Workplace-based wellness initiatives have the potential to improve employee health, satisfaction, and productivity. In 2018, the California Department of Public Health’s Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Branch (NEOPB) hired Facente Consulting to update the California Fit Business Kit (CFBK), a toolkit that supports employers of low-wage workers and their technical assistance providers (such as local health departments) in implementing low-barrier worksite wellness strategies.
This project had three main phases. In the first phase, Facente Consulting conducted a literature review that included (i) a review of the peer-reviewed literature on worksite wellness initiatives and (ii) synthesis of worksite wellness resources from state health departments across the country. In the second phase, Facente Consulting interviewed two sets of key informants—employers of California low-wage workers and subject matter experts—to understand their perspectives on how to improve the CFBK. In the third and final phase, Facente Consulting iteratively refined the CFBK, with ongoing feedback from subject matter experts and NEOPB, to finalize toolkit content.