Workplace Wellness Programs

Workplace Wellness Programs

Uritox

According to the The American Institute for Preventive Medicine, there are a total of 91% wellness program conducted today compared to the record of 78% a decade ago.

Table Of Contents:

What is a wellness program?

A wellness program is designed to improve and maintain the well being of every individual participating in the program.
It takes reasonable care to ward off any stress and helps maintain overall fitness through a proper and healthy diet, exercise, and illness prevention. These programs can also guide people through weight loss education, smoking cessation, therapy, and everything else that evoke a sense of well-being and healthy transformation.
It is not long ago that wellness programs were conducted or offered by insurance companies and physicians. However, now it has been a growing trend in most developed workplaces that look out for their employees in the best possible manner.
There are inevitable circumstances that lead to the growth of unhealthy employees, and thus the sickness persists everywhere. The workplace wellness programs monitor and fight the weakness and help in the decrease of medical costs and insurance premiums. They also include incentives sometimes to encourage their employee participation.

What are the benefits of a wellness program?

Workplace wellness program introduces various interactive ways, provides resources, and promotes activity to improve their employee's health and well-being. Healthy employees have high productivity and low absenteeism rates and are less likely to be injured on the job.
As a result, there are modest decreases in indirect costs such as health care and workers' compensation insurance. That in return can also improve employee morale and loyalty to the company.

Our wellness and Health promote the same activity?

Being healthy is a choice, and there is an end goal to the thought, which is either to lose weight or regular exercise to reduce long-term illness risk. It is a lifestyle journey to understand better spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, occupational, and environmental well-being.

How to implement a workplace wellness program?

Getting a team engaged in a workplace wellness program in a fun way to boost their activity is much needed; as the team is engaged, the interaction value will be more and hence the well-being. 

Although even after conducting the fun ideas, one must check whether or not the team is enjoying and grasping the main motto. Developing a plan is not a complicated process, but it is the execution and grasp that needs to be monitored.

To start with, firstly, decide the goal of the wellness program.

  • Determine the revenue, budgeting, and return of investment.
  • Employee rewards selection.
  • Plan the policy and communicate the program.
  • Evaluate the program regularly.

Is there any specified law in place for the wellness program?

There are Four federal laws that focus on workplace wellness and the prohibition of discrimination based on health status.

Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)

This law prohibits discrimination by group health plans based on an individual’s health status. They also offer discounts based on an individual's health status following certain exceptions.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits

The act prohibits employment discrimination based on health status, but there is specific exception for the volunteers of wellness programs

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)

This law prohibits employment discrimination and states that inquiring about an individual’s genetic information such as health status or family history is forbidden for any employer.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Under this act, protection is given to the privacy of personal health information, including the information that is being collected by individual workplace wellness programs.

Below is the list of 99 wellness program ideas for the employees that can be implemented easily at your office.

 

ONE DAY AT A TIME WELLNESS IDEAS

1. Cherishing 'wellness Wednesday.'

A wellness routine is a way to support mental and physical health by following few tips towards a significant impact on the lifestyle.

Dedicating one day a week seems more manageable, so try out different ideas that relieve Monday's strength and empowers the remaining days of the week. Although they are known for wellbeing, Wednesdays also become a midweek crisis when they usually start to feel lethargic.  Creating challenges for wellbeing activities helps recognize everybody's contribution to wellness. Wednesday increases engagement and rewards the participants in a social way for everyone.

2. Meatless one day in a week

With people going vegan by choice, many have meat as their regular diet and staples. Going vegan for a day in a week, especially on Mondays, for a fresh start, and then to keep it going will not harm anyone; instead, it will help maintain balance.

3. Mindful Monday or so

A bad mood can skyrocket and add up to be the worker's worst experiences, and it is a universally known fact that more than half of the workers or employees tend to hate Mondays and finds it stressful to get back to the same tedious job.

A mindfulness program or meditation will be a tool to manage work stress and anxiety. With all the energy focused on awareness, positivity, and acceptance of the present, the mind will ultimately relax at peace, and hence mindfulness  achieved. 

4. Employee field Day

Field Days are underrated, but to be honest, they are one of the best options to make a connection and indulge in various adventurous activities. Colleague days’ out, at a local park playing soccer, Frisbee, tennis, and everything they all like doing, which otherwise would not be possible in the office hour. 

5. Chef – special Day

Cookery activity by ordering a seminar or training with a real-time chef

Spend a little bit to hire a chef who is specialized in curating healthy food for diet and cheat days. Arrange for their cooking demonstration and schedule a particular office hour for such "chill scenes."

It is easy to get a chef at your fingertips as the resources are plenty, and they are available for Hire through many platforms like Hire A chef, La Belle Assiette, Cosy meal, etc.

6. Lunch visits to the Outskirts or a local farmer’s

Once a while, one may offer to pay for the purchases they make for organic products, for which a local farmer's market is one good option.

Organize the day and manage the program on behalf of the employees by arranging transportation for the pick-drop facility, rent a bus or a driver.

Lastly, send the mailer invitation to each one of them as a surprise element. 

7. Obscure Holiday Celebration

Obscure as the word means uncertain or unknown. For Example:

National Popcorn Day!

Anyone?

Some amazingly obscure holidays to celebrate could be:

Drawing day

Where you ask the employee to draw a Picture Of a Bird Day

This may reveal their hidden artist or good entertainer stuff, and it is not at all bad to have a little humor over a crooked Van Gogh's drawing. 

8. Make Your Own Holiday Day

People can take a 10-minute break or define their cause of holiday if announced as a public holiday.

Just like that, one can celebrate an obscure part of it, Late-comers Day, Chicken Dance Day, Goose Day, etc. 

9. Celebrate New Hiring

The new hiring seems like a college fresher, open to questions, and littlest of leg pulling. One must find it an occasion for celebration and be flexible and get to know the team members and colleagues so that the environment remains the same as before the newbie joins.

10. Weekly themed fashion

Pick a day to dress up or dress down as per the office theme. A day for stupendous experiments, and by the end of the day, one can be rewarded as the winner of the week.

11. Masseuse Day

Hire masseuse for a day and create block of 15-30 minutes per massage.

12. Yoga Days

A yoga workshop is a healthy idea to be planned at least once a week, hiring a professional partner or any organization can help manage the whole program at ease.

13. Health Fair Program

Nutrition companies and local vendors of organic and nutritional food products are often on the lookout for places and the public; inviting them to the office to talk will be a two-way help for both groups. If this option does not intrigue you, then check out various ideas to plan a fair health program to get the grave intensity of the idea.

14. Big projects Buffet

One may struggle with a busy schedule, pressure, and workloads every once in a while; while they put in extra efforts and hours, try to be a big man and loosen your pockets for some lunch or brunch. Ensure to stick to health-oriented- wraps, salads, taco salad, Mediterranean are all excellent options. 

15. On-site Yoga session

Retreatment and stress-busting yoga sessions once a week are always helpful and add to the company's perk. This rewards in two ways, the employee will become healthy, and the other will make him wise towards the choices of future employers.

16. The Impromptu Challenge

With an impromptu contest, one can help encourage healthier habits and lifestyles.

Like introducing one new surprise cause every day for say:

Who can do more push-ups?

Whose lunch is the healthiest today?

The most extended plank holder is the winner on some days, whereas there are breathing exercises or exercises on others, which they can share with others.

17. Birthday Leaves

An employer can offer the employee to choose whether to work on their birthday or take a paid leave.  A caring gesture towards them to decide on their own, of course, who would not like to spare their born day with their family and friends?

18. Happy hour once a while

That is a power-packed gift; chilling at the cost of the employer's credit is one good mental wellness. Take time to finish off early and help the employees get the work done so that all can have a good time.

19. Free Half day

Check for the group discount from the nearby theatres and offer to take the employees for a movie. Alternatively, allow a half-day if they insist on taking a leave.

20. The Cooking Contest

Cooking is an art for many and worshiped for others, where people indulge in the most delicious menu or the best and healthy ones. Delicious does not mean healthy but healthy meals are often delicious.

The Healthy-cooking contest will wake the inner chef within most of them, and that marks the success story of the challenge, which the rest of the office could then vote for.

INDOOR IMPLEMENTATION OF WELLNESS IDEAS

1. Say NO to low-quality snacks.

If there is a treat in the office, it should be taken good care that the treat and snack items are of excellent nutritional and healthy value.

2. Ergonomic Practices

Sitting all day is very bad for health, and if the work involves a whole day sitting job, then it is difficult to cope with the work environment every day for a long time as it may get worse for the health in the long run.

Therefore, conducting activities that create awareness of the ergonomics will eliminate the discomfort while releasing stress quickly. This activity also demands the employer design and modifies the facility to fit the worker and not the worker to fit in the environment. 

3. Placement of stand-up desks

Sitting the whole day reduces significantly fewer calories among the significant risks of weight gain, obesity, heart diseases, and diabetes. The standing desk or stand-up desks allows working while standing comfortably. There are modern versions available in the market, usually referred to as sit-stand desks or height-adjustable desks. One may provide their employees the benefit of these kinds of desks with timers to switch to the positions throughout the day.

4. Combat eye strain

Making the time-out process mandatory and some regular exercises for the eyes to take a break from the monitor or mobile screen. There are many options to help adjust the brightness and color of the screen as preferred; buy those for office use only.

5. Chair Massage as a reward

Installing a chair massager is one fascinating gift to serve as a reward point. Who would not want relaxation while in office?

6. Office Vehicle/ Scooter

If the office is enormous and the compound is a long-distance journey. Then it becomes hideous to reach out the destination now and then, whether in-office or outside. Office scooters encourage people to move around at ease.

7. Gaming section

Football, Hula Hoops, chessboard, or tennis any indoors games will do the benefit. The dartboard is an even better idea for focus and concentration.

8. Note near the Lift "take the lift."

This is likely to not go down well with the lazy fellow mates, but the energized and motivated ones will take it positively. However, this will also filter the ones who may need a little more motivation to keep up with the healthy side of wellbeing.

9. Decorating the Office Lounge

Decoration adds value to any place, and taking that initiative as a team will build a better atmosphere for self and others as per the choice of the majority. One can put up competitions or challenges to make it look as natural as either an outdoor park's environment with greenery and flowers or an indoor board room and put up the clauses, postscripts, etc., so that the project turns out well sustainable, and worthy of the price spent.

Divide the corners amongst the team and build a plan to execute, decide on budgeting, and it is good to get ideas.

The wellness that it achieves is an office lounge decorated as per the employee’s choice, productive activity, team bond, and refreshment for the whole tenure in the office.

10. Allowed background tune

Who does not like to be surrounded by music?

Any low tempo, spiritual or binaural music leads to focus, concentrates, and boosts productivity. The ambiance sounds refreshing and upbeat that it affects the work balance even when you are tense or under pressure. There is a reason that they are known to improve mood.

1. Free company Gear

Company swag is a treat to the eye and self-encouragement. Ensure the fantastic giveaways have been distributed at the conferences and social events, and if it follows as a surprise, it is worth the day of the employee zest.

2. Cool freebies

The list may not stop or be limited. Decide an amount of budgeting for each employee and award it as points to claim the prizes listed under. If not, then gift the whole bunch of people with some cool stuff like customized shoes, ties, tie clippers, a Netflix/ Prime subscription, babysitting, tickets to a music event or sporting event, and so on.

3. Cubic Customization

Cubic customization is very time-consuming, but Christopher (Will Smith) did land himself an interview and a job later on. It is no secret that cubic customization does test a human intellect and speed. Therefore, encourage more of it at work and offer rewards; a worked-up brain is never a loss.

4. Office cafeteria with a Bean-to-cup Coffee machine

A bean-to-cup coffee vending machine is a great buy, better than that of the powdered machine that has become outdated amongst the coffee lover.

5. The Water Challenge

There are kinds of gadgets available in the market that remind you that it is time to sip on or drink some water. This way, there can be made by the end of the month for the employees volunteering for the drinking water challenge observed for over 30 days.

6. The Fitness Challenge

Amongst the kinds of break takers in the office, there should be short adventurous breaks for the fitness enthusiast or also for the ones who are not; the motif for this challenge should solely be challenging each other to come on the floor and show the fittest exercise they have and challenge the other person to achieve the same goal. The challenge can be the most no. Of push-ups, Jumping Jacks, cross legs, Lunges, etc.

To make it challenging, one can divide the team into small groups and assign them the particular target for the month; whoever reaches the target earlier wins the match.

7. Walking meetings

The Stanford researchers state that walking meetings will not hamper the process. Instead, a short walk will help improve the flow of ideas even after the walk. Many known names like Charles Dickens, Steve Jobs, and John Muir, who walk and talk and follow their footsteps, may work out for some.

8. In-office plantation drive

There are numerous health benefits when an individual is surrounded by greenery. Especially in office the color soothes the environment and fills in more oxygen and breathing space. It will reduce stress and contribute in increasing the employee productivity by 15% as researched by the University of Queensland.

9. Office cookbook

Here is the compilation of the healthiest meal and recipes of the best ideas in a journal. In the book of recipes, one can have the best of easiest ways and healthy dishes to add to their menu. Ask the employees to share their favorite dish, hand over the recipe for this task, and create it into a handy booklet.

10. Office Lounge

There must be different equipment for the employee to relish their leisure 15 minutes break; the point is where they should spare those minutes.

Most chain-smokers are the product of such wandering moments.

Research says that when an occasional smoker finds the time but not a place to relax, they take up another smoke to kill time. This is how they become chain-smokers from the occasional smoker.

Therefore it is pretty evident that providing the employees with the lounge in-office for the break time will switch their bad habits to the good ones.

EXTRA-ACTIVITY WELLNESS IDEAS

1. Newsletter publishing

Once or twice a week, one can publish a newsletter highlighting the best fitness ideas at workplace wellness, nutrition, and educational content from around the World.

To introduce any new wellness ideas and health guide, a company newsletter can be a great idea. Specializing the same with graphics and funny quotes always remains catchy and memorable to follow. This could create a compilation of the weekly best articles from the web and shoot it for the employees periodically.

2. The community-supported agriculture.

Many larger farms offer community-supported programs on agriculture. To get the employees signed up for the local farmer's support community can get them to supply fresh produce weekly. This is also the most convenient way to get the freshness of health and direct from the farm, without chemical preservative food in their fridge.

3. Health improvement seminar

Conduct a health assessment program by bringing in a specialist who can offer biometric screenings for each of them and guide them towards a healthy road to wellness.

This may become a little trickier to arrange, but contacting your network will be worthwhile as most practitioners are too busy to conduct an office visit.  In such a case, make sure to make the process simple and easy for them. Pre-plan the day and organize the time limit for the same, with the questionnaire all set beforehand. One can do their best to save time for both the practitioner and the employees to make the best use of the day efficiently.

4. Virtual wellness retreat

Since the office yoga, retreat program, and facilities have been beneficial for the employee; one whole day of this retreatment is one excellent experience to rejuvenate. One can put together a full day virtual session for them as their work from the home necessary task.

5. Survey to check the employee interest.

Corporate ideas and wellness initiatives may work for many, but it does not need to work for everyone. A quick online survey will let out the result and feedback that will help them return, as it will become easier to implement. One can create surveys through survey monkeys or Google forms which can easily be availed for the fill-up.

6. Regular running group

Running is a complete body exercise for anybody of any weight or any age. Sponsoring for the 5k marathons is one good idea as it either happens annually or semi-annually in one area. Apart from that, one can also arrange the office group run team to different sites and an excellent healthy snack or diet plan on completion and reaching the destination. This activity can be complex yet challenging, fun, and a good hard workout worth a week's long treadmill. There are sites like Active, Race-find, Race place, Run signup, Runners World, and many more. To find the 5k run with the cause and can excite people to work it up.

7. Happy hour

Happy hours whether in a bar or restraint, it does make you happy. So why not introduce it in the office and allow a mandatory recess of an hour for workout, yoga, or any other recreational activity.

8. The Sleep Challenge

The kind of activities involving relaxing, refreshing, or lazy is the well-to-do challenge, especially when the final winner will be rewarded by the end of the period.

9. A Year of Health Challenge

This basically would mean giving it a whole life or, in other words, a change in a complete lifestyle by transforming and opting for all things healthy.

This can be initiated by awarding points every week after monitoring the healthy habits that include: Exercise, Nutrition, Sleep, Hydration, lifestyle, and reflections. Every progress will keep them engaged, and records on a scoreboard will keep the challenge transparent and healthy competition.

10. The Gratefulness Challenge

Count your blessings every day and record them on a shared Google sheet for 21 days. Research says that due to practicing gratitude, there has been a drastic increase in physical and mental health benefits. Practicing gratitude helps to be positive and boosts aura and wellness. It not only builds up positivity but also helps in dealing with adversity hence relish good experiences.

11. Post the core values

This goes a long way when the employees are kept reminded of the core values and operational process. One must know the work culture and the strength of their base. Whether hanging a frame at the reception, conference hall, waiting for an area, or setting a default desktop screensaver, also through the short notes and mementos customized for the office-use only should place at most corners and places with significant footfall. The company's core values must be kept in mind, and surrounding the office with the written bit will strengthen it more and more.

12. Facebook page for Adventure and sports

Ask people to participate in the group and share pictures from their tours, hikes, and adventures. Highlight and provide guidance. This will encourage more people to know about the company and allow them to organize group hikes.

13. Governor

One can appoint an employee who can act as a wellness governor and will keep a check on the healthy behavior of the staff member. They can be chosen via voting system and elected quarterly or semi-annually.

14. Play secret Santa

Though it is not a Christmas eve but random surprises and gifts are appreciated by everyone on every occasion. Get the employees to exchange gifts amongst each other as a playful custom.

15. Frustrated Employee

Having frustrated people at office can be tedious and spoil the ambience, if there is any employee who is notably seen frustrated, release them for the day or for a 15 minutes walk around the compound. This is to find fresh air and thus clarity while self-reflection, sunshine and space to return relaxed and calm.

16. Donation

Ask the employee to de-clutter their house and get the stuffs that has some utility but can be discarded if not required at home anymore. These items could be old clothes, sweaters, cardigans, bed sheets, kitchen utensils etc.  It is better to make it useful for others in need, shelter home, or Goodwill rather than stocking up without any utility.

17. Schedule hourly break-time

Taking breaks once in a while is highly recommended to boost the productivity of an individual. Scheduling small 5-10 minutes of break in a regular interval of say 90 minutes works as refreshment to rejuvenate. Improvements are visibly seen through enhanced focus, concentration, and less fatigue. This has also been studied at the university of Illinois at Urban Champaign. They authors believe that the task engagement can be regained after a short break, due to continuous worked up brain the job starts to seem tedious and breaks can release stress to start afresh.

18. One Mile-A-Day

Introducing a competition or target-oriented challenges, Mile-A-Day becomes one of them, where the employees are asked to take up this 30-day challenge, and whoever does well will be rewarded.

19. Regularly update the company’s accolades

The company's website or social media profile must show the visitors the latest happening. This is one of the branding strategies that work in setting examples and encouraging more and more candidates to walk in. the existing employees will feel privileged when people get to know about their workplace. This calls for regular updating and keeps in check with the current trends and upcoming.

Frame the certifications, awards, prizes, or achievements to take pride in the environment they are working at and instill a sense of encouragement.

20. Annual employee awards

Large companies like TATA, NESTLE, and RELIANCE follow their employee awards annually to felicitate their laborious employees. This could not be followed by all the companies but can be celebrated as a small event to reward the most loyal and deserving employees.

REJUVENTING WELLNESS PROGRAM IDEAS

1. Laughter Clubs

Laughter is good medicine. Improve employee wellness with shared laughter, releasing endorphins, and creating a connection!

Not just a catchphrase but also a great start to a day with a positive approach; scientific studies prove that laughter truly is excellent medicine. Try to improve wellness with shared laughter in these troubled times to help create genuine human connection and release endorphins.

2. Smoking Cessation and incentivizing

The smoking breaks in the office hours has become a must for most of them, but the fact cannot be ignored that it does all the possible harm to your body and lungs making it devoid of all wellness activity. Paying incentives to those who quit smoking has already proven to be three times more successful, as per the research conducted by some medical schools.

3. (Dot) .Flu Shots

Taking care of your employees, whether practical or providing essential news, always goes a long way in creating good rapport and a healthy environment.

Regular practice of updating the employees on the vaccines or flu shots will do as much.

4. Naptime

Naptime improves mental health and thus benefits productivity. A recliner for relaxation or recess time is a prompt requirement for naptime, but it serves to straighten the backbone while relaxing.

Naptime increases creativity and memory; it may be seen as a waste of time in many offices, but that must be given a trial and tested for your own. The first-hand experience is much more beneficial than the telltale.

5. Summer Fridays

A decline is usually expected in most businesses during summertime. Sales/business activity slows down, giving enough time to let the employees have a break and enjoy their summer by offering half or shorter days on Fridays for around 99-111 days between the beginning of Memorial Day up the Labor Day. 

6. Change Attire

A formal front is necessary for the work-life, but people must be allowed to play it cool with their Attire and ditch the suit, tie, heels, and boots look once a while.

The casual dressing will not do much harm. Employees will instead feel comfortable biking or take a walk outside when not in formals. Conduct a voting system if the employer wants to inculcate the attire changes.

7. Paid Maternity Leaves

The company can make the environment or provide enough tools to ease the expecting lady, but the only relaxation comes from paid maternity leave.

8. Soul tea

Enjoy a cup of tea during break time, and there are many flavors and herbs available in the market that freshens up a tiring day. At some places, tea is part of their culture, and bringing it to the table is cherishing most of them from one part of the world.

9. Recess Reschedule

This is the idle period of around 15 minutes from the whole day, a break for relishing activities, Fun charades, naptime, etc.

10. Flexible time

The employees in-time and out-time sometimes get fluctuated due to many house chore. The flexible time or time target of the month should be given dire flexibility to accomplish. One should not worry about their salary deduction when in trouble.

MISCELLANEOUS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IDEAS

1. Employee discount

Company discounts are well-to-do gifts; offer programs, or a day of discounted company's service or products for the employees.

2. Reduce insurance premiums

Offer to pay a subsidy amount of an employee’s insurance premium on logging a certain number of exercised hours. This could be the more OK gesture as a reward for the active employees

3. Sports league admission and participation

Outdoor Ball games are all worth a weekend and energizing, football, basketball, soccer, or volleyball. One-two free passes will not cost much for each of them, and buying it in bulk will often get some discount. Offer to pay full or half for the tickets for people interested in participation.

4. Gift cards for major projects

Once many major projects are completed, and you have achieved a target, there is a hurdle that you have crossed and a milestone achieved; that does call for celebration. Celebrating it via gift coupons for the team is a surprise element one can feel encouraged about.

Ideal gift coupons could be a gift card to a restaurant offering a nutritious lunch date for two, a $20 coupon scratch card for the local gift shop or organic food, a gym coupon with a 50% fee reduction semi-annually, anything according to the company’s budget.

5. Gym discounts and perks

Collaborate with the local gym and trainers in the office area and issue you discounts for the clients in return.

6. Subsidize Wearable technology

Fitness is essential, but most people refrain from investing in the equipment they feel is not worth the price. Since the company could bear the half expense and get one of the fitness monitoring devices through a subsidy, it will only encourage them towards minute monitoring. This will ultimately help the employees to track themselves and measure their improvement in terms of fitness.

7. Referral program for employee

The connection and network in the professional industry is vast and a good connection is worth a while, company’s good people may know other good people who can be the next best-hired candidate. Referral program can be run and bonus could be given to the employee whose referral gets hired and sustain their position for at least six-months.

8. Offer Laundry

This can make life easier, especially for the bachelors, if the company's laundry service can provide door-to-door service for the employees and deliver them to the office.

9. Vacation sponsorship

Offering sponsorship to your employees for their vacay mode is a trusting gesture that the employer shows in return for their good deed. To implement this idea, one can bind it with the performance grades and award points. It has always been a win-win situation in many parts of the world while providing self-generated sponsorship via the tourism industry.

10. Rewards

Give away prizes for the cleanest employee, which will definitely boost their courage and want to stick with their unadulterated routine.

DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE WELLNESS IDEAS

1. Withdrawal 

There are many examples for the alternative wellness program to deal with addiction. They may include yoga, therapy, art therapy, music, biofeedback, equine therapy or chiropractic care.

2. Regular EAPS

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are employer or union sponsored program for the employee and their wards. EAPs address the grave situations like alcohol problem, or drug use issue. They create awareness and works as counseling for them, some of them include activities as a part of practical learning and employment.

3. Supervisor training

When we talk about drugs, alcohol or substance abuse. The topic cannot be any simpler or easy going. The approach has to be serious even though the activities can be fun and games, the execution and the employee participation must be made compulsory. The reward will be a positive outlook and getting clean which can be compensated for the employees who have had the worst experience with the substance and addictions, but now has improved.

4. Evidence-based Prevention intervention

A peer reviewed journal should be a part of a daily mailer and the must contain the details about strategies and preventive programs deemed effective by SAMHSA. These programs have been carefully implemented and have been providing positive outcomes consistently. Visit their website for information on the evidence-based interventions at their resource center SAMHSA's Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center.

5. Sustain the program

Drug-free workplace programs have been evolving since the beginning and this can be counted amongst the only program, whose utility has only one certain answer and that is, it is helpful in everyway.  Now the necessity is to sustain the program by integrating them as the cultural and lifestyle of the workplace environment.

6. Healthy communication

There are multiple options to initiate the communication progress and that include written materials, meet-ups, interactive Q &A sessions, writing material etc. communication is important to ensure that the messages are repeatedly and constantly sent through.

7. Host alcohol Free Event

Having alcohol in the parties are very common, but for a change, one can also host alcohol free-event, where none of the substance or smoking is allowed. 

8. Sponsor services

Sponsor the prevention services in your locality or community, which in turn can benefit the employees and their families.

9. Role model

Practice that you preach so that the employees can look up for inspiration and the message is conveyed consistently and straight to them.

10. Organization letters

Include healthy and drug-free lifestyle messages in the newsletter, mailers, cards etc.

11. Self-screening

Provide resources in the form of Brochures, health fair, fact sheets, intranet, posters and signs for the self-screening.

12. Encourage help

Telephone helplines can serve great purpose in the times of need, foster will and strength to empower their thoughts.

13. Prescription Medication drop-off

Many a times people do not know the particular area or locality where the disposal could be done, help them by providing various information and facts on how-to, where-to or when-to dispose or drop-off the prescription medication.

14. Moral support for the recovering individual

Guide and supervise the needy by creating policies that will help them in spotting substance abuse indicators. One can also support the employee who is experiencing withdrawal and recovering from substance abuse, by effectively working alongside for a moral support.

15. Coverage 

Provide coverage and maintain health insurance that includes treatment resources against substance abuse. Also one can provide coverage for counseling and screening and help in reduction of the cost barrier for help.

16. Drug testing

Mandatory drug testing every quarter can keep the workplace intact to it’s sanity and full conscious employed staff.

17. Subsidize Library membership

Pay for the library membership or pay subsidy for the books of the employee’s choice, which shows improvement. This can help them stay focused on the clearer picture of self-development.

18. Keep Check with policies

Review policies and practices that concerns accommodation, employee privacy, HIPAA, ADA and return to work guidelines and keep the employees updated with any changes or up gradation done so that everyone remains on the same page.

19. Social Volunteer Jobs

At times, we can also pay the employees to volunteer in specific social and cultural activities that create team bond and awareness. This will boost the sense of responsibility towards the society we live in, given that it is a field job, the physical activity will be one good physical exercise. These activities could include working at a food joint for a day, cleaning up a beach, park, Gardening, or volunteering in some plantation drive.



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