Does worksite wellness matter?
Just ask Melvin Mararagan.
The human resources coordinator for the Grand Hyatt Kauai says yes.
“It helps to get employees to be more health conscience, motivates them to get on track to be a better person physically, mentally and emotionally,” he said.
The Grand Hyatt practices what it preaches.
It offers discounted rates for Hyatt employees at some gyms, provides nutritious options for employee meals and provides a service for employees seeking personal assistance.
So when it comes to Get Fit Kauai’s 2014 Worksite Wellness Challenge, the Hyatt says, bring it on.
“I hope to learn how to implement these programs that the wellness challenge provides, to make for a better future for our employees,” Mararagan said.
Bev Brody, Get Fit Kauai director, said by creating healthier places of employment, Kauai will have healthier communities.
And that’s a good thing.
“People spend most of their waking hours at work. If we can have a healthy work environment, we’re going to have healthier people on the island. And that’s Get Fit Kauai’s final goal,” she said.
In a nutshell, here’s how the program will work:
It’s free, with small and large companies welcome. It’s limited to the first 25 businesses that complete the survey provided by Get Fit Kauai, with the deadline to apply Jan. 24.
The survey will focus on five areas: General health environment, tobacco control, physical activity, nutrition and stress reduction. The survey asks 41 questions, with topics ranging from annual wellness program reviews, bike racks, on-site gardening, water coolers, policies on banning tobacco use and space where employees can practice yoga or meditate.
The challenge will kick off with a Jan. 31 breakfast that will feature guest speakers and panels chatting about health and wellness issues at work and beyond. All participating businesses will be represented at the meeting.
Businesses will take a survey and get their worksite wellness challenge score, ranging from zero to 125, at the breakfast. They’ll retake the survey in October.
In the months in between, they’ll have a chance to better worksite health programs and policies and implement changes. The winner, who earns a trophy and bragging rights, will be determined by the percentage of improvement in their score. An awards luncheon will be held in November.
“We’ll show them, based on the survey, where to improve, how to improve,” Brody said.
The challenge was first held a few years ago and was brought back this year.
Already, some companies have signed on and taken the survey, with scores ranging from single digits to 90s.
“It’s going to bring a lot of awareness to your worksite by answering these questions,” Brody said.
Organizers worked for a year on the Worksite Wellness Challenge. The survey is based on worksite wellness best practices nationally.
“We really did a lot of our homework,” Brody said. “It’s been a journey.”
Besides changes at work, it’s hoped the challenge will lead to individual behavior changes at home. A person might begin his or her own fitness programs, such as running, swimming or joining a gym.
“Maybe get a group together and go for walk after work,” Brody said.
Cheryl Ann Farrell, former vice chair of the worksite wellness task force, puts it simply when asked why worksite wellness matters.
“Healthier people are happier people,” she said.
The program is good for building morale, camaraderie and creativity at work and people wake up ready and eager to do their job.
“It’s nice to see people excited about work,” she said.
Farrell notes, though, that challenge changes don’t always last. Much like New Year’s resolutions, people start off fast and furious, fired up, then gradually cool down and fall back on old, unhealthy habits.
The worksite wellness change aims to change that, too.
“That’s why the big push is really policy change,” she said. “That’s where the permanent changes occur.”
Rachelle Bachran, chairwoman for Get Fit Kauai’s Worksite Wellness task force, said prevention — keeping employees from becoming ill — is a priority of the Affordable Care Act.
“We spend more time at work than anywhere else,” she said.
So one question employers should ask is this: How can we help our employees live healthier? They could provide videos and put up posters about the benefits of physical activity. They could sponsor social events for employees to relax and they could have vending machines with healthier snacks.
It might be easier than you think. Start with your typical company employee meeting.
“What do most meetings have?” Bachran asked. “Not necessarily healthy foods.”
Something as simple as providing fruits and vegetables and water instead of the staples of coffee, soda and doughnuts could be a step toward winning the challenge.
Some candy, chips or soda isn’t necessarily bad, Bachran said. It’s when we eat a lot of sugary stuff, on a consistent basis, it becomes a problem.
“It’s really how much, and how often, we’re consuming,” she said.
The Worksite Wellness Challenge will, hopefully, lead to lasting lifestyles changes that result in improved health. That’s good for the individual, the company and the community.
“It’s about sustainability,” Bachran said.
Info: Rachelle Bachran, (808) 241-3564, www.kauaichamber.org or www.getfitkauai.com
