Increasing Physical Activity in the Workplace

Cari Browning, CTRS/CHESPhysical Activity Coordinator

Texas Department of State Health Services

Before we begin…

“I represent employees that work mostly in…”

•Administrative service= – people work in office/on computers/in meetings

•Direct Service= – People report on location/their jobs may be

demanding, they may work directly with clients, and they may be active/moving around all day

•Field Work= – People are rarely in office/the telecommute or are

regional

•Manual Labor = – Peoples’ jobs include walking, bending, lifting, pushing

etc 2

During this presentation we will:

•Briefly review what physical activity in the workplace means, why we focus on PA at the workplace and discuss the best way to effectively increase physical activity at work

•Participate in an activity/discussion to determine activities relative to your work environment and introduce you to others working in the same type of environment

•Discuss evidence-based and best practice strategies for physical activity in the workplace (PSE)

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What does Physical Activity in the workplace mean?

What does Physical Activityin the workplace mean?

It means that our goal is to:

Create a culture that supports active living

Reduce sedentary behavior

Provide opportunities for people to move (mod/vigorous PA for 10min bouts and up)

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Physical Activity (PA) Guidelines

Adults • “150 minutes (2.5 hours) per week

moderate-intensity aerobic PA

OR

• 75 minutes (1.25 hours) per week vigorous-intensity aerobic PA

OR

• Equivalent combination MVPA• Moderate-high intensity muscle-

strengthening PA at least twice a week (all major muscle groups)”

Why? Our employer supports our health See: HB1297

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GOVERNMENT CODE

TITLE 6. PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES

SUBTITLE B. STATE OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES

CHAPTER 664. STATE EMPLOYEES HEALTH FITNESS AND EDUCATION

SUBCHAPTER A. STATE EMPLOYEES HEALTH FITNESS

AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Sec. 664.001. SHORT TITLE. This subchapter may be cited as the

State Employees Health Fitness and Education Act of 1983.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 665, Sec. 2, eff. September 1,

2007.

Sec. 664.002. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. Effective state

administration is materially enhanced by programs designed to

encourage and create a condition of health fitness in state

administrators and employees and public money spent for these programs

serves important public purposes, including:

(1) an understanding and diminution of the risk factors

associated with society's most debilitating diseases;

(2) the development of greater work productivity and

capacity;

(3) a reduction in absenteeism;

(4) a reduction of health insurance costs; and

(5) an increase in the general level of fitness.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.

Why? Because it’s an effective public health strategy

People spend a lot of time at work!

We have opportunity to support adults to be physically active on the way to work, at work, and after work

Work is a place of social influence, communication and information sharing

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Physical Activity levels explained

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Physical activity:  Any bodily movement that results in energy expenditure.

Exercise:  Planned, structured, and repetitive physical activity designed to target a particular outcome (such as physical fitness).

What exercise at work may look like…

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Ways to increase activity at work…

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To effectively increase physical activity at work – Do this…

•Build support and find champions

•Assess resources, survey staff and inform– Complete PA assessment– Survey your staff– Explore resources

• Implement, monitor, evaluate and inform– Understand the Diffusion of Innovation Theory

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KEY RESOURCE!

•Step 1: Build Support

•Step 2: Plan and Assess

•Step 3: Promote

•Step 4: Implement

•Step 5: Evaluate

•Step 6: Share Results

•Step 7: Sustain

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http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/hwi/toolkits/pa-toolkit.htm

Also look at: http://www.cdc.gov/nationalhealthyworksite/join/toolkit.html

TRIVIA TIME

How should we increase opportunities for physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior in the workplace?

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A. Create programs and challenges at work that will encourage staff to be active

B. Get leadership support for employees to be active and have their support demonstrated in policies, procedures and practice (i.e.- flex time to exercise)

C. Put information about PA in a newsletter, hang information around the building and create tag lines for people to put in email

D. Have onsite facilities for exercise with locker rooms and showers and/or discounted opportunities for people to workout outside of work

Think PSE for Physical Activity

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Environment

1. the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates.

System

1. a set of connected things or parts forming a complex whole, in particular.

2. a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized scheme or method:

Policy

1. a course or principle of action adopted or proposed by a government,

party, business, or individual:

What is policy and who creates policies?

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Policies:

•Are laws, regulations, rules, protocols, and procedures designed to guide or influence behavior

•Can either be legislative or organizational in nature

•Often mandate environmental changes and increase the likelihood that they will become institutionalized or sustainable

What is a “system?” Who influences systems at work?

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Systems:

•Impact all elements, including social norms of an organization, institution, or system •May include a policy or environmental change strategy

•Policies are often the driving force behind systems change

What does the environment at work have to do with people being active?

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Environments:

•encompass physical, social, or economic factors designed to influence people’s practices and behaviors. Examples:

– Physical: Structural changes or the presence of programs or services, including improvements in the built environment to promote walking (e.g., walking paths).

– Social: Attitudes or behavior about policies that promote health or an increase in supportive attitudes regarding a health practice, including an increase in acceptance of physical activity and nonacceptance of sedentary behavior at the workplace.

TRIVIA TIME

Identify these the policy, system and environment activities below.

A. Create programs and challenges at work that will encourage staff to be active

B. Get leadership support for employees to be active and have their support demonstrated in policies, procedures and practice (i.e.- flex time to exercise)

C. Put information about PA in a newsletter, hang information around the building and create tag lines for people to put in email

D. Have onsite facilities for exercise with locker rooms and showers and/or discounted opportunities for people to workout outside of work 19

PSE examples

It may be easier than you think!!

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State Employees Health Fitnessand Education HB1297• Sec. 664.061.  AGENCY WELLNESS POLICIES.  A state agency may:

(1)  allow each employee 30 minutes during normal working hours for (1)  allow each employee 30 minutes during normal working hours for

exercise three times each week;exercise three times each week;

(2)  allow all employees to attend on-site wellness seminars when

offered; and

(3)  provide eight hours of additional leave time each year to an

employee who:

(A)  receives a physical examination; and

(B)  completes either an online health risk

assessment tool provided by the board or a similar

health risk assessment conducted in person by a

worksite wellness coordinator.

Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 665, Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2007.

For full text of HB1297 and Section 664, see www.wellness.state.tx.us/HB1297Lt.pdf

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State Employees Health Fitnessand Education HB1297

Sec. 664.053.  CREATION OF MODEL PROGRAM;

The wellness program may include:

4)  the development and promotion of environmental change the development and promotion of environmental change strategies that integrate healthy behaviors and physical activity, including recommending healthy food choices in snack bars, vending machines, and state-run cafeterias located in state buildings; and

(5)  optional incentives to encourage participation optional incentives to encourage participation in the wellness program, , including providing flexibility in employee including providing flexibility in employee schedulingscheduling to allow for physical activity to allow for physical activity and participation in the wellness program

Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 665, Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2007.

For full text of HB1297 and Section 664, see www.wellness.state.tx.us/HB1297Lt.pdf

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Policy and procedure improvements

•Meeting protocol:– Permission/Freedom to stand at meetings– Implement activity breaks for meetings

more than one hour– Walking meetings

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Policy and procedure improvements

•Approve sit/stand workstations

•Provide flexible work arrangements or break times for physical activity (we would for PT!)

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Policy and procedure improvements

Consider resources around and in your office that can support people to be active and aware of a culture of health…

•Joint Use Agreements– Work with internal or external partners to

provide exercise classes on site (before, after, or during work)

– Work with community groups and partners to use trails or facilities to increase usage and awareness

•Subsidize transportation options

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System change and improvements

•Consider how people get to work and around town after work

– Encourage use of non-motorized vehicles (walk/bike) to location

•Alter rewards using “carrot and stick” method

– Biking/Walking verse Driving

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Systems change and improvements

•Consider systems during work– Encourage moving breaks and people to bring

exercise equipment to work (hand weights etc.)– Support employees, clubs or groups to

encourage physical activity among employees– Provide a series of educational seminars,

workshops or classes on physical activity

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Systems change and improvements

•Consider systems after work– Provide access to offsite workout facility

or subsidizing cost– Provide direct support (i.e. money, land,

pavilion, recreation facilities, sponsorship, advertising) for supporting community-wide physical activity opportunities (sports teams, walking clubs)

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Environmental Changes/Improvements

What environmental changes can promote physical activity?

Point-of-Decision Promptshttp://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/Worksites/Toolkit/WsTk_MoveMore.html

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Promote stairwell use• StairWELL to better health

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/hwi/toolkits/stairwell/index.htm

Environmental Changes/Improvements

•What environmental changes can promote physical activity?

– Space for exercise/access to onsite fitness center or gym

• lockers/showers

– Trails/maps (time and distance)

• Safe area for people to be active (lighting, signage, crime watch)

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Environmental Changes/Improvements

•What environmental changes canpromote physical activity?

– Enhance access to public transportation– Bike racks/shelter

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What can you do at your location? And how will you roll it out using PSE?

LOW RESOURCES• Company culture• Flexible work hours• Organized physical activity breaks• Map out on-site trails or nearby walking routes• Walk-and-talk meetings• Stand up desks• Post motivational signs at elevators to encourage stair use.• Provide bicycle racks.

MEDIUM RESOURCES• Shower and/or changing facilities• Outdoor exercise areas such as fields and trails.• Recreation leagues and other physical activity events • Employee activity clubs (e.g., walking, bicycling).• Discounted memberships at local health clubs, YMCAs• Incentive programs such as pedometer walking challenges.

HIGH RESOURCES• On-site fitness classes or personal training.• On-site exercise facility.• Incentives for participation in physical activity and/or weight

management• Use of facilities outside of normal work hours (before/after work).• On-site childcare facilities to facilitate physical activity.

ResourcesOUR MANDATE:

For full text of HB1297 and Section 664, see www.wellness.state.tx.us/HB1297Lt.pdfA Case for Physical Activity Document: www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/hwi/downloads/Steps2Wellness_the_case_for_phys_act.pdf

PROCESSSteps to Wellness: A guide to implementing the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans in the Workplace http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/hwi/toolkits/pa-toolkit.htm

ASSESSMENT•NHW assessment http://www.cdc.gov/nationalhealthyworksite/docs/Worksite_Health_Intervention_Strategies_508.pdf

•www.cdc.gov/WorkplaceHealthPromotion

• CDC Worksite Scorecard- PA pages 22-23 http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/pubs/docs/HSC_Manual.pdf

•Walkability Assessment http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/hwi/toolkits/walkability/index.htm

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY EVIDENCE BASED AND BEST PRACTICE RESOURCES •CDC/NHW main page http://www.cdc.gov/nationalhealthyworksite/index.html

•Stairwell info http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/hwi/toolkits/stairwell/other_ideas.htm

•Wellness Toolkit with Point of decision prompts- ready to use http://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/NCHealthSmartTlkt/WorksiteTlkt.html

•How to lead a walking meeting

•http://www.feetfirst.org/walk-and-maps/walking-meetings

•http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/april/walking-vs-sitting-042414.html

•Stand up workstation information http://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2012/12/05/sit-stand

•Neuhaus, M., Eakin, E. G., Straker, L., Owen, N., Dunstan, D. W., Reid, N. and Healy, G. N. (2014), Reducing occupational sedentary time: a systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence on activity-permissive workstations. Obesity Reviews, 15: 822–838. doi: 10.1111/obr.12201

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Questions?

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Thank You!Cari Browning, CTRS/CHESPhysical Activity CoordinatorPrimary Prevention Branch(512) 776-2610cari.browning@dshs.state.tx.us