personal problems.

Mental health topics are often difficult to introduce. There is still some stigma attached to being “mentally ill” or having alcohol problems. A benign way to bring information into the worksite is to use Corporate Health Promotion Programs and the National Screening Day programs. These are dates that have been set aside annually to increase awareness about various problems. They include:

Alcohol Abuse and Addiction (April)
Anxiety Disorders (during Mental Health Month in May)
Depression (October)
Eating Disorders (February)

There is a wealth of information available online that can be made available to your employees at no cost as part of your Corporate Health Promotion Programs. All it takes start this into Corporate Health Promotion Programs is some type of notification in the form of an e-mail with an introductory statement and some links.

Local mental health clinics, medical schools, and hospitals usually provide free employee health screenings on designated days so that anyone can come in, take a test, and get information and a referral for care if appropriate. You could arrange with a local provider for a block of time for your employees to participate in the screenings, or talk to them about coming into the worksite to provide them.