2. What is Environment?
The circumstances, objects, or conditions which one is
surrounded or the aggregate of social and cultural conditions
that influence the life of an individual or community
(Merriam-Webster)
• Bright lights • Bright colors – red increases appetite
• Cool air/oxygen • Soothing sounds • Food smells
• Loud noises • Earth tones and smells • Appetizing photos
• Low lighting
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
3. Why Does it Matter?
1. It’s Your Foundation
“Worksite health
promotion is an
investment in
human capital.
Employees are more
likely to be on the
job and performing
well when they are
in optimal physical
and psychological
health.”
– Partnership for
Prevention
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
4. Why Does it Matter?
2. Employees will
value the attention
& changes
“An employers expression of caring for
an employees health and well-being is
perceived as more important than the
benefits offered.”
– Johnson and Johnson study 2010
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
5. Why Does it Matter?
3. It’s not about what you say,
it’s about what you do
“Appropriate public
policy and lifestyle
interventions aimed at
eliminating tobacco
use, limiting salt
consumption,
encouraging physical
exercise, and improving
diet can prevent events
related to cardio
vascular disease..”
– American Heart
Association
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
6. Why Does it Matter?
4. It can save you money
“The CDC estimates that the average smoker
costs an employer $3400 per year in smoking-
attributed lost productivity and direct medical
costs and on average, smokers spend up to
8% of a workday on smoking-related
activities; this equals 4 weeks of lost work
time over the course of a 50-week work year”
-Am J Med.
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
7. Why Does it Matter?
5. Supportive environments
create healthier employees
“Your health is not just a
result of your choices
and actions but also the
choices and actions of
people around you”
– Dr. Nicholas Christakis
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
8. Effects of Changing the Environment
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com pg. 8
9. Traditional Approach vs. Modern Approach
The Traditional Approach
Outside to Inside
Biometric Screenings
Disease Management
Activity Challenges
Gift Cards, Financial
Awards or Disincentives
Communications and
Educational Campaign
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com pg. 9
10. Traditional Approach vs. Modern Approach
The Modern Approach
Inside to Outside
Business Culture
Employee Culture (Social
and Nutritional)
Worksite Policies
Food Service and Vending
Physical Environment &
Safety
Vocational Support
Employee Recognition
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com pg. 10
11. Environmental Assessment Step by Step
Step One:
Assess the workplace – 9 Major Categories
1. Workforce Characteristics
2. Physical Environment and Safety
3. Wellness Culture
4. Nutrition
5. Physical Activity
6. Work/Life Balance
7. Policies and State Requirements
8. Health Promotion
9. Vocational Support
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
12. Environmental Assessment Step by Step
Step Two:
Identify strengths and areas for improvement
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
13. Environmental Assessment Step by Step
Step Three:
Create an Action Plan and Identify Key Players
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
14. Environmental Assessment Step by Step
Step Four:
Share Results and Continuously Evaluate
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
15. Environmental Assessment –
Things to Consider
Keep the 4 S’s in Mind
Strategic
It should be part of your long term planning and overall
goals and interests
Systematic
Have a plan with a check’s and balances to ensure changes
are made and maintained
Systemic
Keep in mind that changes will affect the group as a whole
and capitalize on this – holistic evolution
Sustainable
Make sure changes will stick. It can do more harm if
something is taken away versus never having it at all
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
16. Environmental Assessment –
Things to Consider
Identify your business culture and its effectiveness in achieving
desired goals
If necessary, complete a business culture assessment in additional
to an environmental assessment and identify links and barriers
Understand the demographics and generational components of the
workforce
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
17. Environmental Assessment –
Things to Consider
Collect inventory of resources
already available to you (i.e.
carrier, consultant, internal
teams/committees)
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
18. Environmental Assessment –
Things to Consider
Think outside of the box –
the smallest things can have the biggest impact
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
19. Environmental Assessment –
Things to Consider
Involve all levels and departments
Educate and collaborate with relative groups
(i.e. facilities management, safety, green teams etc.)
Create accountability
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
20. Case Study – Environment In Action
Accounts Receivable Management Industry,
Profile
700 employees at 5 locations
Sedentary workforce, call center environment where
Challenge
employees work hard and play hard
Integrate health and wellbeing into the culture,
Solution
environment, and business strategy
Highly engaged employees that are happier
Result
and more productive
Keys To Success
- The buddy system - Complete flexibility
- Total transparency - Don’t be afraid to fail
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
21. Ideas To Put Into Action
Wall of Success – include personal and corporate stories of
success related to health and well-being. This should be in the
entryway of the building
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
22. Ideas To Put Into Action
Release a meeting policy – they should never be longer than an
hour and half and a stand up and stretch break should be
incorporated.
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
23. Ideas To Put Into Action
Send the health culture home – books like the Household
Wellness Toolkit and sites like dole.com provide great resources
for families and children that employers can provide
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
24. Ideas To Put Into Action
Rate your environment in colors green, yellow and red.
Prioritize and spend your energy in the red and yellow areas
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
25. Ideas To Put Into Action
Understand your employees motivation- collect statements: My
health is important to me because_____
My Health is
important to me
because I want to
be able to keep
up with my
grandchildren!
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
26. Ideas To Put Into Action
Hand out wellness flags and have employees submit creative
photos of them with their flags performing health related
activities (similar to the AAA magazine photos)
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
27. Ideas To Put Into Action
Create a community – begin a worksite blog, customize a site for
the programs, institute the “bring a friend” concept into events
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
28. Ideas To Put Into Action
Make it all about “You” – focus on the heart of the matter rather
than the data. Express how much you care rather than how much
information/data you can share
Intercare Insurance Solutions • Private & Confidential • CA Insurance Lic #0D80830 • intercaresolutions.com
29. The environment in which we work contributes
to our levels of productivity, creativity and
overall well-being – What is your environment
like?