Washington Workplaces Promote Wellness

Health Recovery Services Administration, Olympia

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of Olympia became actively engaged in employee wellness through participation in the 2006 Governor’s Health Bowl. The incentive of winning the state agency challenge within the Governor’s Health Bowl fueled the organization’s efforts to have participation from all employees.

Fortunately for HRSA, employees were the driving force behind establishing a work culture of wellness. Supervisors and staff members actively visited each department floor and strongly recruited other employees to participate in tracking their physical activity. They took additional steps in setting up competitions between floors, which prompted others to become involved. Each floor had a different unit with teams. The teams helped build community around health as team members motivated each other to keep tracking progress. They also held regular check-ins, and gave acknowledgement to those who demonstrated consistent participation.

The employees’ energy was supported by the executive administration, and after the Governor’s Health Bowl finished in November 2006, HRSA implemented an official employee health/wellness program through Washington Wellness, the wellness program for state employees. Kay Gedrose, was appointed to administer the wellness program as the Workforce Advancement Manager.

HRSA also established a wellness committee, which meets once a month to select wellness activities. They held the agency’s first health fair in November 2006, which offered flu shots, and smoking cessation and healthy eating tips. The health fair was also used for fundraising and to sponsor a breast cancer relay.

In addition they started a “Walking at Noon” program, and during the lunch hour they sponsor employee-facilitated yoga, line dancing, and breathing with song sessions. They also hold open communication forums on topics of interest to the employees. During the forum they hold “wellness minutes” in which they dedicate the first five minutes to going over quick stress reduction and exercising tips. The executive management also demonstrated their strong support of the wellness program through their Apple Cart Run activity. As part of this activity the executive directors pushed carts loaded with healthy snacks and water around the office and talked with each staff member.

One major barrier that HRSA has faced is keeping members on the wellness committee. Due to job changes and promotions the committee leadership often changes. Also HRSA’s wellness program faces the challenge of maintaining momentum due to the amount of additional effort required to put on wellness activities. However according to Kay Gedrose, HRSA has established sustainability by implementing the wellness committee and formalizing their wellness program. Gedrose also says HRSA’s wellness program is unique because they can draw upon the expertise of all the health professionals in the office.

Kay’s pearl of wisdom to others initiating a wellness program is: “Do not attempt to have a major activity every month, but instead focus on one every quarter — giving enough time to plan and properly think through the activity. This also allows for the event to be fresh and truly something for employees to anticipate.”

Go back to the Wellness article