Health and Wellness in the Workplace:
 Ideas for Health Promotion Activities

Health and Wellness in the Workplace: General health activities

• Health and wellness seminars / discussions – with guest speakers
• Wellness information – notice boards, leaflet racks, information points, wellness handouts
• Regular supply of specific information / leaflets to all staff individually via wage slips, email
• Participate in national health and wellness in the workplace campaigns
• Health and wellness in the workplace articles in regular staff newsletter
• Employee Health and wellness newsletter
• Awareness raising, workshops, training sessions on health topics
• Training in team building, assertiveness, time management, communication skills
• Health promotion videos playing in waiting areas
• Health and wellness in the workplace awareness days or events
• Brief sections on health awareness in health and safety training and first aid training
• Health policies and procedures – alcohol and substance use, general health and well being, healthy eating, HIV/AIDS, physical activity, smoking, stress and mental health
• Health Risk assessments to take account of health and lifestyle related behaviors
• Paid time off for staff to go for employee health screenings (via GP or other facilities, rather than at work)
• Give employees some paid time off (a certain number of hours per month or year) to pursue activities they feel are good for their health
• Share health and wellness in the workplace activities and resources with other local workplaces
• Allow staff with back or musculoskeletal problems paid time off to attend appointments with physiotherapists or other health professionals

Health and Wellness in the Workplace: Alcohol and Substance Abuse

• Policy for all staff to raise awareness of issues
• Training for all involved in implementing the policy
• Support and referral for staff with an alcohol or substance use problem
• Information about agencies and organizations dealing with alcohol or substance misuse problems

Health and Wellness in the Workplace: Healthy Eating

• Ensure healthy options are available in canteen / vending facilities
• Training for catering staff
• Negotiate with local restaurants or cafes to provide some healthy options
• Allow staff to take paid time off for appointments with dietitians about any eating problems
• Let staff eat or drink at regular intervals if they need to as part of medical treatment for various eating disorders or diabetes

Health and Wellness in the Workplace: Physical Activity

• Encourage people to use stairs rather than elevators
• Provide marked routes, with distances, for walks during breaks
• Provide bicycle racks, showers and changing facilities: to encourage people to cycle to work or to do some physical activity during breaks
• Allow people to arrive 5 or 10 minutes late and leave 5 or 10 minutes early (without loss of pay) if they walk or cycle to work
• Arrange for intra-company games and sports teams
• Provide an onsite fitness center
• Provide onsite group exercise classes like yoga, tai chi or similar sessions before work / in lunch breaks / after work
• Arrange corporate memberships or negotiated reduced fees for local health clubs and facilities

Health and Wellness in the Workplace: Smoking

• Policy on smoking and protecting staff from passive smoking
• Total ban in the workplace to provide a smoke-free environment
• If smoking is allowed then restrict it to designated smoking areas
• If smoking is allowed then restrict it to designated smoking times
• Help for staff who want to give up smoking: paid time off to attend stop smoking counseling or group sessions
• Training for volunteers who want to help others to give up smoking

Health and Wellness in the Workplace: Stress and Mental Health

• Stress audit to identify problem areas / jobs
• Develop a stress action plan to tackle problems
• Awareness raising sessions for all staff on recognizing stress and mental ill health symptoms in themselves and others
• Training for managers, supervisors, trade union representatives on recognizing stress and mental ill health symptoms in themselves and others
• Avoid stigmatization of people who have taken time off or sick leave for mental health reasons
• Relaxation, aromatherapy, yoga or similar sessions before work / in lunch breaks / after work
• Counseling service in-house or referral to outside agency
• Rehabilitate back into the workforce anyone who has been off sick with mental health problems
• Encourage social activities among work colleagues

Not Legal/Accounting Advice