Evaluation of a Best-Practice Worksite Wellness Program in a Small-Employer Setting Using Selected Well-being Indices

• Published in: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine Vol. 53; no. 4; pp. 448 - 454
• Main Authors: Merrill, Ray M., Aldana, Steven G., Pope, James E., Anderson, David R., Coberley, Carter R., Vyhlidal, Tonya P., Howe, Greg, Whitmer, R. William
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 01-04-2011; The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Benchmarking; Biological and medical sciences; Effectiveness studies; Female; Health behavior; Health Promotion; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Mental health; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Occupational health; Occupational medicine; ORIGINAL ARTICLES; Personal Satisfaction; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Small Business; Surveys and Questionnaires; Wellness programs; Workers; Working conditions; Workplace; Young Adult; Performance evaluation; Human; Affect affectivity; Work place; Program; Employers; Health; Well being; Worker; Emotion emotionality
• ISSN: 1076-2752; 1536-5948
• DOI: 10.1097/jom.0b013e3182143ed0

Objective: To measure the effectiveness of a Wellness program in a small company using four well-being indicators designed to measure dimensions of physical health, emotional health, healthy behavior, and basic access to health-related conditions and services. Methods: Indicator scores were obtained and compared between Lincoln Industries employees and workers in the neighboring Lincoln/Omaha community during 2009. Results: Nearly all Lincoln Industries employees participated in the Wellness program. Physical health, mental health, and healthy behavior were significantly greater for Lincoln Industries employees. Self-perceived access to basic needs was not significantly greater among Lincoln Industries employees. Conclusion: Well-being index scores provide evidence for the effectiveness of the Wellness program in this small company setting with respect to better dimensions of physical health, emotional health, and healthy behavior than geographically similar workers.