OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) – The Oklahoma State Department Health will host a training program this spring in which they will instruct employers on how to build and maintain effective workforce wellness programs.
The aim of the training is to minimize health-related costs for Oklahoma employers.
“Productivity losses related to personal and family health problems cost U.S. employers more than $225 billion every year,” OSDH officials said.
The training program is called Work@Health and will be free to participating employers.
“Workplace health programs can help employees adopt healthier lifestyles and lower their risk of developing costly chronic diseases,” Work@Health Master Trainer Karin Leimbach said. “Also, people often feel better at a workplace that cares about them – and they’re more likely to put time back into that place.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched Work@Health in 2015.
Work@Health trains employers to develop and implement health promotion strategies for the sake of workplace wellness. The CDC has partnered with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) since 2017 to deliver Work@Health training nationwide to reduce chronic disease and injury risk, support mental health and improve workplace productivity.
The Work@Health Core Training Program has eight learning modules, including employee health’s impact on business outcomes and implementing science-based workplace health programs and policies. Participating employers receive access to an extensive resource library and peer learning opportunities that can help them apply worksite health best practices.
The program involves web-based and in-person training to cover the following workplace health principles:
- Why having a workplace wellness program makes good business sense.
- How to assess the workplace health needs of organizations.
- How to plan, implement, and create an environment that supports evidence-based workplace health programs, policies and practices that provide a great return on investment.
- How to know if your workplace health and wellness program is working and how to continuously improve its quality.
- How to develop and leverage partnerships, community links, and resources to support workplace health.
Employers who want to participate in the program must be headquartered in the U.S., provide health insurance and have at least 20 employees. Two participants per employer can attend the training, which will last five weeks.
Work@Health has trained nearly 900 employers nationwide. The program’s professional instructors underwent a rigorous certification process to qualify them as Work@Health trainers.
Employers who want to participate in Work@Health are advised to contact Karin Leimbach at KarinL@health.ok.gov or call (405) 426-8294. Visit cdc.gov/workathealth for more information.
