WOWIE Wednesday: Three Questions with Lynn Creedon, City of St. Charles, WOWIE Winner in 2010

Coming off its WOWIE 2010 Award, the City of St. Charles can offer good advice to those interested in employee wellness programs.  Here at the ILSHRM Blog, we thought it might be beneficial to ask Lynn Creedon, SPHR, and benefits coordinator for the City of St. Charles, about how St. Charles implemented its award winning program.

First, some background:

City of St. Charles, Il  by Night

The City of St. Charles has had a multi-department wellness team in place for 10 years.  (Prior to that time, the HR department handled all wellness initiatives.)  The Wellness Team’s mission is to encourage our employees and their families to become healthier, both physically and emotionally, and to achieve greater balance in life.  The Wellness Team provides ongoing opportunities through programs, activities, and education to assist in achieving a healthier lifestyle.  Additionally, an important part of the mission statement of the HR department is "to hire and develop quality people, and to foster an environment that embraces total wellness.”  We have support from top management which allows employees the ability to participate in our many programs.  We look at the whole spectrum of wellness and have selected four topics on which to focus this calendar year; we present the topics through various mediums several times throughout the year, which enables us to reinforce these foundational building blocks for a healthier lifestyle.  This year’s topics are:

§  Physical/nutrition

§  Safety

§  Emotional

§  Financial

  

ILSRHM: Was it difficult to convince management to invest in employee wellness?

LC: It was somewhat difficult to get all of the top management on board at first.  We had to provide validation of our efforts and did this through showing the reduction in workers’ compensation injuries, the participation in our HEALTHY program, and through employee feedback from our Wellness Team survey.  Also, for the past three years, a department director has served on the Wellness team, which has provided top level management firsthand experience of our goals and programs. The Wellness Team meets at least once a year with the department directors and City Administrator to provide updates on the wellness initiatives.

ILSHRM:  What advice would you give your HR colleagues about setting up such an effort?

LC:  You definitely need the buy-in from upper management.  The best way to get this support is to provide quantitative data to validate the importance of offering a Wellness program. (There is much research available as well to validate the importance of focusing on prevention and workplace wellness.) It is also helpful to have employees from various departments serving on the Wellness Team so that a cross section of employees can get the word out about wellness initiatives and provide feedback to the team from a diverse workforce.

ILSRHM: How do you measure the effectiveness of your program?

LC:  We do annual surveys to get feedback from our employees, keep data from all of our programs/initiatives, and look at reports regarding absenteeism, workers’ compensation, medical insurance statistics, etc.

If you would like to learn more about the City of St. Charles’ winning WOWIE Award from 2010, post a reply here or email chris@addcmpr.com.

Guest Post from Chris Martin

A Tribute to HR Happy Hour

Ok, so I think I can do this here on the Illinois SHRM site, since this is about Social Media and I am the director of Social Media for the State Council.  Thursday evening was the end of a nearly two year run for The HR Happy Hour – a live radio show on Blog Talk Radio.  If you are out here in the Social Media space you are probably all over this. If you don’t know what HR Happy Hour is – you should! Last night we even heard from SHRM’s Curtiss Midkiff - aka shrmsocmedguy on twitter.

It is a radio show that is broadcast live over the internet every week at 7:00 PM Central Time. And while you can listen live on the internet or on the phone, and via podcast there is a lot of chatter going on- on the twitter stream as well.  It all happens around the twitter hashtag #HRHappyHour.

For the last two years the show has largely consisted of the complimenting talents of Steve Boese and Shauna Moerke. They have done a wonderful job with this. They are truly visionaries and leaders in this space. Last night Shauna announced that she is moving on; done with the show.  It was a bittersweet moment for all of the fans of the show.  The show will go on. We will miss Shauna.

Last night was also the 100th episode of the show. This too is monumental.  As was pointed out on the show last evening this show HRHappyHour is the glue that keeps this group of:  HR Zealots, Social Media enthusiasts and the party monsters together –that along with HREvolution.  Once a week, we all get to see the tweets, hear the voices and join in the community that is HRHappyHour. Hopefully HRHappyHour will continue and will grow.  No doubt I think Shauna would want it to; especially since she has agreed to come back and help guest co-host.  

This just brings to a close a chapter in HR and Social Media.   Shauna thanks for all you have given us – Steve, you are not done – we need more. Carry On!

Also,  be sure to take a look at this video salute to HRHappyHour, put together by Blog Talk Radio Host Bryan Wempen. Brian does a live internet radio show Monday through Friday with William Tincup - and will be at The Illinois SHRM State Conference this year.

- 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