Frequently, low-budget wellness programs are a starting point for building a more comprehensive employee wellness program. It's essential that realistic goals be set for the most effective results of a low-cost approach to wellness. If employees are not providing direct staffing through wellness vendors, the level of behavior change associated with more organized and well-funded wellness programming should not be expected. Even with low-budget programs, some level of increased wellness behaviors occur simply because wellness issues are highlighted and promoted in the workplace.

It's difficult to gauge the results associated with low-cost wellness programs through a  review of literature. However, it's probably safe to assume that the behavior change level of a low-cost wellness program is one-half to two-thirds that of an adequately funded wellness program. Low-cost wellness activities organized around a coherent program model can provide the maximum benefits from efforts. One model includes the following components:

þ health and fitness testing;
þ group activities and
þ supportive environmental changes.

If proposed wellness activities are grouped into these four categories, the effects of efforts will be maximized. The model works well because the behavioral science theories upon which wellness programs are based link behavior change to the following factors:

þ communication, marketing reminders;
þ personal involvement in testing and feed back on behavior issues;
þ importance of social and group behavioral reinforcement in behavior change; and
þ need for changing environmental policies and norms to establish long-term behavior change.

Affordable options include in-house or commercially available wellness newsletters; a wellness column or page in an existing corporate newsletter; or memos on wellness issues. Other effective wellness communication tools include the following:

þ Apiggy-back@ wellness messages at the end of employee meetings;
þ free health information pamphlets to employees;
þ low-cost software on health risk appraisals, nutrition or physical fitness monitoring.
þ free health films obtained from local libraries and industry sources;
þ a free employee health-lending library;
þ low-cost health posters for employee bulletin boards;
þ self-quizzes on health topics to test employee knowledge; andpromote community health and fitness programs.

If the budget does not provide the funds needed for company-wide health testing, employee-paid options can be established. Some examples of low-cost health and fitness testing to offer on-site include the following:

þ employee paid fitness assessments and medical screening;
þ voluntary agency blood pressure screening;
þ use of self-scored health risk appraisals;
þ distribution of recommendations on preventive medical screening tests that are geared to age and sex of the employee;
þ employee health fairs using community health agencies;
þ voluntary fitness test challenge with low-cost incentives, such as donated sports equipment and door prize drawings;
þ promotion of community-based health and fitness programs; and
þ use of fitness tests as part of a wellness-oriented picnic.

Getting employees involved in group activities often helps motivate behavioral change. Most communities offer one or more programs that make excellent resources for group wellness activities. Some possible group activities include:

þ community agency-sponsored workshops, such as smoking cessation or weight management;
þ brown bag sessions, with local health professionals as guest speakers;
þ employee-paid wellness workshops;
þ promotion of an employee-sponsored recreation or sports league program;
þ establishment of an employee corporation to run a worksite fitness facility;
þ sponsorship of an employee walking event or club;
þ lunch hour video presentations on health and fitness;
þ employee-paid aerobics programs;
þ promotion of community health and fitness programs; and
þ encouragement of support groups on major areas of health behavior change, such as a smoking cessation support group.

þ adopt a progressively tighter smoking, leading up to a Asmoke-free@ workplace;
þ offer healthier food and drink options in vending machines;
þ request employees donate unused home exercise equipment for employee break rooms;
þ post nutritional information in the corporate cafeteria;
þ provide fresh fruit for employee meeting breaks;
þ require employees to use seatbelts in company vehicles;
þ mark distances on walking trails near corporate buildings and distribute a list of suggested break time walks to employees;
þ make existing corporate shower facilities available to exercisers for changing; and
þ provide corporate discounts for fitness and health clubs memberships.