How Can Workplaces Improve Heart Health?

February is American Heart Month, a time to focus on cardiovascular health. During this month, it is important to highlight the various factors that contribute to heart health. Heart health is determined by more than just nutrition and physical activity. Other factors, such as medical diagnoses like diabetes, weight, alcohol consumption, smoking, vaping, and stress levels, can also impact the risk for cardiovascular disease. One specific factor that increases the risk for heart disease is exposure to some social, organizational, and environmental conditions at work. In fact, the CDC states that approximately 10-20% of cardiovascular disease deaths are related to the workplace.

People spend more than one-third of their waking hours engaged in work, and the CDC has identified several work-related factors that increase the risk of heart disease:

• Working high-effort, low-reward jobs
• Experiencing workplace bullying or violence
• Holding low-income jobs
• Working in positions with increased physical activity or physical demands
• Working in jobs with exposure to dust, fumes, or chemicals such as secondhand smoke and lead.

In addition, the CDC has identified ten other work-related factors that cause 120,000 deaths annually, including those related to heart disease:

• Working more than 55 hours per week
• Working nonstandard shifts (nights or rotating shifts)
• Facing high job demands
• Having low job control
• Experiencing low job security (fear of losing a job)
• Struggling with work-life imbalance
• Being treated unfairly at work
• Lacking workplace social support
• Facing unemployment
• Lacking health insurance.

The workplace can contribute to the development of chronic diseases, including heart disease, through harmful conditions like these. Such stressors are also linked to increased blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and depression—all other risk factors for heart disease. As the Six Dimensions of Wellness Model explains, wellness is multidimensional and interconnected—with each dimension contributing to the whole person. When there’s an imbalance in one area, like the workplace (occupational), it can be detrimental to all other areas of wellness.

The American Psychological Association’s 2023 Work in America Survey confirmed that well-being is highly valued by employees. People want to work for an organization that values their emotional and psychological well-being, and they also want to feel supported and respected, both in the workplace and during their nonwork time. As mentioned earlier, workplace stress can negatively impact heart health, but improvements in the work environment can help mitigate the risk.

Here are some ways workplaces can positively impact employee well-being, including heart health.

Implement heart-healthy workplace wellness initiatives.

• Establish and maintain tobacco-free workplaces. (Access our sample tobacco-free workplace policy.)
• Encourage exercise and activity breaks throughout the workday.
• Provide heart-healthy food choices such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole-grain foods, low-fat or fat-free dairy items, and lean protein options.
• Deliver health education on topics such as exercise, nutrition, stress management, and sleep.
• Promote “knowing your numbers”—including blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, and A1C—and encourage regular screenings.
• Offer safety and injury prevention training opportunities.

Lower work-related stress and prioritize employee mental health.

In today’s market environment, employers are grappling with worker shortages and often rely on strategies such as overtime to meet operational demands. While these approaches are often necessary to maintain ongoing business needs, employers should be aware of the long-term impact these strategies can have on employees’ heart health and overall well-being. To balance well-being with organizational success, employers can consider the following ideas.

• Reduce employee overtime when possible, and if not possible, keep the line of communication open with employees to ensure their well-being remains a priority.
• Review staffing needs and implement feasible changes to meet work demands better.
• Implement flexible scheduling options or policies (family sick leave, hybrid work, flextime, etc.).
• Allow employees more control over their working time, work tasks, and involvement in the work organization.
• Communicate available benefits, such as employee assistance programs (EAPs), and other resources.

Complete a workplace evaluation with the Well Workplace® Checklist.

To help employers establish a healthy workplace culture, WELCOA, now known as the Wellness Alliance, established the Well Workplace Process. The first step in this is the Well Workplace Checklist, an assessment that allows organizations to understand their alignment within each of the 7 Benchmarks. The benchmarks, outlined below, serve as building blocks for creating thriving cultures of wellness.

1. Committed and Aligned Leadership
2. Collaboration in Support of Wellness
3. Collecting Meaningful Data to Evolve a Wellness Strategy
4. Crafting an Operating Plan
5. Choosing Initiatives that Support the Whole Employee
6. Cultivate Supportive Health Promoting Environments, Policies, and Practices
7. Conduct Evaluation, Communicate, Celebrate, and Iterate

Upon completion, the checklist will provide a summary of strengths and weaknesses along with actionable recommendations for improvements within each of the benchmarks. This tool can be used to support the development of well workplaces, and it can help make improvements toward becoming a more heart-healthy organization.  

Focusing on heart health in the workplace is essential for enhancing both employee well-being and organizational success. By implementing initiatives that improve workplace environments, address employee stressors, and promote healthy habits, organizations can help reduce the risk of heart disease and improve overall employee health.

Resources

Well Workplace Checklist

Sample Tobacco-Free Workplace Policy 

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  Ashton DeMoss

  Wellness Content & Information Specialist

  IFEBP

  Ashton DeMoss currently serves as a Wellness Content and Information Specialist at the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, WELCOA’s partner organization. With extensive experience in the worksite wellness industry, she is passionate about promoting health and well-being in the workplace. To prioritize her personal wellness, she enjoys group exercise classes and participating in a monthly book club.