Driver Wellness Plan

Full time working Americans spend more than one-third of their day in the workplace. The amount of time employees spend at work gives employers the opportunity to promote a healthy lifestyle, in addition to healthy driving habits, not only in the workplace but also every time they travel in a vehicle.

Workplace driver wellness plans don’t have to be large-scale programs that can take some time and planning to implement. Strategies as simple as delivering emails and workplace announcements about wellness topics can be easily carried out on a schedule that benefits employers and employees. Other strategies such as a incorporating a social media component including wellness facts and quick bursts of information can get the attention of employees. Utilizing other media outlets like posters and fact sheets (see “Materials” sections of wellness topics) that can be displayed throughout the workplace are also helpful in getting the wellness message to employees. For example, creating a healthy driver work environment can include making healthy foods available and accessible (see “Nutrition” section of Physical Wellness Page) or distributing “buckle-up” messages throughout the workplace.

Leading by example is critical when implementing driver wellness programs in the workplace. Senior executives should be visible not only with their promotion and support of driver wellness but should also be active participants including setting aside time to hold regular meetings that address driver wellness.

Employers can implement various elements of a workplace wellness plan utilizing the “Driven to Wellness” materials and the “What Employers Can Do” sections throughout this site:

• Physical Wellness
  • Vision
  • Hearing
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Physical Activity
  • Smoking
  • What Employers Can Do
• Work-Life Balance
  • Fatigue
  • Nutrition
  • Stress
  • What Employers Can Do
• Impaired Driving
  • Alcohol-Impaired Driving
  • Drug-Impaired Driving
  • What Employers Can Do
• Healthy Vehicles
  • Vehicle Maintenance
  • Healthy Driving Habits
  • What Employers Can Do

Another component of implementing an employer wellness plan is providing signage in the workplace. However, to create effective signage, several factors should be considered including size, visibility, color, location, and whether the sign is easily understood. Several companies are trending towards digital signage or electronic message boards for safety messaging.