Corporate Wellness Blog

The menu approach offers personnel a range of options to support lifestyle changes. It authorizes individuals  to choose the type of help that suits their schedules and preferences.

The four basic kinds of wellness programs include –

• Classes

• Minigroups

• Guided self help

• Individual counseling

Classes

Courses (8 or more) can be an effective means of providing education and social support for behavior change.  The length of a class can vary depending on topic requirements. It isn’t sufficient to offer only courses at a workplace.

A lot of workers are under time constraints with after work commitments and although they may be interested they simply cannot participate because of their schedules.

Workers might  be very eager to begin a health promotion program but because of lack of participants to meet class quotas, the health promotion program is canceled.

A lot of national corporations like the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Weight Watchers, etc. offer classes; you should have little trouble in identifying a provider for class type health promotion programs.

You might want to contact your local hospital, health department, or YMCA for possible options. for choosing  a provider to provide a wellness program you might want to review the section on wellness program structure.

Minigroups

When there is not enough interest to develop a class, those who are interested in a given health topic may be formed into a minigroup (2 to 7).

The minigroup can cover the same content as a class but do so in a less formal manner. Presentation of information and discussion is the major format of the minigroup.

Guided Self-Help

Most staff don’t want formal help in making health changes; they prefer to do it on their own. In guided self-help, the wellness counselors provide support, materials, and encouragement.

Meeting times could be arranged and contact could be made either in person, by phone, or computer. Materials could be made available at the workplace, or mailed to the individual. Some workplaces now make information available via intranets or the Internet.

Individual Counseling

Among the most successful ways to help person change and improve their health status is counseling (or coaching) on a one-on-one basis.

In published studies, wellness programs which incorporated individual counseling as part of the wellness program process achieved significantly higher participation rates and achieved greater risk reduction/risk elimination than standard group programs. Studies have demonstrated that individual counseling is both cost effective and cost beneficial.

A wellness counselor should be trained in screening techniques, for in certain situations, they may be required to both screen person and counsel them. They ought to know how to do the following –  

• Review employee health risks

• Contact staff who have health risks.

• Counsel personnel on a one-on-one basis, assisting them set objectives, solve problems, and get expert help when they need it.

• Make sure to help workforce follow their treatment recommendations and make lifestyle and health behavior changes.

• Recruit staff into wellness programs, such as weight loss and tobacco use cessation.

• Be certain to work with workforce on a one-on-one basis using guided self-help.

• Conduct classes and minigroups if necessary.

• Make sure to work with wellness committee members to plan and conduct worksite-wide wellness activities.

Wellness counselors are health generalists; they must have basic information about a broad range of health topics and health risks.

Counselors must be able to talk with workers about their medical problems and the treatments prescribed by their physicians.

They should have a good overview of nutrition, exercise physiology, pathophysiology of illness, pharmacology, psychology, and behavior change skills.