Wellness Committee Proposal

May 6, 2011

Thank you for giving the Wellness Committee the opportunity to share its passion, pursuing a high quality of life,

with the Boys & Girls Clubs of West Central Missouri.

Research:

Studies have shown that providing workplace wellness education and benefits can have a lasting and positive

impact on not only the individual employees but the organization as a whole.

Examples of benefits to the organization include:

- decreased healthcare costs

- reduced absenteeism

- increased productivity

- increased employee satisfaction

- an enhanced workplace community

- improved recruitment and retention of high-achieving employees.

The Club benefits from productive employees. A study at NASA found that non-exercising employees’

productivity decreased by 50 percent during the final two hours of a workday, but those who had an exercise

plan worked at full efficiency all day. Therefore, according to the NASA study, those who exercise have a 12.5

percent higher overall productivity level compared to non-exercisers.

Employees are embracing wellness programs. According to the Principal Financial Well-Being Index, the number of workers using weight-loss programs offered by their companies rose to 53 percent in 2010. This is a 25 percent increase compared to the previous year. Absenteeism costs the Club money. Another wellness study, which was conducted at Dupont and General Mills,

found an average 14 to 19 percent decrease in absenteeism after implementing a comprehensive wellness

education program.

Wellness Committee Goals:

Our goal with this proposal is to provide opportunities for staff to improve their quality of life through

awareness, education and group wellness opportunities. We believe employees who faithfully participate will

become healthier physically and mentally, encounter decreased absenteeism as a result of health related issues

and be more engaged as a team player. Our long term goals include increasing productivity and building

healthier employees. These outcomes may be measured by a health survey, weight log, walking log, food log,

monitored absenteeism after period of time of implementation, improved evaluations in the area of productivity

and an organization survey which would allow the Wellness committee to insert result oriented questions.

Wellness Plan*:

Beginning in May, the committee plans to implement its first wellness program which will give employees the

opportunity to participate in three different areas:

- Area 1 - Physical activity

- Area 2 - Weight awareness

- Area 3 - Eating habits

*Staff will have the option to involve themselves in any or all of these activities.

- Area 1 – Physical Activity o To allow staff to involve themselves in daily physical activity, the Wellness Committee is

requesting 30 minutes of their normal work schedule per day for office staff to engage in some form of physical activity. No employee shall be compensated for time worked outside of their normal work schedule in order to allow their participation in these activities. The employee may choose to use their 30 minutes each day to participate in the Wellness Committee’s scheduled walks or group activities or to participate in another form of physical activity, possibly at a different time other than the scheduled times at the work site. Physical activity includes running, walking, biking, swimming, roller blading, aerobic activity, yoga, pilates, and weight resistance training. Scheduled walks will take place twice a day in 15 minute increments at 9:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. Other group activities will take place two times per week at 11:00 a.m. in 30 minute increments. The committee will develop a calendar of days and activities. These activities could include activities led by video or game systems.

o Pedometers will be provided for participants as well as pre-routed walking/running maps to show distances. The committee will track the number of miles and/or steps each employee walks and number of activities engaged in to help showcase the progress of each employee and the Club as a whole. Each time an employee participates in a committee organized activity, their chances increase in the monthly drawing (monthly drawing to be described in more detail later in the proposal). Participation in physical activity outside of those organized by the committee do not qualify eligibility for monthly drawing and must be logged, witnessed by another individual and the log submitted with each timesheet. Each employee’s supervisor is responsible for monitoring their staff’s accountability in submitting accurate timesheets.

- Area 2 – Weight Awareness

o To help employees track progress and increase self-awareness about their weight, the committee is requesting $20 to purchase a digital scale. This scale will be kept in the back unisex bathroom. The committee will schedule weekly weigh-in sessions as a qualifying activity for the monthly drawing (monthly drawing to be described in more detail later in the proposal). The committee has selected two confidential and trustworthy employees to record the weekly weight of each employee who chooses to participate. The weekly weigh-ins will also allow the committee to monitor the group results of employees participating in the wellness programs.

- Area 3 – Eating Habits

o In order to assist staff in tracking their food intake, the committee will recommend that each employee, participating in the wellness program, maintain a food log. If an employee chooses, this food log may be shown to the committee member conducting the weekly weigh-in session to receive a ticket for the monthly drawing(monthly drawing to be described in more detail later in the proposal). If an employee has a question related to their eating habits and how to improve those habits, the committee is preparing a wellness resource book that can be utilized. The committee is also requesting the ability to build a webpage for employees to access a listing of wellness resources.

- Monthly Drawing

o Each area in which the employee engages themselves earns them a participation “ticket.” Once

a month the Wellness Committee will draw one winner’s name to declare the recipient of the

monthly gift. The greater the employee’s participation in the Wellness Program, the greater

their chances of winning the monthly gift. Collection of tickets will begin anew the following

month.

Beginning in the fall, the committee is looking to implement a point system to award points in the different program areas. Once the point system is implemented it will create a need for gifts in each category and an overall gift. Gifts will vary and could include t-shirts, workout accessories, local gym visits, or nutritional snacks/beverages. For these gifts, we request a budget of $20 per month.

- According to USA Today, about 41% of companies currently offer incentives to encourage healthier lifestyles among employees, compared with 34% in 1996.

Employees who are healthy are less likely to miss work, get injured on the job or file health-insurance or workers’ compensation claims.

By providing education to employees, specifically on how to improve eating habits, reduce stress, and increase

healthy lifestyle activities like exercise, the Boys & Girls Clubs of West Central Missouri will be encouraging more

balanced and healthy employees that can mirror this new movement to the youth served.

COSTS

Initial Cost Monthly budget for winning gifts Scale $20 $20 per month Cost in Wages Cost to allow 30 minutes of work day for physical activity = $550 per year per employee (Based on annual payroll of $1 million, 50% participation and 57 full-time equivalent employees)

Time Plan presentation/resource training 1 hour Plan implementation 0.5 hour per week Committee continuance 1 hour per week