Healthy Work Environment

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Program details and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What’s new for Healthy Work Environment (HWE) in 2016?

  • You now have the option to earn your annual $100 incentive by participating in Healthy Work Environment’s quarterly (10-week minimum) goals or by completing six Berries — whichever comes first. Learn more about Berries. Note: Should you choose to join a HWE group and also do Berry activities, your maximum incentive is still $100.
  • Completing the SHALA is no longer a prerequisite for participating in a HWE group or earning the $100 incentive. (However, we nevertheless encourage you to take the SHALA, at any time before or after enrollment in your HWE, for the valuable health information it provides you, plus the potential avenue it provides to earning higher incentives by moving on to complete the Wellness Profile. Learn more about the Wellness Profile.)

How to participate in a HWE group

You can become an Ambassador to form a new HWE work group; or request to join an existing HWE group through your BeWell user portal.

1. Become an Ambassador
If you would like to partner with the Healthy Work Environment program and engage your workgroup in fun and healthy activities, here’s how:

  • Develop work group goals and measures, supported by HWE.
  • Invite your colleagues to participate by asking them to join your group.
  • Promote group goals in staff meetings and group communications.
  • Respond to requests from individuals who may be interested in joining your group.
  • Track participation and progress toward goals.
  • Provide monthly status updates to the HWE program about such topics as goals and participation levels.
  • Encourage group/organization leadership to participate in Healthy Work Environment.

Lead the way! Click here to complete an Ambassador application.

2. Join an existing HWE group by logging in, then clicking on “Find a Group Near You” under the Healthy Work Environment tab. Once you find a group near you, contact the Ambassador to find out the focus of their goals to see if it’s a match with what you want to work on. If there is a match, then request membership, which will send an email to the ambassador for that group. They will respond within a week.

Why the HWE program?

BeWell created the Healthy Work Environment (HWE) program to provide support and guidance in your efforts to enhance worksite well-being. We want to partner with you to help make the place where you spend most of your waking hours a place that endorses and exemplifies healthy living. A busy schedule is a common obstacle to attaining personal goals; HWE encourages and supports wellness activities onsite, where sustaining healthy behaviors can be made easier in a supportive work environment. Furthermore, having a sense of accountability to those around us goes a long way in keeping us on track with challenging behavior changes.

HWE group members (including Ambassadors) can earn $100 for participating in group goals for one quarter (10-week engagement). Ambassadors will also receive material support as needed, periodic gifts, and recognition at the annual BeWell Recognition Event in December.

Sample Group Activities

Physical Activity:

Nutrition:

  • Provide healthy food options in kitchens, break rooms and meetings.
  • Set up a homegrown fruit and vegetable exchange.
  • Promote a water consumption awareness campaign.
  • Bring a WOW Nutrition class to your group.

Stress Management:

  • Provide customized seminars on such topics as workplace stress or difficult conversations.
  • Encourage short respites from the computer with a list of short guided meditations (such as the "5 Minute Breathing Space"), music downloads, or visits to nearby spots of quiet and beauty.
  • Organize a monthly “mini-retreat” to the Windhover Contemplative Center or other beautiful spaces on campus.
  • Add a “First Five” team-building or "appreciation’ activity" to staff meeting agendas.
  • Join the Stanford Educational Farm Flower CSA and brighten your worksite with fresh flowers. 

Health and Community:

  • Lead team-building activities.
  • Promote flexible schedules to support work/life integration.
  • Increase awareness and participation in campus programs: Stanford Coordinated Care, BeWell, Health Improvement Program (HIP), Stanford Recreation, Work/Life Office, Faculty/Staff Help Center, and Learning and Organizational Effectiveness.
  • Encourage the use of “Well Time.”
  • Develop activities to support BeWell 2016 themes.
  • Conduct recognition activities for employees making efforts at healthier lifestyles.

FAQ: Healthy Work Environment

What is the Healthy Work Environment?
The Healthy Work Environment (HWE) program provides customized support and guidance to departments, labs, and work groups who value and promote a healthy workplace and wish to offer workshops and set health goals. We offer HWE Ambassadors ideas, resources, and connection to a variety of supportive Stanford health and wellness programs. HWE maintains close communication with each Ambassador to facilitate group participation, offer guidance to help groups stay on track, evaluate progress, adjust goals over time and administer guidelines for individual procurement of the $100 financial incentive.

How can I join a Healthy Work Environment?
Employees may join a pre-existing HWE group on their BeWell account, or become an  Ambassador and start their own group. To view active HWE groups, please login, then click on “Find a Group Near You” under the Healthy Work Environment tab.

What is the incentive for participating in a HWE group?
Employees who complete one quarter (10 weeks) of goals with their HWE group will earn a $100 taxable incentive, paid in two pay periods. The HWE incentive does NOT go to the department, but directly to the employee to use as they wish.

Can I earn an incentive for participating in a HWE group and an incentive for completing 6 Berries?
No. Employees in an HWE group, who are also doing Berry activities, are only eligible for one $100 incentive per program year. They will be awarded either the HWE incentive or the Berry incentive, whichever is completed first.

Do I need to complete SHALA before joining a HWE group?
No. SHALA is not a prerequisite to join a HWE group, or earn the HWE incentive. Employees may, however, complete SHALA any time before or after joining a HWE to unlock Wellness Profile incentives, Berry activities, and other BeWell discounts and promotions.

Who can help our work group become a Healthy Work Environment?
Work groups can identify an individual to apply to become an Ambassador. These individuals will work with the HWE program to address the goals of the work group.

What constitutes a work group?
A work group is comprised of individuals who work in the same department, or at the same work location.

What are the responsibilities and time commitment associated with being a work group Ambassador?
The Ambassador engages participation around worksite wellness, develops group goals and measures, promotes the initiative in staff meetings and gatherings, and serves as a role model. The Ambassador provides monthly updates to HWE on their work group's status. With assistance from HWE, the Ambassador is responsible for monitoring the progress of the group and identifying individuals eligible for the $100 incentive.

What support does HWE provide?
HWE will work with the Ambassador to develop work group goals and measures. We will provide resources, education, and ongoing support throughout the quarter to help facilitate group participation, offer guidance to help groups stay on track, evaluate progress, adjust goals over time and administer guidelines for individual procurement of the $100 financial incentive.