Employee Wellness Plans : Workplace Wellness Program Ideas: Fighting Addictions

Tobacco Cessation

Smoking cessation assistance is a worthwhile wellness exercise. Smoking is often a difficult habit to overcome. Workplace wellness activities to support “tobacco-free” living include:
• Use American Lung Association resource. These include the Freedom From Smoking group and/or video-tutorial. There is also a follow-up video “A Lifetime of Freedom From Smoking”.
• Reward people who have successfully quit smoking for six months with an appropriate “kicked the habit” certificate and some sort of incentive gift.
• Provide “cold turkey” sandwiches to smokers who pledge to quit during the Great American Smokeout.
• Begin a “quitting or thinking about it” reinforcement group to help  and encourage individuals trying to stop smoking.

Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Addictions

If a substance abuse policy is not in place in your workplace, advocate that one be developed. Request a knowledgeable Employee Health Promotion Program Committee member be included in the policy development process. If such a policy is already in place make sure Employee Health Promotion Program Committee members are cognizant of the policy and have a thorough understanding of it. From time to time, remind employees of wellness resources and programs available.
• Invite AA, NA, AI-Anon, and other groups to meet in a organization building and/or publicize area meetings.
• Serve non-alcoholic drinks whenever alcohol is served, and make sure food is always served along with alcoholic beverages.
• Offer easily accessible information about counseling, referral, and treatment programs available in the area. Put this information in an area where it can be viewed without embarrassment.
• When delivering wellness programs include information about responsible alcohol use on stress/weight management, nutrition, physical fitness, smoking, and accident prevention.
• Issues such as co-dependence and the difficulty of supporting a substance abuser can also be addressed. Offer this information as part of the wellness program by offering informational materials, brown bag sessions, EAP information, etc.
• The Employee Assistance Program provider is an excellent resource for substance abuse wellness programming and or employee assistance.
• Other addictions, such as problem gambling, food addiction, shopping, Internet addiction, etc., can be an issue and can reach the point of affecting a person’s entire life including work. Offer information, video review, or employee assistance sessions addressing these subject matters.
• A Worksite Wellness Program Committee member may gain personal information regarding an employee concern. Remember to keep all employee information totally confidential.