Whose responsibility is “wellness?” Ultimately, individuals are responsible for their own health. But, does an employer bear some responsibility, too?
Most people are aware they need to follow the 4 Pillars of Healthy Behavior:
- Exercise daily
- Eat good healthy food in the right amounts
- Sleep 7+ hours
- Avoid health risks such as alcohol, tobacco, and prescription drugs
However, the job demands placed on many employees today make them feel that they must choose between healthy personal habits and a productive work life.
Today’s tough economic climate has employees clinging to jobs out of fear, willing to work long hours and skip their basic 4 Pillar needs. Common examples of prioritizing work over health are:
- Get kids off to school – skip breakfast
- Spend an hour commuting – grab energy drink or grande mocha along the way (fantasy fuel for the body)
- Schedule meetings all day – skip lunch and any opportunity to exercise
- Meet tight project deadlines – stay late, eat take-out pizza to power through last details
- Arrive home after 14-hour day – miss time with kids, then log in to answer work emails beginning at 11 p.m.
- Go to bed at midnight – toss and turn, take prescription drug to fall asleep
- Awaken groggy after 5 hours sleep – repeat 50 weeks a year (2 weeks vacation notwithstanding)
With pressure for the bottom line, companies unknowingly contribute to their employees health issues. If a “Culture of Health” is important to the company, then it should be part of the corporate beliefs or core values. Rather than just a list hanging in the conference room collecting dust, wellness needs to be brought to the forefront and woven into the company’s fabric. (Side note, for a good look at the use of Company Core Values, visit www.zappos.com and order their free culture book.)
One thread that weaves wellness into the company is the performance review. I can hear the groans now: “I don’t want my manager knowing my private health issues or my weight, for that matter.”
I agree about the privacy issues, so please take a minute to listen: Incorporating wellness goals into annual reviews shows that the company is serious about its wellness program and cares about its most valuable asset – the employee. If 25% of senior managers’ annual review is based on wellness, the onus is put on them to think holistically on how best to utilize their staff without burning them out. Would you rather hear your manager say “We are running behind on the project, you need to stay every night till 8 pm.” OR “Leave early so you can go attend your spin class.”? The later choice fuels your body and will allow for creative solutions to develop when problems arise.
Typically, annual performance reviews are an opportunity for employees and their managers to discuss personal and professional goals for the coming year. When those goals are shared by both parties, they can help one another by holding each other accountable. Now, the employee has the chance to set self-defined health goals while having the support of their manager in achieving them. Lines of communication are opened, which leads to a greater sense of trust and productivity for the team.
One company has already started to incorporate wellness into its performance reviews with success. Lincoln Industries, based in Lincoln, Neb., employs about 400 people in a 24/7 operation that manufactures products needing high-performance metal finishing. According to Tonya Vyhidal, Director of Wellness/Safety/Benefits, the company ties wellness to individual objectives and compensation at the following levels: “For director level and above, 10–15% of an individual’s performance objectives can be related to Wellness. For manager level and below, it usually consists of 5% of an employee’s performance objectives.”1 Objectives are all self-directed so they are not being compared to a standard set of goals. They are assessed based on their engagement level towards achieving their goals.
So what does it look like in practice? “I’ve seen people hold themselves accountable to going home and eating dinner with their family twice a week because we’re so busy,” says Vyhlidal. “I’ve seen people put their blood profile numbers on there; I’ve seen people put things related to their faith practice on there. It’s really designed by the individual but worked on with, and supported by, their supervisor.”2
It is to management’s advantage to understand how increasing workloads and stress affect their employees’ health and ultimately the company’s bottom line. With a well thought out performance review, wellness can inject a sense of energy throughout the company. When wellness becomes part of the company business strategy and both the individual and company bear responsibility for healthy habits, it becomes a win-win situation for all players.
For more on Lincoln Industries and their innovative corporate wellness program, visit: http://www.lincolnindustries.com/wellness
1 – Expert Interview, CDC’s LEAN Works! – A Workplace Obesity Prevention Program http://www.cdc.gov/leanworks/build/expert2.html; Accessed 8/29/11
2 – Employer Achieves Health Accountability with Performance Reviews, Employee Benefit News, http://ebn.benefitnews.com/news/health-accountability-performance-reviews-2685039-1.html, Accessed 8/29/11