Conference aims to turn federal managers into 'wellness wonks'

Tuesday - 9/6/2011, 9:08am EDT

Dr. Casey Chosewood, senior medical officer, NIOSH

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Federal officials say it can only benefit your agency's mission to put a wellness program into place for your employees. After all, healthier workers are more productive workers.

Now, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is sponsoring a symposium geared toward helping federal managers put health and fitness programs in place.

The three-day symposium is called "Healthier Federal Workers 2011," aims to help managers become wellness wonks.

Dr. Casey Chosewood, a senior medical officer for Total Worker Health at NIOSH, joined the Federal Drive to discuss the conference and why it's themes are important for federal managers and employees, alike.

He said one of the aims of the conference was catching federal agencies up with the private sector, which has readily embraced wellness programs.

Chosewood also discussed how agencies, which are already squeezed by tight budgets, will be able to incorporate wellness programs.