Modifying Workers, Not Work

Question 1

What is meant by Worksite Health Promotion Programs?

Answer 1

1) Awareness
2) Health Management
3) Supportive Environment

Question 2

1) Awareness

Answer 2

• increase workers KNOWLEDGE about and interest in specific health issues
• persude workers to engage in healthy behaviours and/or stop unhealthy ones

Ex: High BP is silent killer, make ppl aware of it . Emails, posters, newsletters, special events, educational seminars

Question 3

2) Health Promotion

Answer 3

• focus on BEHAVIOUR CHANGE, helping employees change their behaviour
• focus on strategies to help workers make specific lifestyle changes.

Ex: personal health assessment followed by specific strategies to help individuals make behavioural changes (goal setting, fitness program)

Question 4

3) Supportive Environment

Answer 4

• Focus on PROVIDING HEALTH-PROMOTING WORK CONDITIONS to help workers engage in healthy behaviours
• –if we can change the environment, we can change the workers

Ex: Policies to ban smoking, modifying environment, providing incentives to use fitness center, offer healthy snacks

Question 5

Incentive programs

Explain and downfalls

Answer 5

• usually monetary and/or gifts
• assumes workers are motivated to change through external rewards

Ex: reduced fees for participants, fitness equipment or clothing

Downfalls:**

• not effective for the long term
• Some health issues are not entirely controllable by individuals
• coercion of the workers which may lead to distrust of the organization

Question 6

Benefits of HPP at Work

Answer 6

1) Reduce the health care costs
2) Loyalty
3) Productivity
4) Absenteeism: absence from work reduced
5) Reach a large % of population

Not as important:

6) decreased worker injuries
7) Used to facilitate employee recruitment
8) Increases corporate image
9) increased attitude and morale towards the company
10) Improved Job satisfaction
11) Decreased level of conflict at work
12) Increased physical work capacity

Question 7

Barriers to HPP’s at Work

Answer 7

1) Recruit only a SMALL PERCENT of the workforce
2) Reach those who are already active/healthy
3) Recruit mainly one type of worker (white male, white collar)
4) High Dropout rate
5) Lack of space and equipment
6) Emphasis is on changing individuals, not organization
7) Lack of management support
8) Lack of individual-tailored components (one size fits all)
9) Inability of HPP’s to keep pace with the changing way of Canadian work (increases in: part time work, unemployment, telecommuting, more female and minority workers, irregular work hours)