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Worksite Wellness for Tompkins County
Worksite environments that support good nutrition and regular physical activity

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Tompkins County Health Department

Tompkins County Home Page

New York State Department of Health


The Health Promotion Program, Tompkins County (NY) Health Department, developed and maintains this web site. (more...)



Understanding
Environment
and
Stages of Change


Environment

Directing all change efforts to the individual has limitations and is very often unsuccessful. That's the feeling of an increasing number of people who study behavioral change.

Now more efforts are being focused on the environments in which people live and work. This is sort of like making water available to the proverbial horse. If there is no water, there is no choice, and the horse must stay thirsty. By changing the horse's environment (putting in a trough) and leading the horse to it (promoting or publicizing the changes), you are empowering the horse to drink or not, as she chooses.

Support...

There are strong social pressures to eat whenever food is available, especially in a group setting. Say food is served at a staff meeting (or monthly birthday celebration), and only home-baked cookies, soda and coffee are available. For someone making an effort to moderate their intake of extra calories there are 2 choices: (1) to disrupt their personal dietary efforts, or (2) take the less-than social step and refuse the offer of food.

In the case of the staff meeting, environmental change comes when fruit is offered along with the cookies, or 100% juice is also available, as an alternative to the soda. Cultural change comes when the person who chooses fruit over cookie is supported in their choice.

Note that "support" doesn't have to be direct affirmation ("Good work! You're not eating cookies...") It can also be expressed by not putting someone on the spot with words like, "I've never know you to refuse a cookie...," or "So, my cookies not good enough for you, eh?"

Changes that support physical activity...

Time and protocol are 2 barriers to regular physical activity. At the worksite for example, breaks need to be long enough and protocol (policy) needs to allow for leaving the worksite without going through a lot of red tape.

How long is a "long enough" break? Maybe 15 minutes instead of 10 minutes. That allows for a 10 minute walk with a few minutes buffer on each end. And cutting the "red tape?" If management always has to know exactly where employees are at all times, slipping out for a quick walk off-site could be stressful (especially if the usual coffee-break group is not supportive of your new resolve.)

Click Here to see the "Stretch for Coffee Break" sign (page may load slowly with dial-up connections.) Or, download a PDF version directly [230KB].

(Click here to see more ideas for making changes.)

 

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Stages of Change

Typically, not everyone feels the same way about—or need for—behavioral change.

The Stages of Change model proposes 6 levels of readiness to change. These are:

  1. Precontemplation: resisting change
    ("I've snacked on chips for years, and I've no reason or desire to change now.")
  2. Contemplation: considering aspects of change
    ("I know I should eat more fruit.")
  3. Preparation: getting ready for change
    ("I bought a cooler so I can start bringing fresh fruit to work.")
  4. Action: making a change
    ("I eat an apple everyday at my 3:00 break.")
  5. Maintenance: keeping the new
  6. Recycling: reworking preparation and action after relapse

It is critical that individuals are not pushed to change beyond their desire -- or readiness -- to do so. Worksite wellness programs that focus on environmental issues allow individuals to self-assess and progress to higher stages of change at their own pace. The need to administer often costly individual health assessments, or for tailoring programs to individuals, can therefore be delayed or implemented over a longer period of time.

How will environmental changes affect individuals? Organizational culture has a heavy influence on individuals, and cultural change is affected by opportunity for choice, encouragement and support at the worksite.

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