Dear Tompkins County Business Leader;
Worksite Wellness for Tompkins County
(WWTC) is a state grant-funded program that introduces
worksite wellness to Tompkins County employers. We work
directly with managers and employee representatives
to tailor a pilot program that has the best chance for
long-term success.
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Health care costs due
to poor nutrition and lack of physical activity
now cost taxpayers more than for
smoking
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Recent statements by President George
W. Bush have highlighted the high financial costs of
our nation's poor physical activity and nutritional
habits. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson
is urging employers to get involved.
Taking a pro-active approach to the
public health crisis spotlighted by President Bush is
a step that business and community leaders must take
seriously. Individual responsibility is not enough
to overcome current pressures to eat more and be less
physically active. A worksite environment that supports
good nutrition and regular physical activity is central
to lowering the incidence of cancer and chronic disease.
You and others in the Tompkins County
business community are part of a local tradition of
inventiveness and innovation — both in product
development and in business practice. These vital assets
have made Tompkins County "one of the strongest
economies in the Northeastern United States," according
to the TC
Chamber of Commerce web site.
Now, join an effort to bring "wellness-friendly"
to the list of Tompkins County's vital business assets.
You can do this by becoming a WWTC worksite.
At worksites with physical activity
programs, employers have
- reduced health
care costs by up to 55 percent,
- seen significant drops in short-term
sick leave, and
- increased productivity, according
to a new report by the US Department of Health &
Human Services.
In fulfilling our grant objective to
explore approaches to worksite wellness, WWTC provides
the resources and expertise worksites need to launch
a wellness program. When done right, wellness programs
enhance, not disrupt, a work environment.
Currently, WWTC is helping 12 Tompkins
County employers start worksite wellness programs. Employee
morale and community-building, as well as the more tangible
goals of improving productivity and controlling health-related
costs, are often cited as motivation for bringing a
wellness program into a worksite.
There is no cost for WWTC's services,
and funding is available for materials and supplies.
Each program is designed around the worksite's unique
business and staffing patterns, and the needs and interests
of the workforce.
Thank you for your interest and consideration.
Ted Schiele
WWTC Coordinator
274-6712
tschiele@tompkins-co.org
July 2002
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