Fort Worth ISD believes wellness isn’t just for kids.
So much so that the district has developed its own comprehensive wellness program to help employees manage their stress and health challenges. From weight management to promoting healthy activities in and out of school to assisting with the resolution of employee disputes, Fort Worth ISD has taken the bull by the horns.
Taking an interest in employee health doesn’t require a huge outlay of cash and can pay big dividends in the long run. Consider these facts about Fort Worth’s wellness program:
Typically, districts that offer wellness programs are self-insured. Not so for Fort Worth ISD. The district is a member of TRS ActiveCare. That means it has no bottom-line interest in promoting wellness because the district won’t realize any savings from helping employees be healthier.
“For us, it wasn’t about savings,” said Carla Kaufman, senior employee and organizational support officer. “We wanted to provide employees with a supportive work environment and the tools and programs that would enable them to better balance their work and personal responsibilities so that they can best take care of our students.”
As with any new program, the district believes it will take a couple of years to see the full benefits. District leaders track employee participation and note that some initiatives have gained more momentum than others, but believe that’s to be expected. Kaufman anticipates the district will see some real benefits in the near future, including reduced employee absence rates and a healthier and more productive workforce.
The district’s wellness venture began in March of 2010. TASB HR Services conducted an employee survey to help the district get a handle on the programs and supports employees wanted. It used the survey results to prioritize its efforts to build the program.
The key components of the program are as follows:
with a wealth of information on general health, physical fitness, weight management, disease management, mental health, nutrition, management of personal finances and dependent care
that the district manages
program that provides employees with a process to deal with their concerns outside of the formal grievance process
, the annual District Walk , and the other community fitness eventsThose components cost the district little or to nothing to offer.
Other general expenses for the program include employee salaries, office supplies, technology equipment, and other miscellaneous expenses. Of those, salaries accounted for the largest expense. There was money budgeted for other programs but the district scaled the program back in light of budget cuts.
Belinda Anderson is more than happy to sing the praises of the district’s weight-loss program. She has lost 65 pounds, has more energy, has lowered her cholesterol, and calls the program, “…the best thing I have done for myself in a long time.”
Like many people, she had gained and lost weight many times over the years and had trouble committing to a weight-loss program that required her to weigh in and be accountable each and every week. That’s not the case anymore. She weighs in during the weekly meeting at her building. “Having the program come to us during the day is fantastic,” Anderson said, adding that she can no longer make excuses to miss a meeting.
The accountability has helped, as has the information on diet and nutrition. Anderson eats six small meals a day to stabilize her blood sugar, shuns processed food, and has curtailed her consumption of diet soda in favor of water. To say she “gets it” would be a vast understatement. “We are accountable to ourselves for what we eat,” Anderson said. “I know what to eat to stay healthy now, how to make much better food choices and why I should make those choices.”
Kaufman adds that many employees taking part in the weight-loss program have been able to reduce or eliminate the need for medications to control diseases like diabetes and high cholesterol.
Monica Cortez is another happy wellness program participant. She tried something she hadn’t done before by attending a couple of different group exercise classes offered at the district’s administration building. “I really enjoy the fact that (classes) are offered here so it’s convenient for me. I have kids and a husband so it’s hard to get away to the gym or put in an exercise tape once you get home. Plus, it’s all the building’s employees, so it’s really fun,” Cortez said. There is no charge to employees to attend the classes.
In the case of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program, the results speak for themselves. Fort Worth employees are encouraged to use the program to resolve their workplace concerns and conflicts effectively without going through the formal grievance process.
Employees can use the process to deal with a host of problems including bullying, sexual harassment, and inappropriate comments or behavior. Participation is voluntary and does not preclude an employee from filing a grievance at a later date. In 2010-11, the district mediated 72 ADR requests and successfully resolved 66 of them—some impressive results for a first-year program.
District leaders are happy with the individual results they’ve observed but want to get a clearer picture of how the wellness program is working for all employees. The district’s Accountability and Data Quality Department did a comprehensive employee survey this spring that included questions about the wellness program. The results aren’t ready yet, but the district has shown that wellness programs can be effective without being expensive.
As districts tighten their belts, their leaders should be encouraged to know that in spite of their concerns about the budget, they can help their employees do the same.
