WOWIE Winner Shares Wellness Tips

(L) Donna Rogers - ISC Chair, Cindi Elstien - Alper Serv., 
Charlie Judy - Emcee and   Babette Puckett - Alper Serv..(R) 

Chicago-based insurance broker and consultants Alper Services has been very competitive in both WOWIE Award competitions to date—the company finished third in 2010 and second in 2011.  So, we asked Cindi Ferrara Elstien, senior vice president of Human Resources at Alper Services, to share some tips with other HR pros who are thinking about starting, or improving, their company’s employee wellness programs. 

1.) What have you learned from your success putting together employee wellness programs and what new wrinkles are planned for 2012?

Employees and employers benefit from participation in wellness initiatives by creating measurable, significant, predictable, and sustainable improvements in employee population health. Employer participation at the work site in promotion and active communication about the value and benefits of participation is critical to the breadth and depth of a program's success.
Key points:

• A "Strategic Communication Strategy" is necessary with management's buy-in
• Incentives must be offered
• Programs have to be fun and/or interactive
• Management must be on board 
• Increase employee engagement of program offerings 

At Alper our challenges for 2012 include keeping the wellness challenges interesting and continuing to get a large employee population's participation within the company.

2.) How does Alper Services get buy in from its employees to participate in your employee wellness program?

We combine employee incentives, team building activities and awareness through newsletter and employee communication with an overall spirit of competition we have to stoke interest and buy in from employees.

3.) Have you been able to calculate health premium or productivity results or savings from your employee wellness program?

Every year we have biometric screenings on-site and each employee that participates in this program receives a comparison of the health report from year to year. Ultimately, the employee has a greater concern after reviewing results and is more proactive in controlling any health issues. This helps reduce health claims during the year by wellness awareness. We reward employees who participate in this program and reduce employee monthly premium contributions by $ 20.00 per month (calendar basis).

Incentives are key; for example, Alper Services has monetary awards in addition to extra vacation days off for our challenges throughout the year. The awards encourage behavior change and parallel what our values and culture is within our organization.

It’s very important to measure your program too.  At Alper we do a thorough analysis of our program and we have found that:

• 81 % of our population has participated in some way in the HealthyRoads Program
• 75 % of employees self-enrolled in the Telephone Coaching Program in the areas of health improvement & weight management 
• 43 % of employees lost weight were in the program and the average weight loss  was six pounds. 
• 66.7% of our employees improved in exercise and increased the frequency of exercise  

4.)  For companies just getting into the employee wellness game, what advice do you have for them?

For new companies just entering the wellness arena, I recommend they start simple and build over time as resources, interest and commitment become available.   It’s important to find a wellness champion or a  group of employees on a committee from different divisions within the organization  who will show leadership for the program. Alper has an Employee Advisory Council / Wellness Committee where decisions are made and tasks and programs are carried out.  Other essential tips include:

• Management's buy-in
• Strong strategic communication of the program throughout the organization
• Employee input
• Incentives must be offered

Posted by Dave Ryan Director of Social Media ISC SHRM

WOWIE Judge Provides Advice for next Year’s Entrants

Winners and non-winners of the 2011 WOWIE Awards contest have been notified and a news release announcing the winners will be sent out in August before the ILSHRM annual meeting.  For companies that didn’t win, what is the take away message, given they spent hours preparing their application, only to fall short.  Fear not employee wellness advocates, because we conducted an interview with one of the WOWIE judges who took the time to provide advice on how to win next year.

Susan Avello

Susan Avello,  Vice-president and partner, Aging Info USA, and one of the WOWIE judges this year, came away impressed with the quality of the entries.

“For the most part, the WOWIE applicants were thinking ahead of the game in regard to their wellness initiatives,” she said.  “They tried to help their employees think proactively about well-being and this was the key to their benefit message.”

 Avello said that winning entries stood out because they went beyond the norm in their effort to create a healthy workplace and compensated their employees on their effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle outside of work.

“I gave high marks and credit to employers who constantly engaged employees with surveys and continued use of technology such as mobile apps, to not only stay in touch with emloyees but also to allow them to use social media and mobile apps for access to wellness benefits,” Avello said.

 Avello gave this advice to companies who want to improve their application for 2012:

“Consider implementing a company culture, a well-being culture and new ways ot using technology for employee engagement and accessibility to this technology to keep employees involved.”  She further advised companies to focus on the tie between health and wellness and flex scheduling.

“I realize flexible schedules are not an employee benefit, but I would like to see more about how companies can use flex time for their employees and how they can be creative in their approach to help employees with work/life issue that arise.

 -Chis Martin - For the Illinois State Council of SHRM

Blue Cross & Blue Shield Doing it Right!

It is another WOWIE Wednesday at the ILSHRM blog and time to promote our partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and wellness at work programs.  Today I am writing either a shameless plug or a post that is simply the unfettered truth, depending upon your perspective.

We have received a lot of applications for the 2011 WOWIE Awards and we are extending the deadline to apply to this Friday, June 10^th.  Email your application to Chris Martin at cmartin331@comcast.net.

BCBSIL has sponsored the WOWIE program for three years now for the Illinois State Council of SHRM.  In that time, the two organizations have recognized employers who really get it and are putting a huge push behind their wellness programs.  Recently it came to my attention, in my day-to-day activities of doing my job, how really committed BCBSIL is to the wellness concept.

Now this  is where it starts to get murky.  At my employer,  we are a Blue Cross and Blue Shield client and have been so for more than 20 years.  You don’t have to read too much into that to know that we think they do a good job (with an occasional outrageous rate increase now and then – sorry!). In fairness they were market-based increases.  Ok, back the wellness aspect of this post.  Either I have been remiss as the benefits administrator (most likely) or Blue Cross has not wanted to let me know about their on-line wellness tools and incentives for employees and companies. 

So I was offered up some training in how to fully utilize BCBSIL’s employer and employee web sites.  I took them up on the offer. After looking at the employer side we then looked at the employee portion.  Now I have been here numerous times before but mostly to check on EOBs or to see how much money I had left in my HSA account.   After looking at the most of the other features my on-line tour guide asks if I want to look at the wellness stuff.  We do so and oh my goodness I was truly amazed at all of what is going on there.

Since they have all of my health records, they can bring them together in one place and give me a total picture of my overall wellness.  In presenting this, they point out where the risks are at and where I can make improvements.   There is a place to research aches and pains. If you feel you need it, you can have an on-line consultation with an RN.  In another area I can log my weight, my exercise routines and my diet.   BCBSIL then awards you “Blue Points” (like frequent flyer miles) for doing these activities.  If you get enough Blue Points, you can get some really cool stuff.  The site also offers tips and support to quit smoking. There are recipes too!

A screen shot from the wellness program.

So speaking as one of their insured, BCBSIL has done a bang-up job on their web-site trying to communicate to me how to get healthy and what I need to do to get healthy.  If I choose to do nothing – my bad; but know that BCBSIL has done just about everything they can to try and make me healthy  - short of coming over to my house and taking my plate full of food away from me.

Kudos to my friends at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, and thank you for your support of wellness.

- Dave Ryan Director of Social Media ISC SHRM

Feel full without stuffing your face

Today's  post is from a guest blogger who is helping out ILSHRM on WOWIE Wednesdays . Our guest blogger is Melanie Jatsek RD,LD.  Melanie is a registered dietitian, nutrition expert and author Melanie Jatsek, shows people how to get the most out of what they eat by choosing foods that supercharge their health and energy.  

Have you ever indulged in a cookie or two or maybe a handful of jelly beans and then said to yourself—”I’m still hungry”? Sure, we’ve all been there! I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with treating yourself to an Oreo once in awhile, but what I am saying is that if the bulk of your diet consists of high-sugar, low-fiber, refined or highly processed foods, you simply won’t experience the “F-Factor” (otherwise known as the “Full Factor”). If you don’t feel full, guess what? You’ll continue eating more of the high-sugar, low-fiber, refined or highly processed foods and in the end, still won’t feel satisfied! That my friend, is a recipe for weight gain.

I’ve got some great news for you! Starting today, you can eat more food consume less calories, and (drum roll please….) actually feel full! All you have to do is follow these five easy steps:

1.  Eat 2 to 3 cups of raw vegetables every day
Why? They are loaded with fiber and fiber helps slow digestion, which keeps you satisfied. Eating vegetables also puts you in the “health mindset”. Think about it—you’ll be less likely to dig into that bowl of M&M’s after eating a healthy dose of vegetables with your lunch.

2.  Trade in your refined carbs for whole grains
Why? Refined carbohydrates lack the fiber and many key nutrients found in whole grains. After you eat a slice of whole grain bread, you actually feel like you ate something. White bread leaves you unfulfilled and wanting more. Choose:

• Trisuit crackers versus Saltines
• Whole grain pita chips versus pretzels
• Brown rice versus white rice
• Whole grain bread versus white bread
• Cheerios versus Rice Krispies
• Whole grain bagel versus a blueberry muffin

3. Eat protein with each meal

Why? Protein slows the digestion process, helping contribute to the “F-Factor”. Don’t believe me? Try eating a hard-boiled egg with your toast in the morning and notice the difference! Healthy protein-rich foods include skinless poultry, beans and legumes, eggs, fish, nuts, nut butters, seeds, soy, lean cuts of beef or pork (look for “loin” or “round” cuts, and choose “choice” or “select” grades of beef). 
Note: It’s always healthier to grill, broil, bake, roast, poach or stir-fry your meats instead of frying them.

4. Add a little healthy fat to your meals
Why? For the same reason you should eat protein with your meals—it’ll help fill you up! Don’t believe me? Try slapping a tablespoon of peanut or almond butter on that slice of toast. Healthy fats include oils (olive, canola, vegetable), nuts, nut butters, olives and avocados.

5. Can the diet drinks
Why? Research shows that diet drinks actually stimulate your appetite. Ditch the diet sodas, juices and fruit drinks and sip on water with a twist of lemon or lime instead!

The goal is to make your calories count. What’s the sense of eating a meal if you’re left unfulfilled and nosing around the kitchen an hour after dinner, looking for something else to munch on? To experience the “F-Factor”, follow the five steps above and actually feel full without stuffing your face!

Today’s guest blogger is Melanie Jatsek RD,LD. She is actively involved in the National Speaker’s Association, the American Dietetic Association, and has partnered with The American Heart Association to help prevent the nation’s number one killer— heart disease.  Melanie has been seen offering her nutrition expertise on ABC, NBC and CBS.  Her brand new book for employee wellness, Healthy You: 10 Secrets to a Healthier Body Despite Your Busy Life!, helps employees improve their health behavior for real (and measurable) results! 

You can visit her website at http://melaniejatsek.com/  or see Melanie's latest television appearance: 10 Foods That Can Keep You Healthy! http://tinyurl.com/42gg8w4

Introducing WOWIE Wednesdays

The Illinois State Council of SHRM is again partnering with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, like last year  to present the WOWIE Awards at our state conference in August. The WOWIE Awards honor Illinois-based organizations or companies that take a creative approach to inspire employees to make healthy, active choices during working hours.

In an effort to promote the WOWIES we are introducitn WOWIE WEDNESDAYS. Every Wednesday until our state conference we will have a post about the WOWIES. Be watching for updates. In the meantime, here is an overview of the program.
The WOWIE Award program has Silver, Gold and Platinum categories.

The Silver award will be given to organizations that demonstrate a solid foundation for success.

The Gold award is given to select worksites/organizations that meet the Silver criteria, as well as organizations that develop comprehensive programs producing results. These programs are strategic and aligned with the organization’s mission, vision and values.

The Platinum award recognizes organizations with well-defined and well-executed worksite wellness programming, and who meet the following criteria:

• Offer employees physical activity support

• Increase health eating options at work

• Promote a wellness culture

• Employ a minimum of 5 people

• Offer a variety of physical activities for employees

Companies that achieve any level of WOWIE award recognition will receive:

• An official recognition letter from ILSHRM and BCBSIL

• A recognition plaque for display

• Recognition on ILSHRM and BCBSIL program Web site

• Recognition by ILSHRM and BCBSIL at local events and in communication materials supporting the recognition program.

Click here for an Applications

The Deadline for submission is June 1, 2011.

Content from CMPR & Dave Ryan Director of Social Media ISC - SHRM

2011 WOWIE Award Competition: Will the winners repeat?

The City of St. Charles Group with their 2010 Wowie

Will the winners repeat?  That is a common question many sports teams face immediately after winning a championship?  But in the employee wellness arena, that question is also germane to Robinson Engineering and The City of St. Charles, Ill. 

Not sure what those two progressive outfits have in common?  They were both Platinum winners of the 2010 WOWIE awards, sponsored by ILSHRM and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. 

In 2011, the WOWIEs are back and we’ll see if both Robinson and the City of St. Charles enter, not just to see if they can repeat, but to see if another year’s worth of data on their programs bolsters the notion that employers can play a positive role in improving their employee’s health. 

The City of St. Charles Wellness Program received a Platinum Award in the “More than 200 Employees” category, in part, because it was able to incent employees to adopt healthy behaviors in exchange for lower health care premiums.

The city’s program consisted of three goals: encouraging healthy lifestyles among employees, reducing health care costs for the city and providing an opportunity for employees to decrease their health insurance premiums by achieving one or more of six health goals: 

·         blood pressure less than 130/85

·         LDL cholesterol less than 130

·         weight/BMI within normal limits based on a physician certified chart

·         cardiovascular exercise for 30 minutes at least three times a week

·         being tobacco free

·         completing the online Blue Cross and Blue Shield health risk assessment

South Holland, Ill.-based Robinson Engineering received a Platinum Award in the “200 Employees or Fewer” category with its “Robinson Employee Wellness program,” which was established in 2007.

The Robinson’s Employee Wellness Program provides a wide spectrum of health information and services, from monthly health topics to employee health fairs that all seek to improve employee health.  The program consisted of:

·         quarterly lunch and learns on health and nutrition topics

·         walking clinics

·         group activities such as ping pong and employee competitions

·         subsidizing health club memberships

·         healthy food choices at lunch meetings

·         health potluck meetings, ‘Fruit Fridays” and ”Healthy Snack Day”

·         pedometer challenges

·         CPR/first aide classes

If your company has a program that measures up to these 2010 WOWIE Winners, click here: and get your application.  Deadline for entries is June 1.  

- Dave Ryan ISC SHRM Director of Social Media