Better Life 2007 Budget Request
According to statistics obtained by Wellness Councils of America (Welcoa), 195 million adults in our nation are overweight or obese; 18.2 million Americans have diabetes; 25.6 million adults have heart disease; and 15.7 million adults have been diagnosed with asthma. In addition, the rising costs of health care have soared past $10,000 for an average family of four. These costs have forced many businesses to stop offering coverage, while others have seen a premium increase of approximately 13.9% since 2003. The 2000 annual “Attitudes in the American Workplace VI” Gallup Poll showed 80% of workers feel stress on the job and nearly half say they need help in learning how to manage stress.
As an attempt to change these statistics for the employees of the Weld Library District, a grassroots wellness committee has been formed with the intent to improve the wellness of staff while creating a win/win situation for the District. Benefits inherent in a strong wellness program include:
- Visibility in the community as a progressive organization
- Additional recruiting and retention factor resulting in better patron service
- Reduced healthcare/HR costs
Having successfully cultivated a relationship with New Frontier Bank, we will be using a highly conservative version of their wellness program. New Frontier Bank is a leader in wellness, having earned the prestigious Gold Award from Welcoa, and has been voted as one of the “2007 Best Companies to Work for in Colorado”.
With approval of the 2007 budget, the Better Life Committee will be implementing an 8 week session targeted to begin September 23. The session will focus on overall wellness of employees with an overview of nutrition and weight management.
The programs feature a point system wherein various activities will be awarded varying point values. Activities include aerobic and anaerobic exercise, strength training, and attendance at educational seminars. Points are also awarded for self care such as taking vitamin supplements, proper nutrition and water consumption. For instance, someone taking a brisk walk or jog for 35 minutes would be awarded 25 points, attendance at an educational program offered by the library district would be 40 points, and drinking eight glasses of water in one day would be 15 points.
Incentive prizes have been established to help motivate those individuals who may not otherwise have participated. Progress will be tracked using downloadable score sheets. Employees will pay a $10 enrollment fee and will be given a pedometer at time of registration. Incentive prizes will be awarded at the 750, 2225 and 4000 levels. Employees will be given a water bottle at the 750 point level, reimbursement of their enrollment fee at 2225 points, and a prize valued at $10 at the completion of the program. Two gym bags will also be raffled at the end of the 8 week session. All participants reaching 2225 points will have a chance to win the gym bags.
As a way to help us begin our new wellness program, New Frontier Bank has agreed to provide up to 35 water bottles and pedometers, and two gym bags. Their generosity has allowed us to keep costs down for this first time program session. Budget costs for 2008 will be submitted under separate cover.
A healthier workforce will not only translate into reduction of required sick leave, improved morale, and stress reduction, but also will ultimately translate into better patron services and lower health costs for the district: a win/win situation for everyone.