A Healthy Community-Worksite Collaboration
Laurie Williams
Clinton County Health Department
June 2010 Issue
The Clinton County Health Department’s Action for Health committee as part of the Department’s efforts towards MAPPing Our Way To a Healthier Clinton County, works with community organizations to reduce the impact of chronic disease related illness. When Lisa LaDuke, Benefits Coordinator for Schonbek joined this collaboration, discussion soon turned toward how and what type of changes could be made in a large local manufacturing operation which would benefit the company by improving employee personal health at the work site.
A resulting pilot project for worksite wellness was undertaken. Schonbek recruited employees for this effort and in the fall of 2010 the Schonbek Worksite Wellness Committee was formed. Health Department staff, along with a SUNY Plattsburgh Senior Nursing student, began meeting with the group on a regular basis. Education and information was provided to this group on the need for policy, systems change and built environment changes needed to impact employee health and wellness. These changes would have to be permanent and sustainable if employee health was going to improve and the company was going to benefit from the pilot project. The group also worked through a mission and vision process and developed a Schonbek Worksite Wellness brochure to be distributed to all staff. Plans are in place for an employee Worksite Wellness bulletin board to help with communication.
A comprehensive assessment was conducted to identify health areas that needed attention and to develop an effective strategic action plan for Schonbek management to embrace and support. The first survey instrument completed by the Wellness committee, involved a self-reflective worksite assessment in the areas of tobacco, nutrition, stress, physical activity and mental health. The second survey was specific to employees and requested their feedback so as to determine their interests and needs. The return rate for the survey was over 60%. Later, the completed survey outcomes were compared and a list of identified health areas of concern was developed.
Presently the committee is in the process of developing its strategic plan, based on the outcomes list, which will include both long and short-term actions steps to improve employee health at Schonbek. The strategic objectives will be posted on the new Work Site Wellness bulletin board and will be included in the wellness brochure. The company newsletter is also helping to keep all employees informed of the groups’ progress. Some of the drafted short and long-term action step plans are: increase healthy food options in the vending machine; start an employee walking club and expand into a hiking club that will also include family members and solicit an area farmer to provide periodic access to fresh fruit and vegetables that is grown locally. The most ambitious goal identified by the group is called the “Big Hairy Audacious Goal” of establishing a gym on the facility site.
The Worksite Wellness committee will be meeting with representatives from several local and state agencies to hear about the wide variety of programs they can choose to implement that will support their strategic plan. It is anticipated that by the fall of 2010 the Health Department will remain as a “consultant” to the Schonbek group since they are well positioned with the support of management to enable the Work Site Wellness group to continue into the future in support of employee health.
Stay tuned for more wonderful Worksite Wellness updates from Schonbek as they continue to work with the Clinton County Health Department in Mappiong Our Way Toward A Healthier Clinton County!
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