WellSteps™

WellSteps™ is a turnkey wellness program focused on one thing− helping employees adopt and maintain healthy behaviors.   Created by Dr. Steven Aldana and Dr. Troy Adams, WellSteps™ uses the latest in behavior change research and web engineering to provide employees with a continuous stream of effective, engaging, behavior change programs.   All programs are also available to employees who may not have web access.

The Challenge

Employee health care costs are burdensome. Healthy employees cost less and are more productive. Research shows that when unhealthy employees adopt healthy behaviors, their health care costs decrease and productivity improves.  The biggest part of the challenge is helping people change behaviors.  How can we help people change if they are geographically dispersed, have varying degrees of access to technology, speak different languages, and have no dedicated onsite wellness professional to help them?  WellSteps™ was designed with these issues in mind. 

• Programs are turnkey from communication to incentives and can be implemented for employee groups of any size in any location
• Programs are available online and paper/pencil
• Programs are available in English and Spanish
• Every employer is assigned a trained wellness professional we call a WellSteps™ Guide

People Can Change

Research shows that people can change. People are more likely to try and
succeed if they have an incentive. That is why a fixed percentage of every
contract is used to pay for program incentives. Every WellSteps™ program
concludes with valuable incentives such as airline tickets, gift cards, and
iPods. The WellSteps™ solution includes programs that are:

• Intuitive – one behavior per program, programs are 3-8 weeks long, materials are colorful, and text is written at the 6th grade level or lower. 
• Engaging – the behaviors are simple, the behavior change steps in each program are sequential, and the materials are fun.

Change Improves Health, Work, and Relationships

WellSteps™ is based on scientifically selected target behaviors and is designed using principles of the most robust behavior change theory. Most importantly, WellSteps™ programs are effective. When employees change behavior, health is better, work goes more smoothly, and even relationships improve.

Here’s How WellSteps™ Works

First, we ask your company to:

• Designate a wellness coordinator within your company
• Appoint a wellness committee chaired by your wellness coordinator
• Provide a letter of support and photo from the CEO or similar
• Provide a database of benefits eligible employees with names, EIDs and email addresses if applicable

Next, we ask that the wellness coordinator:

• Complete the Checklist to Change.   The Checklist to Change is a short survey that can be completed via phone interview or online that identifies all of the policies, rules, and environmental factors at the worksite that either support or hinder healthy behaviors.  Healthy worksites have an “employee health is important” culture.
• Hold periodic meetings with the wellness committee
• Work closely with your assigned WellSteps™ Guide to plan program implementation, communicate with employees, and create a culture that supports good health.

Then, your WellSteps™ Guide will:

• Coordinate the implementation of the WellSteps™ Personal Health Assessment (PHA).  This is our HRA, which we use to help employees improve health awareness and to help you quantify program outcomes.  You will not have access to individual data, but you will get a company wide view of employee risks, behaviors, and other financial metrics such as absenteeism, and productivity. 
• Coordinate the scheduling of the annual program calendar
• Meet the wellness committee via teleconference
• Discuss the results and recommendations from the Checklist to Change

WellSteps™ will:

• Communicate the programs to all benefits eligible employees by mail and email
• Invite all benefits eligible employees to participate in the free WellSteps™ Personal Health Assessment (PHA)
• PHA participants will receive feedback in a personal, WellSteps™ program center or by mail
• Six programs per year will be announced to employees by mail and email
• Employees can participate by checking a box in their program center or by mailing back a tear-off postcard
• Those who successfully complete a program are registered for incentive drawings

Evaluation

• Selected personnel will have access to an administrative dashboard that will contain aggregate reports on health risks, program participation, ROI projections, and recommendations based on the Checklist to Change
• After each program, a brief evaluation will be administered
• Upon completion of the initial contract period, WellSteps™ will provide a comprehensive executive summary of program outcomes 

WellSteps™ Programs

Move It! This program is designed to encourage physical activity by inspiring peer support and by creating a little friendly competition.  Distinct groups within a company, such as sites or departments, can compete against each other to win the coveted Gold, Silver, or Bronze WellSteps™ Trophy.  Individual participants can earn more points by being physically active with other people or even pets! The Move It! program is simple.  Every employee will receive a card to record exercise for six-weeks.

Rules

• Check one box for each day that you exercise for at least 30 minutes.
• To officially complete the program, you must exercise at least one day in each of the six weeks. You cannot count more than 36 days of exercise.
• Anytime you exercise with another person or a pet, check the box two times.  
• At the end of the six weeks, turn your card in.

We will award winners in two categories, the sites that had the greatest percentage of employees who participated, and the sites with the greatest number of points per participant.  In addition, 10 employees who complete the program will be randomly selected from the entire company for individual incentives.  The key to success will be to communicate the program and the incentives to all employees.  To facilitate this, you will receive a, "Move It" implementation kit which will include posters about the program, exercise cards and lots of hype about the prizes.  Anyone can go to WellSteps™.com and watch a short video about how to the program works.  All materials will be in both English and Spanish.  We will work with you to determine which prizes will both inspire participation and continued good health.

The Culprit and The Cure.  This program will help users understand why simple behavior change is important. Users will receive a free copy of Dr. Aldana’s The Culprit and The Cure that explains how physical activity, healthy eating, and being smoke free can change their life. 

TV Timeout.  This program is designed to help families alter their evening schedules enough to include productive behaviors such as family physical activity, communication, reading, or recreation.

Random Acts of Kindness.  Experience feelings of goodwill and help build a positive culture in the workplace or family by performing a random act of kindness each week for three weeks.

The Fast Food Guide.  This program will turn users into experts on the nutritional quality of fast food.  Each participant will get a copy of the Stop & Go Fast Food Nutrition Guide.

Maintain Don’t Gain.  This program is designed to help users avoid holiday weight gain.

Food Makeover.  This program is designed to modify the home food environment by enabling participants to choose and prepare healthy foods at home.

Other programs…

Finding Fiber. To encourage fiber Intake

Fat Fighters. To encourage reduction of fat intake and elimination of trans-fats

Earth Wise. To promote simple, ecological actions that will benefit the environment

What's Your Pressure? To raise awareness of HBP risks and to encourage measurement

Clean Air. To promote awareness of simple actions to reduce air pollution

Skin Safe. To encourage use of sunscreen

Good to the Bone. To promote simple behaviors that will help prevent osteoporosis

Silver Buckle. To encourage use of safety belts

Safe at Home. To encourage simple home safety measures

Fall into Fitness. To increase family walking

Dare to Prepare. To encourage personal and family preparedness

Happy Lungs. To promote tobacco cessation for participants and their loved ones

Check it Out. To promote self-checks or screening for breast, testicular, or prostate cancer

Drive Sober. To encourage driving while free of alcohol or drugs

Chopping Block.To promote using more fresh vegetables