yoga silver spring
Agencies challenge employees to live a healthier life
Since the beginning of his term, Obama has stressed his commitment to improving health and well-being of federal employees. And it was not an empty promise.
The first family is already leading by example: The president is an avid runner and basketball, and the first lady involved students to cultivate a vegetable garden White House to promote healthy food. More recently, Michelle Obama oversaw the opening of a farmers' market in minutes White House and the Treasury and Veterans departments.As an employer, we are looking for ways to create a workforce better health, because we know that if you are all happy and healthy and moving, you come to work and you work really hard, "the first lady told customers on the market on opening day. "And as many private companies have demonstrated, making the well-being staff a priority can save health care costs of the road and make a stronger workplace. "
The President met the industry leaders in May to discuss strategies to improve employee health, and he led the Office of Personnel Management to develop welfare best practices and a plan of the federal workforce. In response, OPM announced the initiative this summer campus work-life, a joint effort with the Federal Reserve Board, the General Services Administration and the Department of the Interior. The four agencies, located within blocks of each other, develop and share facilities, including any spaces and a cafeteria in good health.
The initiative is just one of several demonstration projects that will take place nationally. The campus concept enables organizations to experiment with cost-effective solutions to make the workplace healthier and gathering feedback from employees.
"We will work hand in hand during the next year to review and improve services and facilities available to the more than 6,000 federal employees that make up our campus, "OPM Director John Berry said in a statement announcing the program." By combining our efforts, we can more adequate and economically address the issues of well-being and satisfaction. "
The administration has also asked agencies as part of the FY 2011 budget process to take stock of their health and welfare programs. In a memorandum in June, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter R. Orszag required all organizations to catalog their continued efforts in order to establish a basis for tender OPM and help develop a comprehensive program. The goal is to have 75 percent of employees participating in health initiatives and wellness by 2010.
Agency leaders will be integral to the success of this effort. To set the tone and encourage healthy competition, Orszag recently challenged pedometer OMB. Employees can log their steps and other health information about an internal Web site, where they can see how they compare the director and his colleagues in other divisions of OMB. Each month, the top employee will be treated to lunch with the director and divisions with the highest average steps and the most improved average receive a "healthy happy hour" of vegetables and red wine. In practice they preach, the Obamas and other administration officials reinforce the notion that a healthy workplace is a happy.
A Sound Investment
wellness programs site was shown to be both beneficial to the health of employees and employers notebooks. In a review 50 in 2008 welfare interventions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Task Force on Community Preventive Services found that health programs office of smoking and reducing consumption of fat, blood pressure and improved cholesterol levels, and increased productivity. The working developing a guide to help communities adapt to their own health programs and policies.
Many private sector companies have already invested in such initiatives. A 2009 survey by Watson Wyatt Council and the National Business Group on Health found nearly 80 percent of large employers offered assessments health risks, 60 percent had programs to improve lives and 52 percent had programs for weight management.
Aetna, a provider healthcare services, has developed an initiative of general well-being to maintain its own medical costs down. The program begins with an assessment health risks, which allows employees to get physical and learn their body mass index, cholesterol and other numbers vital. Employees can then participate in Wellness Works, an initiative of fitness-based incentives that assigns points for the activity natural and healthy food choices, and earn up to $ 600 by year's salary or bonuses. Nearly 60 per cent of employees across National Aetna participate in the program, many, including its president, Mark Bertolini, participate in competitive challenges fitness team. Several locations also Aetna fitness centers on-site with extended hours and a variety of cardio and strength classes.
Wellness Works is a model around which Aetna can design programs for its customers. "We are able to demonstrate to potential customers that there is a advantage to this, "said Fred Laberge, a spokesman for the company. Aetna annual increase in medical costs is about half the national average of 8 percent to 9 percent per employee.
The goals of reducing medical costs and healthier, more productive employees also stimulate investment in the Dell Corp. wellness initiatives, "said Tre McCalister, senior director of global services. Society Technology offers fitness centers on site, discounts local gym and healthy choices © coffee. In 2004, she launched Well at Dell, a program Health customizable features improved performance based cash incentives and nutrition tracking programs, telephone coaching smoking cessation, weight and stress management, and physical conditions and access to a nurse line. Dell also offers monthly webinars such topics as cancer prevention, travel and fitness "deskercise." Well Dell has increased employee health and productivity and reduced medical costs significantly since its inception five years ago, according to McCalister.
Federal agencies have also targeted health employees with a series of initiatives to give the administration a head start because it develops a government-wide strategy welfare.
Options and more options
Fitness centers and exercise classes are already common among agencies in particularly in areas with high concentration of federal employees. Many offer hours of basic equipment, aerobics classes and extended to adapt working hours.
For example, in the context of a lifestyle and a health program that began in 1978, the CDC has a professional staff facilities fitness on its six largest campuses, and the small gyms in satellite offices. These centers offer courses ranging from Pilates, tai chi and yoga to rotate the body and sculpture classes. Employees also have access softball, basketball and volleyball and measured walking trails.
Program fees vary. CDC appropriates funding for its facilities and classes in order to provide them for free. Environmental Protection Agency, which has fitness centers at its headquarters in Washington and all regional offices, subsidized memberships. Federal employees near San Francisco can join a gym center where rates vary by pay grade, from $ 85 to GS-6 and below, and reach 210 Per year for GS-14 and above. Some organizations, including the State Department, partners with health clubs to provide reduced rates for membership. Fifteen gyms in the Washington area offer such deals to employees of state and the participation ranges from three to 40 people depending on the club.
If gyms are not profitable, the agencies have developed innovative alternatives. The Defense Contract Management Agency has a program Fitness virtual employees can access by phone, Internet and e-mail. The components include planning and training weight management tools, attendance logs, risk assessments, a program of incentives and reimbursement fitness center.
In encourage physical activity, some agencies allow employees to visit the fitness centers during working hours. CDC employees can negotiate flexible hours with supervisors. The Coast Guard military and secret service agents of law enforcement are entitled to three hours per week physical activity and DCMA employees can use the time to perform the duty.
Although fitness is a key employee overall welfare agencies are also developing facilities and programs to address other aspects of health such as nutrition, stress relief and access to green space.
The Ministry of Interior is the revitalization of its headquarters, which includes a new cafeteria. "We want him to have a variety of foods in a range of economically priced - especially organic, nutritious food from local sources - and we'll work to make the installation itself! ", Says Rhea Suh, Assistant Secretary for policy, management and budget. "campus initiative working life is also part of broader efforts of the federal government on healthy food choices and reduce the carbon footprint of federal facilities. "
The Department of Agriculture has made progress towards a greener workplace with the people Inaugural Garden, a project to transform the pavement to grass, planting trees and promoting efficiency. The goal is to build gardens similar to the USDA facilities in the world.
CDC hosts Employee turnover farmers market on campus and encourages them to bring only healthy foods at meetings. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, offers a meditation group with about 70 participants per month, as well as appointments chair massage and holistic seminars lunch nutrition. And in July, the state has undertaken a six-month trial the provision of 10 bicycles to its headquarters in Washington to consult with employees during the hours. Officials said more employees than expected took advantage of the program and often run between buildings in suits and moccasins.
Raising Awareness
Part of the challenge to promote a healthy workforce is employees aware of their bad habits and encourage them to change their behavior. To create a culture of welfare agencies to reach employees through educational activities. A number of clinics that offer on-site health services, allowing employees to minimize the time and resources devoted to basic research and care to learn more on disease prevention and treatment.
The State Department's Bureau of Medical Services coordinates a health program for domestic and foreign offices. Employees may participate in smoking cessation programs and breast cancer support groups and bereavement. The office organizes monthly programs on topics such as travel medicine, meditation and arthritis, posting videos of the sessions on the intranet department. The office also offers health fairs, one day in Washington with yoga classes and health screenings. State supports care and primary health screening facilities and programs for employees assigned abroad as well.
Other agencies offer health classes, screenings and free immunizations for employees. The Securities and Exchange Commission organizes seminars on nutrition and controls osteoporosis, and CDC organizes first aid, CPR courses and ergonomics.
A number of special events throughout Government aims to increase interest in health and fitness. EPA holds an annual "Walk to Wellness" an event was two miles in the Washington area. The agency plans to sponsor the walk quarterly and extend to other regions. At the Homeland Security Department, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center is sponsoring a contest weight loss between its offices, on the basis of Biggest Loser television programs, and Customs and Border Protection is organizing a challenge "HealthierCBP fitness.
In fall 2008 State Office of Medical Services / Health Promotion has organized a series of four one-hour free nutrition and cooking seminars. The sessions, held during lunch and organized by the Cancer Project, a non-profit cancer prevention and health promotion, focused on the integration of low-fat foods, fiber, alternatives to dairy products and antioxidants in the meal. Employees participated discussions on nutrition, noted a cooking demonstration and sample healthy dishes.
Recently, OPM launched FedsGetFit, a campaign focused on the well-being of fitness, nutrition, making healthy choices and prevention. The first event will be an exhibition of delivery shape October 27, where the Agency leaders will join members of Congress and National Football League players to promote work-life programs and participate to walking a mile.
In the implementation of new initiatives or current growth, organizations will face financing problems. work-life programs receive money directly from the budgets of the Agency, but the agencies have made changes in commitments for these initiatives. In the private sector, best practices suggest that the overall welfare programs cost $ 500 to $ 800 per employee per year.
As they determine the best places to make investments, agencies are seeking information and ideas from employees at all levels. "No every idea is that you decide to implement, "said Mike Weber, an official in the Office of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Nuclear Material and security assurances. "But the tension [among competing ideas] Help enthusiasm channel."
In July, OPM described organisms elements should include in their wellness programs. designated focal points will report on the Agency's health and welfare programs, services, costs and participation through an online WellCheck system. The aim is to bring the bodies up the standards in July, while allowing some flexibility to adjust their bids according to the needs of employees. Many programs are administered by staffs of resources Human and Berry OPM chairs the monthly meetings with the heads of the human capital of the Council to facilitate communication and inter-agency initiatives.
According to Wesley Carpenter of the Office of EPA administration and management of resources, the involvement of government in health employees is an important marketing tool. "The [OPM] initiative is a catalyst and an excellent opportunity to extend our tentacles and reach more people, "he said.
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