One of the nation's greatest public health policy successes of the past ten years may be the widespread implementation of corporate wellness policies.

In fact, a recent notice from the Federal government states, "The Departments believe that appropriately designed wellness programs have the potential to contribute importantly to promoting health and preventing disease." In this case, "the Departments" refer to the US Department of Health and Human Services, the US Department of Labor, and the US Department of the Treasury.

The same notice reports that "wellness programs have become common among employers in the United States...[and] overall, employers largely report that workplace wellness programs are delivering on their intended benefit of improving health and reducing costs."

So, how are corporate wellness programs promoting physical activity?

According to a recent survey by Kaiser/HRET, 30% of all firms surveyed offer gym memberships or provide an onsite fitness facility. This includes 64% of large employers.

The importance of promoting physical activity as a core component of a corporate wellness program was underscored recently by a study published in the November 2012 issue of Health Affairs, which found that employer health care costs are 15.3% higher for physically inactive employees than active employees.

But persuading employees to adopt healthier behaviors, such as regular physical activity, can be exceedinly challenging and simply offering gym memberships or building an onsite fitness center is not likely to convert many employees from inactive to active.

"The key to success," says Bryan O'Rourke, IHRSA member and CEO of Integerus, "is a combination of facility design, and more importantly, an organizational commitment to a comprehensive wellness program."

And that commitment, according to fitness industry experts, must significantly impact the corporate culture.

"The percentage of participation of the workforce that participates in a wellness program or company-built fitness facility is really dependent on the company culture," notes Vaughn Marxhausen, Area General Manager for Houstonian Lite. "This culture starts at the top and filters down. It is usually difficult to increase participation or grow a program, if the culture of wellness is not present." I highly recommend his "The 3 Ps of Participation" strategy.

In this excellent video, Christine Thalwitz, Director of Communications & Research at ACAC Fitness & Wellness Centers, discusses specific strategies for creating a culture of wellness. The video is a must-see for any fitness company interested in corporate wellness.

From a corporate policy perspective, the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity's CEO Pledge, which not only confirms a CEO's commitment to providing a supportive environment for employee physical activity, but also asserts the CEO's own intent to be physically active, may also be one of the most meaningful and effective strategies for creating a corporate culture of wellness.

"With most working adults spending roughly half their waking hours on the job on the days that they work, it is incumbent upon business and industry leaders to become part of the solution," says IHRSA President/CEO and CEO Pledge signer, Joe Moore. "By promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyles within the workplace, CEOs help their company's bottom line, but they also help society."

 If there is a magic marketing scheme or program to induce greater levels of physical activity for all children and adolescents, it will likely be found in the same location as the fountain of youth.  More likely, we will increase physical activity levels through the convergence of several messages and signals about the importance of exercise.  Those messages may come from a variety of sources, including parents, siblings, friends, television, the internet, etc.

Activity habits begin at an early age, so the messages from parents can be critical.  Active parents = active kids.  But how to get busy working parents more active when they already feel strapped for time?

On September 13th, I had the opportunity to attend an event that holds great promise for increasing physical activity rates among employees and, in turn, changing the message that the children of employees are receiving from their parents about the importance of physical activity.

The CEO Pledge, a key component of the country’s first-ever National Physical Activity Plan, was launched at the HERO Forum in Phoenix, Arizona—the annual conference of the Health Enhancement Research Organization that draws a large audience of professionals committed to the improvement of employee health management. Chief Executive Officers who take the pledge will vow to improve employee health and wellness by producing opportunities and resources for physical activity before, during, or after the workday.

“The National Physical Activity Plan is inspiring action by leaders from multiple disciplines, creating an historic movement to increase physical activity among all Americans,” said Dave Pickering, a strategy leader for the Plan and CEO of Preventure. “Today, the CEOs of America’s businesses—both large and small—were asked to pledge their commitment to the betterment of their companies and employees, and to become part of the solution to our nation’s health care challenges.”

The text of the pledge reads:
For the betterment of my company, our employees, their families, and our country, I pledge to improve employee health and wellness by providing opportunities and resources for physical activity before, during or after the workday.

CEOs who take the pledge will be encouraged to share best practices to help create a national culture of physical activity supported by worksites.

Notably, the launch of the CEO Pledge occurred on the heels of research by Church et al. asserting that Americans are now far less active at the worksite than in previous decades.  Proponents of the Pledge are quick to point to the business benefits of a more physically active workforce. 

The CEO Pledge is also good for families.  We know that physically active moms and dads can have a heavy influence on the activity levels of their kids.  And we know that physically active kids can influence their parents, creating a wonderfully reinforcing environment for healthy lifestyles.

Do you know of a CEO that might be willing to sign the CEO Pledge?