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Workers pull in healthy gains from wellness programs

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By Kim Margolis, Staff Writer Updated 11:27 PM Thursday, September 2, 2010

Employee wellness programs across the country are proving to be successful for workplace morale and fitness, but also for the continuing health of the companies themselves.

Wellness programs have evolved over the years from providing a flu shot once a year or access to a fitness center to a wide array of services, including exercise classes, smoking cessation assistance and nutrition counseling.

At Reynolds and Reynolds in Kettering, employees work out at a 4,100-square-foot, two-floor fitness center featuring elliptical equipment and Yogalates and Zumba classes. There are also “lunch and learn” programs where nutrition advice is given.

“We’ve had a lot of people lose significant amounts of weight,” said Reynolds spokesman Thomas Schwartz. “One man lost 150 pounds and teaches Zumba now.”

The services make good business sense: Increased physical activity, a healthy diet and avoiding tobacco can help prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.

Insurance coverage for those conditions makes up 75 percent — or $1.5 trillion — of all health-care costs in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Workplace wellness programs help keep employees healthy, help keep them working and help keep health care-associated costs down,” said Jen House, spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Health.

The state has a Healthy Ohio program, which includes the Healthy Ohio Business Council. The council is composed of business leaders who have model workplace wellness programs and can share best practices.

At Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, civilian employees are given three hours per week to work out during their paid work time under the Installation Civilian Wellness Program (ICWP).

“The ICWP is all about getting employees to make better lifestyle choices since many of their problems resulted from unhealthy choices,” said Ray Szymanski, director of the program. “The ICWP focuses on how to get started with better nutrition and a regular exercise program.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2216 or kmargolis@Dayton DailyNews.com.

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