Employees are encouraged to get healthy through company wellness programs

Millions of Americans struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Many people claim they have no time for exercise because of their hectic work schedules, long commutes, or juggling family and work responsibilities. A recent AARP Physical Activity Survey found that 50 percent of adults aged 18 and older say they are unable to exercise due to lack of time.

Many companies today offer programs to help employees incorporate healthy lifestyles into their workday, such as Weight Watcher and Safe Walking Trails. This encourages employees to walk throughout the day.

According to experts in health, employees who have access to wellness programs at work can make long-term and sustainable choices about their health. Dr. Ann-Judith Peterka is the medical director for Employee Health Services at Roche in Nutley (NJ). She believes that employee-focused healthcare programs are changing people’s lives both inside and outside.

“Company wellness programs provide employees not only with the tools and resources they need to stay physically fit, but also with education and behavior-modification programs for the often neglected aspects of prevention such as health care decision making and chronic disease management,”Peterka.

Dr. Peterka would be able to tell you.

Roche has had her as the medical director for over ten years. She manages Choosing Health which is a nationally recognized program designed to improve the health and wellbeing of employees.

Employees can take part in onsite education sessions with Choosing Health on topics such as healthy eating, diabetes, and arthritis. To help employees identify and take action to optimize their health, there are a variety of classes on smoking cessation and screenings. Employees who meet the annual requirements for exercise are eligible to be reimbursed through an Exercise Reimbursement Program.

Roche and its workers are seeing positive results thanks to Choosing Health. About 40% of employees regularly attend screenings and educational sessions at the onsite facility. About 700 employees are members of the onsite fitness center, which is used approximately 3,000 times per months. Many employees report lower levels of stress and cholesterol, as well as improved eating habits and exercise habits.

You can find out more about how you can add more wellness to your workday by visiting www.HealthyPeople.Gov/BeHealthy.