Ideas for Implementing the

Seven Dimensions of Wellness

Presented by Donna Martz & Annika Collins

 TheSeven Dimensions as defined at the
Fisher Institute for Wellness and Gerontology

 Intellectual
 Emotional
 Social
 Environmental
 Spiritual
 Vocational
 Physical
 Studieshave shown that for every dollar
invested by employers in workplace health
promotion/wellness programs, there were
savings ranging from $1.49 to $4.91 with a
median savings of $3.14

 That's
more than a 3:1 minimum return on
investment
A thorough review of studies from the Health
Promotion Practitioner Journal have found
over a 25% reduction in sick leave, medical
costs, and direct medical and worker’s
compensation claims

 Some companies have experienced as much

as a 5:1 return on investment
 These dimensions involve continuing
education, training and other methods of
intellectual pursuits and stimulation

 Intellectualor vocational wellness might

include ongoing training workshops with
options in areas other than the employee’s
designated job responsibility
 Builds loyalty towards the company

 Increases employee’s problem solving skills

 Enhances employee camaraderie

 Maintains certifications
 Free
 Book clubs
 Alternative language classes
 Speakers
 Promote messages from national health observances
during the month
 Post healthy tips on a bulletin board
 Publish a wellness newsletter
 Cost
 Personality test
 Conferences/workshops for new skills
 Continuing education
 Encourage degree completion
 Reimburse tuition
 Technology training
 Establish a wellness resource center or library
books & DVDs
 Plan monthly educational sessions on the
national health observance that month
 Definedas awareness and acceptance of a
wide range of feelings within yourself and
others

 Anemotionally well person understands their

own personal limitations and knows how to
seek support and assistance

 Anemotionally well person also knows how

to effectively deal with stress
 Ina recent national poll, 78% of Americans
described their jobs as stressful, and the
majority felt that stress levels have become
worse over the last 10 years

 High levels of organizational stress can

negatively affect a business by increasing
injuries, absenteeism, and medical costs
while decreasing productivity
 -North Carolina Health and Wellness, 2008
 Free
 Allowed stress breaks
 Secret friends/santas
 Employee appreciation box/days
 Require micro-breaks
 Allow for flex time
 Cost
 Employee Assistance Programs
 Self-help book library
 Paid birthday off
 Offer wellness days, instead of sick days
 Conflict resolution program
 Spirituality
is highly individual and can be
experienced in many ways

 Spiritual
wellness encompasses exploring the
meanings found in life and uncovering truths

 Spiritualmaturity enables us to find a

peaceful co-existence with others who may
not share the same belief system
 Employees display more energy which
transfers to being more productive on the
job

 Employee’s caring spirit shines through to

clients and customers

 Employees often display more kindness to

others

 Employees may display the golden rule

 Free
 Allowing for a quiet space to retreat for personal
reflection
 Employee “gratitude” box – submitting
acknowledgements of thankfulness and gratitude
 Have a daily “reflection minute”; where
employees stop and reflect on an issue of their
choosing
 Arrange a monthly or quarterly employee “pitch-
in thanksgiving feast”, to share a meal and allow
people to share what they are thankful for
 Cost
 Create an indoor peaceful quiet reflection room or
aquarium
 Depending on size, $350 and up for lighted aquariums

 Build an outside garden with benches

 Benches range from $130 on up

 Build a labyrinth, (these can be rented for indoor use)

 The Labyrinth Company maintains a small number of
rental units available by the week. Units rent for $200+

 Provide employee journals for journaling

 Cost of journal $2 to $25 each

 Arrange a “mindfulness class” or “renewing retreat”

 Social
wellness involves being able to create
and sustain relationships with family, friends,
peers and acquaintances over time

 Thisdimension involves having the ability to

communicate well and the ability to
positively address issues that invariably arise
in relationships
 Improved mental and physical health; an
improved level of social engagement, and
greater access to networking and economic
security

 Building
social capital is an important part of
well-being

 People who belong to organized social groups

live longer than those who don’t
 Free
 Local attractions – art museums, farmer’s market,
Cardinal Greenway
 Family picnics - potluck held on company property, or
a gazebo at a local park
 Cost
 Bowling/Softball league
 Employee appreciation days where wellness
items are raffled off
 Ex. bike helmets, certificate for a massage, certificate
to a shoe store
 $50/certificate x 3 employees = $150
 $150 x 4-6 days/year = $600-$900

 Monthly staff socials where healthy snacks are

provided
 Ex. veggies & dip, assorted fruit bar, salad bar
 $3 per employee x 50 employees = $150
 $150 x 12 months = $1800 per year
 Keeping
your body functioning at its
maximum capacity over the entire lifespan

 Delaying the onset of disease or dysfunction

is the ultimate goal

 Physicalwellness enables us to remain

independent and stay fully engaged in the
tasks of our daily lives
 Thescientific evidence is clear -- regular
physical activity reduces the risk of
developing:
 Type -2 diabetes
 High blood pressure
 Some forms of cancer
 Physical
activity also promotes psychological
wellbeing while it:
 Lowers blood pressure
 Helps build and maintain healthy bones
 Strengthens muscles and joints
 Potential costs due to physical inactivity

 An employer may spend up to $2,408 per year

per employee in combined medical care,
worker’s compensation and lost productivity
 A company with 50 employees, all under the age of 65
 Employees with median income of Delaware County, IN

 If as little as 5% of the inactive population in the

business became physically active they could
save the company $6,019 a year
 Free
 Weight loss support groups
 Daily stretching
 Bike sharing program
 Walking at work program
 1-800 QUIT NOW
 Cost
 Gym memberships: Corporate Wellness
Membership prices at the YMCA:
 $60 joining fee
 Monthly fees range from $25 to $50 per month
 If a company with 50 employees pays the joining fee for
all/interested employees = $3000 upfront with $1500 to
be potentially reimbursed
 Pedometers for a walking program:
 50 pedometers at $8 each with the Walk of Life
 10 week program = $400 upfront with $200 to
potentially be reimbursed
 Maintainingand replenishing natural and
personal resources

 Cultivating
an appreciation for the beauty
found in nature

 Designing work and play spaces that enable

full healthful function

 Surroundingyourself with affirming,

rejuvenating, and comforting people and
places
 Several studies have shown that simply
looking at environments dominated by
greenery, flowers, or water is significantly
more effective in promoting recovery and
restoration from stress when compared to
built scenes lacking nature
 Free
 Decrease noise pollution
 TV with pictures & sounds of nature
 Ride sharing to work
 Smoke detector checks
 Have a “take your pet to work” day
 Allow for natural light
 Encourage recycling and conservation
 Cost
 Walking path:
 Map out an indoor path if possible
 Construct an outdoor walking
 Create and install a garden
 Provide bike racks
 Make bike locks available
 Example: 50 employees x $20 bike locks = $1000
 Possessingthe knowledge and ability to
effectively manage your money

 Living comfortably within your means

 Effectivelymanaging your resources and

saving for the future
 90% of the nearly 128 million workers in the US have
difficulty managing their money and are not
consistently saving for retirement
 Up to 50% admit to wasting 21 hours per month while
on the job dealing with personal money matters
 Two–thirds say “They have trouble paying their
bills on time and worry about money”
 Employees regard financial stress as their
number one concern, 5 times greater
than personal health

 Department of Labor places the fiduciary obligation

on employers to provide unbiased financial education
for their employees
 Statistics from the National Institute of Personal Finance
Employee Education
 Free
 Have the companies accounting team give a brief
30 minute program giving tips about balancing a
budget
 Offer financial books in the company library
 Cost
 Magazine subscriptions
 Web training regarding financial balancing
 For further information contact:

 Working Well Resources

Fisher Institute for Wellness & Gerontology
Ball State University
Muncie, IN 47306
(765) 285-8259

 http://www.bsu.edu/wellness/wwrt/
 Gardner, J. (2005, December). Quality is About Social Ties and
Trust for Everyone. Policy & Practice of Public Human Services,
63(4), 30. Retrieved November 3, 2008, from Academic Search
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286971
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faq.htm
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286971
 http://www.jesus2020.com/?gclid=CMieg93J25YCFQQCagodRTqj2
w
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917?tag=rel.res1
 http://www.talbenshahar.com/
 http://www.labyrinthcompany.com/