BEHAVIOR CHANGE/SUPPORT

Past experience and current participation in healthy behaviors is a good indicator in predicting how likely people are to change. An employee's past experiences can provide the skills that are necessary to change behaviors. Positive past experiences and good attitudes can lead to behavior modification. People change their behaviors because of intrinsic or extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is doing something because you want to. People that are intrinsically motivated change for the benefit of themselves. Extrinsically motivated people change their behavior because there is an incentive such as a t-shirt or contest. Some people will be intrinsically motivated; however, many will need extrinsic motivation in order to change their behavior.

There are many different stages that he/she goes through before changing their behavior. It is possible that a person may have a health problem and not be aware of it. Health screening and education about health problems with early detection are extremely important. No matter how hard you try to change your employees' behavior, nothing will happen until they decide that they are ready to make a change.

In order for a person to make a change there must be a realization that there is a problem or behavior/health change that needs to occur. Sometimes the most difficult step is the first step because it is recognizing that a change needs to take place. In order for a behavior change to occur, a person must be motivated. People can be motivated by their own feelings to change or they can be motivated by others around them such as spouses and children. Although it is possible for a person to change because others want them to, they will be more successful if they are making the change because they want to. If a person can envision themselves doing the new behavior this is a positive step in making a behavior change. Once the decision is made to make a lifestyle change, it is time to act on the change. Behavior changes don't happen overnight or in a week or even a month. Behavior change takes time.

Employees can be helped to adopt a new healthy behavior by setting goals in order to change the behavior (Appendix P).

• Make goals specific. Include a time factor and specific tasks that need to be achieved.
• Make goals realistic. Unrealistic goals will make people frustrated and they may give up.
• Make a stepping stone for each goal. There may be many steps for each goal.
• Provide rewards along the way when going from step-to-step.

Employees can learn how to continue their behavior for an extended period of time. After a while they will be able to make their "new behavior" a habit. In order to continue their behavior over time it is necessary to look at small changes as positive points. Remember: Small changes lead to bigger changes. Employees need continued support from co-workers, friends, and family.

Incentives

To help motivate employees to take part in a health promotion program, a great tool is to offer incentives (i.e., extrinsic motivation). Incentives are often a fun and easy way to get employees started in a wellness program.

The State's wellness program can provide non taxable, non reportable incentives consistent with Internal Revenue Tax Codes. Cash or cash equivalents (i.e., gift certificates, etc.) should not be used as incentives. Examples of non-taxable items include: water bottles, mugs, pens, pencils, key chains, wrist bands, note pads, refrigerator magnets, hats, visors, tee shirts, sports bag, complimentary one-day pass to a fitness center, and shoelaces. Keep incentives simple.

Incentives don't always have to be tangible. Participation certificates, special recognition from management, or articles in the employee newsletter are a great way to support your employees and inform co-workers of their success. Highlighting an employee who has made a healthy lifestyle change in your newsletter can be a great motivator for co-workers and will promote the success of your health promotion program. Personal experience is always a great way to relate to others. Incentives can also include sponsoring a healthy pot luck lunch or brunch each month. A raffle could be held during the pot luck to give away any of the above items. Additional tips include:

• Encourage employees to make realistic, incremental goals that are easy to reach. Employees will be more likely to participate if they feel that they can accomplish their goal. Unreasonable goals may discourage your employees from participating.
• Do not offer incentives for the "first" or "best." You do not want to show your employees that only "first place" is a winner. Help employees keep in mind that their goal is to have a healthy lifestyle. Over time, employees will see that although they are receiving an incentive (such as a tee shirt) the big benefit is learning to live a healthy lifestyle.
• Conduct raffles tied to participation in group or individual events. For example, a goal of your walking club participants could be to walk 20 miles in a month. At the end of each month, the wellness coordinator could put the names of all employees who self-certify that they achieved that goal into a monthly raffle. Award raffle prizes such as water bottles, wrist bands, and visors to multiple club participants.

Make contests a fun way to add a little "friendly competition" in the work place. How about rewarding the person who has missed the least days in the walking club? Reward the person who has eaten a nutritious meal every lunch for the past month. Contests need to be fun and light-hearted. There can always be more than one winner. The purpose of your contests should be to get a group of people involved that can support each other and have fun at the same time. Support groups are especially important when you are trying to make a change. Identify a contact person in each division to foster friendly competitions.

Presidential Sports Award Program

The Presidential Sports Award Program was developed by the President's Council on Physical Fitness & Sports in 1972. It purpose is to motivate all Americans to become more physically active and emphasizes regular exercise rather than outstanding performance. Refer to Appendix Q for further information.

Meeting Clubs

Meeting clubs give employees the continued support and information they need to sustain the behavior change over time. Meeting clubs build a supportive environment for employees. There are different kinds of meeting clubs: specialized meeting clubs are for employees who are interested in a particular health area (such as the reduction of high blood pressure) or generalized meeting clubs that do not focus on one particular health area. Whether your department has a specialized meeting club or a generalized meeting club would depend on the health concerns of your employees, the size of your department, and the number of employees that are involved in the program.

Environmental Support

Provide your employees with a positive work environment. See what you can do about getting some healthy foods in the cafeterias and vending machines. You could also determine whether employees are comfortable with their working environment. Some employees have ergonomic related problems with their chairs, desks, or other aspects of their working environment that may cause eye strain, back problems, or other difficulties. The DPA has a newly revised ergonomic guide available for departmental use entitled "Computer User's Handbook". This handbook provides employees with detailed information regarding the proper positioning of a VDT workstation to avoid injuries. It also discusses work habits and gives examples of eye exercises and stretching exercises to relieve physical tension of repetitive motion and working in one position. See Appendix R for an ergonomic checklist and frequently asked questions about ergonomics.

Besides having a positive work environment, it is necessary to have the support of others. In order to change behavior it is important that you promote a positive image to the employees and their families that will be affected by the program. Try to find a person who will encourage others to stick with the health promotion program. Seek out someone in upper management to provide encouragement for your program. The programs that you create need to be upbeat and easy for your employees to implement. Make the programs relatively easy to add to their lives. Be sure to have programs that employees could do independently or with family and friends. It is easier to change your lifestyle if somebody is by your side to cheer you on (Appendix O).

Positive change can occur when employees that are changing their behavior have the needed support from their department, co-workers, and family members. A good example of support is American Heart Association's "Adopt-A-Couch-Potato" Program. Physically active employees adopt a non-exerciser for two weeks and provide support and help as the non-exerciser begins physical activity. Another example of support may be starting a Walking Club Program. Employees can use their break time, lunch time or before or after work to walk together for 15 to 30 minutes. Setting a time and encouraging other employees to participate is a great way to get some exercise and encouragement from others. Identify a leader who will motivate his/her fellow employees to continue to participate. Employees can be supported by:

• Having top management willing to join in the programs.
• Having management provide time for informal meetings so employees can provide support for one another.
• Having opportunities for health screening programs.
• If possible, including family members to participate in programs.