fitness + workplace = healthy employees?

Everyone I talk to lately seems to have some sort of wellness program at work to keep their employees healthy and happy and working there forever. No scratch that. Reality Check time. I think it is to keep healthcare costs down. Healthy employees cost less to insure. But if they keep the cost down do our costs go down too? At least in theory?

Since I'm pretty much self-employed now, I can't tell you our policies. My policy is try to stand to work, and walk everyday. Some days are better than others. Some days I meet none of my goals. Some days I just want to stay in bed with my blankie over my head.

The community college I teach at has the Wellness Warriors group. I have the t-shirt and water bottle to prove it.

Last spring I took the empowerment class, and this is the second step challenge I'm involved in. Two gift cards and one Fitbit are given away every week. I have yet to win. They also host a 5K that I did last year, and a Weight Watchers group. I think if you are full time staff their might be other options available. But I'm not sure.

But at every event I participate in there I see basically the same thirty people. Does the Wellness Program really benefit the whole staff?

The other day at my arts center job, my boss was taking a 10-minute (20, really) wellness survey to get enrolled in their program. If you meet certain goals each week, you can earn points and prizes. One is climbing stairs. (We're on the second floor. The powers-that-be are on the first. Check that easy option off.) The university is also built into the side of a mountain. You're either going up or down and it's all aerobic. All you really need to do is leave your desk for a half-hour. An easy option. I can get the equivalent of 25 flights of stairs just walking home.

But how many people will sit for 20 minutes to fill out the profile? My boss was down right mad at it. But she didn't quit because she had to finish it no matter what. Me I would have said F-that and bailed. I don't win the prizes anyway.

I surveyed a few friends and family members for their opinions.

My brother Dave was the first person that I knew to talk about a wellness program at work. So I asked him, my niece Lydia, and my friend Angel for a synopsis of the programs.

From my brother Dave: Yes, a pretty extensive one. Every year we must fill out a wellness profile online. (I wonder if it's the same one that my boss was filling out? He say no. "The wellness profile is pretty easy to fill out. There is much more you can do on the site and that can bog you down." ) We get points which can be translated into funds to use like flex spending for medical needs. 100 points for doing the profile the 100 each for getting regular checkups, participating in an exercise program (they go to the gym 3-5 times a week at about 5:30 am), not smoking and meeting body mass guidelines. Barb and I get all but body mass. There are ways to earn the points you miss, one of them being the 10,000 steps challenge. (He's done it two years.) Another thing which is going on is yoga classes held twice a week in one of the conference rooms at lunch. They run 12 weeks, and are very reasonably priced. This is the fourth set of classes and Barb has been in since the beginning.

From my niece Lydia: The Wellness Program holds events quarterly. The last one had a massage therapist, reiki, cooking with olive oil, healthy food choices, importance of water ,and blood pressure/cholesterol screenings. They offer maps to three different paths around the main building and the cottages for walking/exercise. They also offer a reduced price gym membership for Steel Fitness and they reimburse half the entry fees for 5K and other races.

But she's already a walker, like me. And she likes doing races and hates gyms, just like me. So the incentive might work to get her to do more. But do they work on the average couch potato?

From my friend Angel: Monday I celebrate the end of my fifth year working at Target. This holiday season, Target has decided to give out free a Fitbit Zip or discounted other model to every employee who signs up for one. In addition, employees will receive an additional 20% off fresh fruits and veggies, frozen fruits & veggies, any Simply Balanced item (Target's organic food line) AND Champion C9 products. That's on top of sales, our Cartwheel coupons, employee discount and RedCard discount. They say it's a move to promote healthy habits. I say it's a boost for morale and if effective keeps us from getting sickly during the time of year that Target needs us most.

     I've had a Fitbit for more than a year. Target will begin an activity challenge soon, pitting various regions across the nation against each other in a race to get steps. Winners receive money for their favorite charity. It's a good project and I'm anxious to see the results.

     Already I see my colleagues competing in step counts and private challenges. I kicked the butt of one of my supervisors in a "work week hustle" she initiated. And I'm still under orthopedic restrictions for my broken ankle. I've been inundated by Fitbit friend requests from people in my store... So we'll see who "walks the walk."

It's a company-wide program and I bet lots of people get the Fit-Bits, but how many will actually use them? Especially past the actual competition period. Is it like January where everyone wants to get fit, then peters out by the end?

I have no answers. I just think it's an interesting topic to talk about. If I was Lois Lane, I could interview HR departments and employees and get great quotes on success and failure. But I'm not, so I won't.