1. MSSL Action Research Project
JEFFREY TABOR
MOUNTAIN STATE UNIVERSITY
GSL 630 STRATEGIC THINKING
WAYNE OPPEL, PH.D.
APRIL 15, 2012

2. Project Overview
 The project is based on a theory that wellness
programs can be more effective if they are influenced
by the people who will be participating in the
program. The theory will apply to any program, but
this project will focus on workplace wellness.
 The research takes place in a hospital, and asks the
hospital to take on the role of a servant to its
employees. The servant role in this case would use
the resources it has to help employees make the
choice to be healthy and live a life of wellness.

3. Project Overview
 As a servant, the hospital will use the resources such
as a Dietician, Medical Doctors, Physical Therapists,
and other staff to offer learning experiences that are
tailored to the needs expressed by employees.
 In addition, the hospital can call on its network of
connections to access wellness education from other
hospitals, health insurance providers, and area
businesses.

4. Project Overview
 It is my belief that people do not make a choice to
live an unhealthy lifestyle. I believe that people who
live an unhealthy lifestyle know that they lack the
knowledge, commitment, or ability to make a
change.
 A well designed wellness program can be the impact
on their life that helps them to make a lifestyle
change. As an employer, it is our role to provide that
impact and offer them a chance at a better life.

5. Review of the Literature on the Topic
 The literature that has been reviewed for the project
is outlined here. There are numerous writings on
employee wellness. The topic has been a growing
interest as healthcare costs rise and employers and
thinkers everywhere look for ways to reduce costs.

6. Servant Leadership
 Robert Greenleaf originally communicated the concept of
Servant Leadership through a book that he wrote.
 The book is very detailed and provides many examples
for many walks of life.
 This project is focusing on Servant Leadership in the
workplace.
 In particular it will focus on the development of a
wellness plan that will provide employees the needs that
they communicate through research.
 The people will get the wellness program that they ask for
and that will help achieve their needs.

7. The Need for Wellness
 The United States faces a huge burden to treat the
growing population of sick people.
 Although our nation has a very developed healthcare
system, many believe that the focus is too much on
sickness and not enough of wellness.
 Many people know that wellness is something that
they should commit to in their life, but don’t know
how to start.
 The US ranks low compared to the rest of the world
for healthcare effectiveness.

8. Knowing and Doing
 “As many as 42 percent of Americans say weight loss is
one of their top goals for the New Year. When asked
which resolution they failed to achieve the previous year,
most said weight loss” (Hubbuch, 2011).
 Many people simply don’t know how to get started, or
how to stay committed.
 Many make a resolution once a year, only to set
themselves up for failure.
 "On a day-to-day basis we're fairly myopic… Once a year
we sit back and look at the future. And then we switch to
normal day-to-day mode"” (Hubbuch, 2011).

9. What Creates Failure
 “The number 1 reason a ton of people fail to achieve
their fitness goals is they don’t have the correct
mindset that is congruent with their fitness goals”
(Wellness Tips for You, 2011).
 Another theory is that the types of food many eat
when dieting metabolically causes the body to
become stressed, this response causes them to retain
weight.
 The average person would not know any of this and
they would not have enough time to research this
and stay proficient on the subject.

10. Workplaces and Wellness
 Workplaces can provide support by creating a
wellness program that takes all of the research out of
it for individuals.
 It is beneficial to the workplace because people have
fewer health insurance claims, and are present more
at work.
 It is beneficial to the employees because they
immediately have a support system in their
workplace through their coworkers.

11. What Creates Failure...in Workplaces?
 Jeppesen notes that 71% of employers offering
wellness initiatives say their programs are not very
effective at lowering costs” (Bruce, 2011).
 In spite of all of the efforts of the employers across
the nation, they still fall short.
 One of the main reasons that they fail is due to a lack
of participation.
 Lack of participation likely is a result of poor design.

12. What Does it Take
 Ellen Lindahl, RN, MPA says it takes “multi-level
management support, program goals and metrics, strong
communications strategy, wellness committees and
champions, program incentives, ready access to
programs, a culture of health, medical self-care and
consumerism, health assessment, and participation”
(Lindahl, 2011).
 Many consultants have found success as experts on the
subject matter.
 Many programs find success from health coaches who
help people commit and carry on a lifestyle change.

13. The Research
 The research takes place in a rural hospital with about
300 employees.
 Employees have been offered the chance to complete a
survey in exchange for a chance to be entered into a
drawing for one of five small gift cards to a grocery store.
 The survey asks questions about basic wellness topics.
 Most questions are answered by checking a space for
either yes or no. There are also a few free text questions
that employees can answer with their own thoughts.

14. The Results
 Eighty-four employees completed surveys.
 Ninety-one percent of respondents feel like they
know enough about their current health status to
know if they need to make a lifestyle change.
 Eighty-percent of the respondents feel like they do
need to make a lifestyle change.
 Sixty-five percent feel like making a lifestyle change
is overwhelming.

15. The Results
 Ninety percent of the survey takers have tried to
make a lifestyle change before.
 Sixty-three percent of those people were succesful on
their previous attempt.
 Ninety-four percent of the people felt like a wellness
program could help their efforts to make a lifestyle
change.
 Only twenty-six percent of the people have ever
completed a health risk assessment, while ninety
percent are willing to do one.

16. The Results
 Eighty-three percent of the respondents would
accept a referral to an in-house provider based on
the results of a health risk assessment.
 Sixty-nine percent of the people would participate in
wellness support groups.
 Sixty-four percent of the people would participate in
wellness competitions.
 Thirty-four percent of the survey takers responded
that they would participate in a wellness committee.

17. The Results
 The free text responses listed things that employees
suggest to help, or that have helped them previously.
 Many respondents said that smoking cessation
programs could help or have helped them in the past.
 Another popular response was nutrition education,
how to cook healthy meals, and what to eat.
 A popular response about mental health was related
to stress management and time management.
 Many other participants noted the importance of
making the educational opportunities available to all
shifts.

18. Action Plan
 The development of a wellness committee is the first
step.
 From the main wellness committee, a more broad set
of committees will be created with responsibilities
such as nutrition, exercise, and education.
 Sub-committees will have responsibility for topics
that are influenced by their specialty. For example,
the nutrition sub-committee will be headed by the
Director of Nutrition Services.

19. Action Plan
 Each sub-committee will develop goals for their area
of expertise, while the main wellness committee will
also make some overall goals for the entire program.
 The plan must be developed by and for the people
that it will affect. Follow-up surveys will be
implemented to measure the effectiveness of the
initial efforts.
 Modifications will be made as necessary.
 The plan will be offered to area businesses as a tool
to develop their own program that can help them to
meet the needs of their own population.

20. References
 (2012, January 6). EDITORIAL: Staying resolved. Frederick News-Post, The (MD).
 Aubele, M. (2011, November 26). Schools put new emphasis on getting, staying fit. Valley News Dispatch (Tarentum, PA).
 Bruce, S. (2011, July 18). Why Do Traditional Wellness Programs Fail?—HR Daily Advisor—BLR. HR Daily Advisor - Practical
Tips for Human Resource Professionals. Retrieved December 4, 2011, from
http://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/archive/2011/07/18/HR_Policies_Procedures_Wellness_Programs.aspx
 Corporate Wellness Programs Need Total Redesign: From Focus on Health to Values. (2011). Electronic Ardell Wellness Report
(E-AWR), (559), 2.
 Cummins, H. J. (2007, August 13). Businesses getting workers, bottom lines in shape. Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN).
 Evans, A. (2008, July 31). Ex-Puebloan finding healthy profits in Denver: Colleen Reilly scores with employee wellness programs.
Pueblo Chieftain, The (CO).
 Greenleaf, R. K.. Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness.. 25th Anniversary ed. New
York: Paulist Press, 2002. Print.
 Hubbuch, C. (2011, December 28). Americans uniquely determined, unable to lose weight. La Crosse Tribune (WI).
 Kampis, J. (2012, January 1). New Year's resolutions — why can't we keep them?. Decatur Daily, The (AL).
 Kristof, N. D. (n.d.). Op-Ed Columnist - Unhealthy America - NYTimes.com. The New York Times - Breaking News, World News
& Multimedia. Retrieved January 7, 2012, from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/opinion/05kristof.html
 Lerner, M. (2011, December 30). Health coaches pay off at Medica. Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN).
 Lindahl, E. (2011). Employee Wellness Programs. American Fitness, 29(5), 54-56.
 Simpson, E. (2011, November 14). Employers use incentives to reward healthy behavior. Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA).
 Why A Ton Of People Fail To Achieve Their Fitness Goals. (2011, October 9). Wellness Tips For You | Your Guide To Health,
Wellness & Fitness. Retrieved December 4, 2011, from http://wellnesstipsforyou.com/why-a-ton-of-people-fail-to-achieve-their-
fitness-goals/
 Why Do Most Diet Fail. (n.d.). Health and Wellness Digest Online. Retrieved December 4, 2011, from
http://www.healthwellnessdigest.com/why-do-most-diet-fail/
 Workplace Wellness | LIVESTRONG.COM. (n.d.). LIVESTRONG.COM - Lose Weight & Get Fit with Diet, Nutrition & Fitness
Tools | LIVESTRONG.COM. Retrieved January 7, 2012, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/12518-need-workplace-wellness/