MSU Extension SNAP-Ed

A positive wellness culture in the workplace contributes to the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of workers. The workplace becomes more productive and constructive when employers integrate physical activity and healthy eating initiatives.

MSU Extension provides free coaching for worksites with the goal of improving nutrition and physical activity supports through policy, system, and environmental initiatives in the workplace. The process will begin with the assessment of your worksite using the Designing Healthy Environments at Work Assessment (DHEW).

The Healthy Work Environments Toolkit provides you with resources that can help you accomplish your goals throughout the assessment, action planning, and implementation of nutrition and physical activity initiatives.

Step-by-step Toolkit

This web-based toolkit of resources is organized based on the following steps for change outlined in the DHEW:

• Step 1: Make a Case for Worksite Wellness
• Step 2: Get Started
• Step 3: Assess and Evaluate
• Step 4: Get Actionable Feedback
• Step 5: Plan and Prioritize Action
• Step 6: Take Action and Document
• Step 7: Measure Results and Share Success

Benefits

Some examples of direct benefits from this program could include:

• providing employees with information that can empower them to make healthy choices with limited resources;
• policies which encourage healthy eating choices at meetings or in vending machines;
• incorporating physical activity into a work environment with walking meetings, flexible work schedules, walking paths, and activity breaks during meetings;
• fostering a supportive environment to make healthy choices.

More Information

For more information about Healthier Work Environments and having a coach come to your workplace, contact Dawn Earnesty at (989) 758-2514 or wilcoxd9@anr.msu.edu or Tiarra Wright at (989) 758-2515 or wrigh189@anr.msu.edu.