TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF MAY 2, 2013
COMMITTEE ON PENSION, HUMAN RESOURCES AND CIVIL SERVICE
Mr. David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Title
Employee Wellness Survey Results and Recommendations
Body
Dear Sir:
On November 8, 2012, a study session was held to present information regarding the District's Employee Wellness Program to the Board of Commissioners. The presentation focused on the connection between employee health and the District's health care costs and the impact an employee wellness program can have on controlling these costs. Several program options including Weight Watchers at Work, exercise rooms, gym memberships, biometric screenings and wellness incentives were discussed. As a result of this study session, the Board of Commissioners approved the addition of $50,000 in the Human Resources Department 2013 budget to fund employee wellness initiatives. Additionally, the Board of Commissioners directed that an employee wellness survey be conducted to gauge employees' interest in the employee wellness program.
In January 2013, the Human Resources Department developed an employee wellness survey based on a template created by the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA). The survey incorporated specific questions about initiatives discussed in the study session with the Board of Commissioners. The survey was mailed to all District employees on Friday, February 8, 2013 along with a cover letter signed by the Executive Director and an insert promoting the value of getting an annual physical. The cover letter also contained a web address for those employees who would prefer to complete the survey online. An email version of the cover letter with a direct link to the survey was sent to all employees on the same day the letters were mailed. Employees were given until March 1, 2013 to complete the survey. Completion of the survey was voluntary and completely anonymous.
The Human Resources Department received 566 responses to the survey, representing a return rate of approximately 30.0% of total employees. The respondents were 61.0% male and 39.0% female with the two largest age bands being 40 - 49 years (27.2%) and 50 - 59 years (37.6%). According to the survey data, the respondents are relatively active with 47.8% engaging in moderate to vigorous exercise three or more times per week. A majority of respondents have received some preventive screenings in the past 12 months with the most common being a blood pressure check (91.5%), blood sugar check (66.9%), cholesterol check (73.6%) and vision exam (68.2%). A small number of respondents (6.1%) identified themselves as smokers with 64.7% of those being daily users.
The core of the survey focused on the types of programs and initiatives in which employees would be likely to participate should they be offered through the employee wellness program. These initiatives can be divided into three distinct categories: prevention, exercise and nutrition. Many of the questions included in the survey were directly related to program options presented to the Board of Commissioners during the study session in November 2012.
The first area of focus in the survey was prevention. Employees were asked how likely they would be to participate in on-site health screenings. A large percentage of respondents stated they were extremely likely or somewhat likely to participate in blood pressure checks (78.2%), body fat testing or BMI (75.6%), blood sugar testing (74.5%) and cholesterol testing (82.1%). These tests are core components of a typical biometric screening. As mentioned in the study session, biometric screenings are considered the best dollar-for-dollar investment a wellness program can make and have been shown to have a direct impact on medical spending. Employees were also asked about educational programs focused on prevention. There was a strong interest in these programs among respondents with heart disease prevention (74.0%), stroke prevention (74.3%) and cancer prevention (73.1%) being the most popular topics.
Exercise and physical activity was the second area of focus for the survey. Respondents were asked about their interest in participating in various fitness programs. Again, an overwhelming majority of respondents stated they were extremely likely or somewhat likely to participate in the programs with designated exercise areas (86.5%); on-site, low-impact exercise equipment (86.7%); and corporate fitness membership rates (80.5%) being the most popular options.
The final area of focus included in the survey was nutrition. Respondents were asked about various education and workplace initiatives that could be introduced as part of the wellness plan. Regarding workplace initiatives, 63.6% of respondents stated they were extremely likely or somewhat likely to participate in Weight Watchers at Work or a similar weight management program. In addition, respondents were interested in more healthy options at the cafeterias (72.3%) and in the vending machines (64.9%). Respondents were also very interested in educational programs related to healthy cooking (77.0%) and healthy eating (77.4%). Introduction of a Weight Watchers at Work program was one of the options presented to the Board of Commissioners as part of the study session. Additionally, employees expressed interest in this program to members of the Employee Wellness Committee when the wellness plan was introduced in early 2012.
The final question on the survey was open-ended, allowing employees to provide their comments on the current wellness plan and how it might be improved. There were 220 comments received in response to this question. Many of the comments emphasized the respondent's interest in one of the specific programs or initiatives included in the survey. For example, 31 comments stressed offering a discounted gym membership program, 7 respondents were supportive of on-site biometric screenings and 7 respondents recommended implementation of a Weight Watchers at Work program. The initiative receiving the most comments (52) was the creation of exercise rooms and/or fitness centers on-site. Employees expressed a clear desire to have some form of on-site fitness area that could be accessed either before work, after work or during lunch break. Several respondents also commented that some form of flexible scheduling might help employees take advantage of opportunities to exercise on-site.
Another area which received a number of comments (14) was offering incentives to employees who exhibit healthy behaviors such as participation in wellness programs, not smoking, or exercising regularly or penalties for those that participate in unhealthy behaviors. This is similar to the City of Chicago plan mentioned in the study session which has built participation in its wellness plan into the medical plan design and requires employees and dependents to pay additional premiums if they choose not to participate. Finally, respondents offered a variety of ideas for other wellness initiatives in their comments such as meditation and yoga classes, standing work stations, running and cycling teams and healthy cooking "pot luck" events.
The survey data clearly indicates that employees have an interest in an employee wellness plan and provides insights into the particular initiatives that employees would like to see added to current plan. Given that several of the initiatives receiving employee support were program options presented in the study session, the Human Resources Department recommends moving forward with implementation of these options to capitalize on the employee interest expressed in the survey.
It is recommended that the District implement the Weight Watchers at Work program. The program would be implemented at no cost to the District. The District would simply provide the setting for the meetings on-site and help to publicize its availability.
Additionally, it is recommended that the District implement an on-site biometric screening event. The screening would include basic measures such as body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose. The event would be offered during the work day at each location. The biometric screening services would be provided by trained medical professionals.
It is respectfully requested that the Board of Commissioners authorize the implementation of a Weight Watchers at Work program and a biometric screening event as part of the District's wellness plan. Funds for the biometric screening event are available in Account 101-25000-601250.
Recommended, Denice E. Korcal, Director of Human Resources
Respectfully Submitted, Kathleen Therese Meany, Chairman Committee on Pension, Human Resources and Civil Service
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for May 2, 2013