CORPORATE WELLNESS PROGRAMS REPRESENT INVESTMENT IN WORKERS

Marilyn Welsh is able to walk for fitness through the hallways on the ground floor at St. Francis Medical Center.

Healthy workers are happy workers. And healthy, happy workers make for healthy, happy business and industry.

That's the reasoning behind corporate wellness programs, and it's sound logic.

"I think it's been pretty well determined in all kinds of journals that if you have healthy employees, they'll be more likely to show up to work and they'll do a better job," said Debbie Leoni, coordinator of Southeast Missouri Hospital's Health and Fitness Center.

In addition to decreased absenteeism and increased productivity, employers can also look forward to lower health-care costs, Leoni said.

"The very least you see is if you put a dollar in, you get $2 out, based on decreased health-care costs," she said. "If you look at things like, with stop smoking programs, not having to change as many air filters or buy as many chairs because you're not getting as many holes burned in them, the ratio goes higher."

The ratio can go as high as $5 saved for every $1 invested in wellness programs, she said.

Magna-Tel Inc. provides smoking cessation classes and annual wellness evaluations, which include blood pressure, blood sugar and height/weight/frame screenings, said Mary Ann Farmer, president and CEO of the Cape Girardeau manufacturer.

"We have exercise bikes in our break room so people can use them on their breaks," she said. "We used to have a rowing machine, but not too many people used it. And we have a lot of people who team up and walk every break."

Magna-Tel recently completed a health assessment in partnership with Southeast Missouri State University's health management program. Students in the program conducted a variety of health screenings on employees, all aimed at spotting potential problems.

"We had some people find out during the assessments that they had some pretty serious problems," Farmer said.

Dr. Jacqueline Hooper, a professor in the university's health management program, said her students are wrapping up a wellness screening with employees in the Scott County School District. Components included blood pressure, body composition, blood analysis and diet, Hooper said.

Students were scheduled to "literally sit down and explain" the results of the screenings this week, she said, and offer some advice on steps to take if some of the results were outside the parameters of good health.

For employees with high blood pressure, blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels, regulating their diets, losing weight and exercising regularly can work wonders, Hooper said.

Southeast Missouri State University, St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital all offer their employees incentives for participating in wellness activities, including exercise programs, education and comprehensive wellness programs emphasizing components like weight loss or maintenance, smoking cessation and seat belt usage.

"We have to buy a lot of T-shirts and things, but it really pays off in the long run because it pays off in lower health care and you have happier, healthier employees who show up for work more often," said Bill Logan, wellness coordinator for St. Francis Medical Center.

Marilyn Welsh, who markets outpatient services for St. Francis, participates regularly in wellness programs at the hospital, including walking for exercise and attending educational activities.

"Exercise makes me feel better," said Welsh. "It's a stress-reliever. It keeps my energy levels up."

She said the programs "absolutely" make a difference in her work performance.

"If you've got lower stress, you have more energy to do your job. It helps you if you look good and feel good to market what we're trying to sell," she said. "I think I'm walking, talking proof that it works."

At the university, educational programs are based on the results of employee health screenings, said Jenny Brune, wellness coordinator for the university.

"We get those results and present seminars on them. Then we'll do follow up things for the rest of the year, based on what we find out and where we feel our population needs work," Brune said.

The Cape Girardeau Public Schools recently instituted a wellness program for teachers. In addition to recently completed health screenings, said Jeanne Heise, school nurse, employees will be able to attend a number of educational programs. "This month we are doing low fat holiday foods," she said. "Every month we're going to try to have some kind of program."

In addition, a walking course has been mapped out at Cape Central High School and aerobics classes are offered regularly.