56 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 11 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds    H4'ed 7/26/13

Expanding the Purpose of Worksite Wellness: New Goal - Improved Man and Improved Woman

By       (Page 1 of 3 pages)   1 comment
Message Don Ardell, Ph.D.
Become a Fan
  (2 fans)
INTRODUCTION

Over the course of the last several decades, worksite wellness programs have been on offer across America and elsewhere. All are designed as part of efforts to reduce organizational insurance costs, promote worker morale, reduce absenteeism and high risk behaviors, boast productivity, increase health and so on. All well and good; these kinds of incremental programs will surely continue for the indefinite future.

Among the major issues that corporate leaders, the research community and others address are:

* What kind of incentives will boost participation and desired outcomes?

* How well do costs compare with benefits?

* Which segments of the population get the most (and least) from wellness education?

* And,  how can such investments be accurately evaluated? 
These and other matters are significant and should be explored.  

A LARGER VISION, A BROADER GOAL

Why stop there? Saving money, boosting health, keeping track and all the rest are fine. However, there are opportunities inherent in the nature of REAL wellness that are not likely to arise in standard medically-focused, risk- reduction offerings. The reason? Most if not all are even wellness offerings. The programming is, for the most part, warmed-over health education, nice but nowhere near the life-changing, quality of life-boosting possibilities that could be promoted.

To change lives and world views, perhaps we should encourage people to consider how they might improve themselves. Assuming, of course, that room for improvement is perceived as possible, given one's sense of his or her existing state of near perfection. (For anyone suffering from this delusion, consider this from Michel de Montaigne, an essayist who lived from 1533-1592: There is no man so good, who, were he to submit all his thoughts and actions to the laws, would not deserve hanging ten times in his life.)

IMPROVED HUMANS

Let's look, then, at a hypothetically improved man. What views, perspectives, values and or passions would improved man embrace or favor?

Here are a few possibilities, based upon qualities described by Robert Green Ingersoll in a speech entitled, Improved Man, in 1890.
Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899)
Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899)
(Image by Donald B. Ardell (public domain))
  Details   DMCA

Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899) by Donald B. Ardell (public domain)


How closely do these ideas reflect your own thinking? To what extent do you aligned with such standards?

* The improved man or woman will favor universal liberty. He or she will be opposed not just to kings and nobles but all privileged classes.

* He will give others the rights he claims for himself - a rule as practical as it is golden.

Next Page  1  |  2  |  3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Rate It | View Ratings

Don Ardell, Ph.D. Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in











Dr. Don Ardell, is the creator of
REAL Wellness, the author of the Ardell Wellness Report ( (more...)
 

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

The Colonoscopy Is the Dying Canary in the Toxic American Mine We Call a Health Care System

Could America Become A Theocracy? Steven Jonas Thinks So - And Wrote "The 15% Solution" to Prove It

The Expansion of Catholic-Owned Medical Centers Threatens Medical Choices for All

Transforming the Nature of Worksite Wellness: AWR 645 May 2013

Pat Robertson's Marital Advice: Pretty Bad But Consider How Surprising That It Was Not So Much Worse

Indulgences Are Ludicrous But Entertaining; Other Policies of the Catholic Church Are Hazardous to Our Personal Freedoms

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend