Right Fit
What is Pre-diabetes/Preventing Type 2 Diabetes
Just Starting Out
Step One: Focus on program establishment. Resources are available in the Diabetes at Work Plan specific links are found below.
The Essential Elements of Effective Workplace Programs and Policies for Improving Worker
Health and Wellbeing, developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH), identifies twenty components of a comprehensive work-based health protection and
health promotion program and includes both guiding principles and practical direction for
organizations seeking to develop effective workplace programs.
Investing in Health: Proven Health Promotion Practices for Workplaces , developed by the
Partnership for Prevention in collaboration with the CDC, provides guidance on effective policy,
environmental, and health benefit strategies that can improve employee health by controlling
tobacco use, promoting cancer screening and early detection, and encouraging physical activity
and healthy eating.
Leading by Example: The Value of Worksite Health Promotion to Small- and Medium-sized
Employers published in 2011 by the Partnership for Prevention with support from CDC provides
best practices and strategies for creating or enhancing a worksite health promotion program as
well as worksite health program descriptions from almost 20 small employers.
Step Two: Review health benefits coverage and employee management practices. Health benefits
plans should include coverage for services that prevent diabetes and support diabetes management.
Employee management practices should cover shift work, provisions for diabetes self-management,
management of diabetes crisis and limitations on duties. Resources to help with these tasks can be
found at the links below.
Diabetes and the Workplace … Focus on Wellness and Safety, employers are a major source of
health benefits for Americans. Worksite wellness programs have developed primarily to contain
and reduce quickly escalating health care costs and to improve productivity and reduce
absenteeism and presenteeism (the worker is present, but not working productively). Learn
more about diabetes in the workplace to improve worker productivity and decrease health care
costs.
American Diabetes Association – Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes, developed by the
American Diabetes Association this document outlines the care all people with diabetes should
receive. Employers should check their health plans to be sure the standards are met.
Questions and Answers about Diabetes in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act,
developed by the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission this webpage includes
information about employer responsibilities toward employees with diabetes. Human Resource
departments and managers of people with diabetes should be aware of workplace protections
and accommodations for employees with diabetes.
Right Fit
What is Pre-diabetes/Preventing Type 2 Diabetes
Step Three: Focus on awareness and specific diabetes prevention and management topics. The largest
return on investment will result from programs that focus on diabetes prevention and the ABC’s of
diabetes.
Program Activities, follow this link to learn more about programs and activities you can offer to
increase awareness among employees about diabetes prevention and management.
Lesson Plans, follow this link for lesson plans about diabetes prevention and management that
can be offered in the workplace.
Learn more about how other companies are providing diabetes related activities in the Spotlight on
Success Stories section of this website.