C06: Health Promotion

(3 points)

INTENT

Cultivate a culture that prioritizes the health and well-being of all individuals.

SUMMARY

This WELL feature requires projects to cultivate a culture of health through various health promotion strategies, including communications, stakeholder involvement and health risk assessments. 

ISSUE

Workplaces have the potential to promote and encourage healthy behaviors. However, if employees are unaware of the health promotion opportunities available to them, they are unlikely to participate.

SOLUTIONS

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation defines a culture of health as "a society that gives all individuals an equal opportunity to live the healthiest lives possible, whatever their ethnic, geographic, racial, socioeconomic or physical circumstances happen to be." Research shows that organizations can build an internal culture of health through health promotion programs that are customized to an organization's unique needs, integrated into their operations and business strategy, promoted through consistent communications, championed by leadership at all levels, given dedicated resources and supported by high employee engagement. Communication campaigns can effectively increase awareness about workplace or community health programs, opportunities and services. Furthermore, building incentives into wellness programs can help raise employee participation and motivate behavior change such as weight loss and smoking cessation. Health risk assessments, combined with employee education on assessment results, are a cost-saving component of workplace health promotion that can effectively address a range of health factors, including tobacco use, alcohol use, seat belt non-use, dietary fat intake, blood pressure, cholesterol, absenteeism and healthcare services use.

IMPACT

Employer-based wellness initiatives, such as programs that offer access to immunization, health risk assessments, health education resources and caregiver support, can both improve employee health and also result in substantial employer savings over the short- and long-term. Research finds that medical and absenteeism costs fall by about USD $3.27 and USD $2.73, respectively, for every dollar spent on workplace health programs. Successful workplace health promotion programs can improve job satisfaction, sense of well-being, self-esteem and overall health status, and reduce stress and health risks. Organizational benefits include lower healthcare costs and absenteeism and improved productivity, recruitment, retention, culture and employee morale.

REQUIREMENTS

Part 1

Promote Culture of Health (2 points)

Verified by Policy Document

For All Spaces

Health promotion strategies:

Occupant health is promoted through at least two of the following:

1. Posters, signage or digital communication that reinforce the project’s culture of health and market health promotion programs to employees.

2. A program that highlights occupants who exemplify the building’s health culture.

3. Incentive programs to increase participation in health promotion initiatives and programs (e.g., health risk assessments). Incentives could include gift certificates, cash, paid time off, product or service discounts, reduced health insurance premiums, employee recognition or other prizes.

4. Competition programs combined with incentives to support engagement in health behaviors (e.g., walking, bringing healthy lunch to work).

Health promotion leaders:

At least two of the following requirements are met:

1. Health promotion committee or group meets at least quarterly, is actively involved in planning and implementing health promotion programs and seeks to cultivate a culture of health in the project.

2. Paid health promotion or workplace wellness coordinator plans and implements health promotion programs. Individual may work full- or part-time depending on project necessity. Coordinator’s entire job does not have to involve workplace wellness but it must be included in the job description/requirements and/or job performance expectations.

3. Organizational leadership is engaged in health promotion programs or initiatives (e.g., documented participation in fitness activities, support groups, health screenings, health risk assessments, immunization programs).

    

 

Note: Projects should consider primary language(s) spoken by the local population when creating signage.

Part 2

Offer Health Risk Assessments (1 point)

Verified by Policy Document

For All Spaces

Individualized health risk assessments (HRAs) are made available on-site to all employees, at no cost or subsidized by at least 50%. HRAs can come through written reports, letters or one-on-one counseling. All HRAs must cover at least the following:

1. Preventive screening and biometric assessments.

2. Education to inform employees on interpretation and understanding of results (e.g., what is a healthy blood pressure) and required next steps to improve health.

3. Support in accessing follow-up services, resources or programs (e.g., lifestyle management for diabetes, smoking cessation tools and support groups).

ADDITIONAL POINT OPPORTUNITY
To earn an additional point for WELL Core and MFR Certification, projects should provide health risk assessments to tenants. 

© International WELL Building Institute