10 Reasons to Partner with a Registered Dietitian for Your Employee Wellness Program
If you’re looking to get an employee wellness program off the ground, the good news is that you don’t have to do it alone. There are lots of experts in the employee wellness industry that can make your job much, much easier. AND they’ll make your program super successful as well! The top pro to consider working with for your employee wellness program? Registered Dietitians!
I personally have been in the worksite wellness space for almost 10 years since becoming a registered dietitian (you can learn more about my backstory HERE). As a former corporate executive, I know first-hand the struggles and challenges that come with wanting to excel at your job so much that you often leave your own health behind as an after-thought. When I became a dietitian and learned about the world of corporate wellness, I knew this is exactly where I’m meant to be and the people I’m intended to help. I always bring empathy to my employee wellness programs and people because I’ve been there. I know the challenges one faces in their day and why we often put ourselves last on our To-Do list.
While not every registered dietitian comes from a corporate background, there are many reasons why it makes sense to consider partnering with a registered dietitian for your employee wellness program needs. Here’s 10 reasons why registered dietitians (RDs) make the right partner to bring your employee wellness program to life.
#1: REGISTERED DIETITIANS ARE GOOD AT WORKING WITH PEOPLE
Ask any dietitian why they became an RD, and the top response you will get is “to help people.” Unlike doctors, who spend very little time working directly with patients, dietitians step in to provide continuing care. Many of your employees may have either thought about or have previously worked with a registered dietitian for their nutrition and health needs. RDs work with a variety of people from different backgrounds, professions, and health status. In fact, when training to become an RD, we do a series of rotations in different settings where we encounter many different people to help. A key part of being an RD is meeting people where they are at in their health and wellness journey,
#2: REGISTERED DIETITIANS ARE EXCELLENT EDUCATORS
Whether you are looking for educational lunch and learns, cooking demos, or nutrition counseling, registered dietitians can often be a one stop shop for these needs. RDs are trained to educate on a variety of health conditions, meal planning, and general wellness. Most importantly, we know how to educate to our audience’s level and make sure we present those big scientific concepts in a relatable manner. Our goal is to make nutrition simple and approachable for every audience we work with.
#3: REGISTERED DIETITIANS HAVE AREAS OF SPECIALTY
Just like a doctor can be a generalist or a specialist, RDs can be the same. Some RDs are experts in diabetes, culinary skills, cardiac health, gut health, or oncology, just to name a few. Others may be experts in sports nutrition, allergies, or weight management. In addition to holding an RD credential, some RDs may hold certifications in other areas like personal training, yoga instruction, mindfulness, or diabetes education. No matter your group or individual need, there is an RD expert out there for your employees.
#4: REGISTERED DIETITIANS PROVIDE SAFE & EVIDENCE-BASED RECOMMENDATIONS
The last thing you want to do as an HR professional is to bring harm to your employees by subjecting them to someone who’s NOT a credentialed healthcare professional. Don’t be fooled – a dietitian and nutritionist ARE NOT the same thing. Dietitians need to obtain a Master’s degree, complete up to a 1200 hour dietetic internship, pass a national exam, and maintain continuing education. “Nutritionists” require none of the above. Dietitians are not coming to sell harmful products or supplements to your employees or give them unsafe advice. In fact, a majority of our work is debunking nutrition information your employees hear on social media, in the news, and from their fellow colleagues.
#5: REGISTERED DIETITIANS ARE EDUCATED & CREDENTIALED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL NUTRITION THERAPY (MNT)
A big question we get a lot is what is the difference between a registered dietitian and a health coach. While health coaches do pass a national exam, they are only able to provide general health information. Dietitians can do this as well, but dietitians are also able to provide medical nutrition therapy (MNT) to help manage and treat health conditions including diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, or digestive issues. It is out of a health coach’s scope of practice to provide or educate on any MNT.
#6: REGISTERED DIETITIANS CAN OFFER ONGOING SUPPORT & REINFORCEMENT
Dietitians know that one session or event is often not going to be enough to help people get to their wellness goals. We can help provide support between sessions, supply resources, and provide reinforcement at future sessions and events. Dietitians have many tools in their toolbelts to help clients be successful.
#7: REGISTERED DIETITIANS CAN COORDINATE WITH OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS
Dietitians are trained in taking a patient-centric approach to health. RDs know they’re part of a health team when it comes to patient care. Whether that means referring to another RD who specializes in a specific area or working with a therapist, social worker, or physician, we want to see our people succeed. We also know the importance of working together as a team with other health care professionals. Likewise, RDs can bring in other health care professionals to provide expertise, education, and guidance to your employees at on-site or virtual events.
#8: REGISTERED DIETITIANS CAN WORK VIA YOUR INSURANCE PROVIDERS
Did you know that many nutrition education services can be done through your insurance benefits??? This includes educational sessions, company-wide challenges, and group or individual coaching sessions. Many employees are not aware that their insurance plans cover working with a registered dietitian, oftentimes at no cost to the employee. Talk with your insurance provider or broker to find out what wellness benefits your plan provides, and how a registered dietitian may be utilized to help off-set the cost.
*Not all registered dietitians choose to be credentialed or participate in insurance networks, so it’s important to know what the guidelines and requirements are to have insurance cover programs, events, and counseling with a registered dietitian.
#9: REGISTERED DIETITIANS CAN PROVIDE OTHER NUTRITION EDUCATION SERVICES FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES (AND CUSTOMERS!)
Dietitians can provide more than just a one-off lunch & learn event. If you’re looking to continuously reinforce health and wellness to your employees, RDs are just the people who can help. Many RDs are expert communicators and can create newsletters, social media content, educational videos and more! If your company provides a B2C product or service, RDs can also help to promote your brand in the media and your target audience. RDs can create content that you not only share with your employees, but with your consumer base as well, providing significant added value to your wellness investment.
#10: REGISTERED DIETITIANS ARE PEOPLE, TOO!
Most importantly, always remember that registered dietitians ARE NOT the food police! We are not coming to judge your cafeteria menu, vending machine offerings, or lunchtime choices. RDs are busy professionals, and we too struggle with many of the same challenges that you do you in your working days and personal lives at home when it comes to mealtime, grocery shopping, and managing our own health. We listen and empathize with your challenges because it’s highly likely that we’ve been there too. We can work together to come up with solutions that work best for you.
Working with a registered dietitian for your company’s employee wellness needs can be one of the best and most cost-effective choices you can make to support your employee wellness goals. If you’re curious about working with a registered dietitian or learning how an RD can support your wellness program, CONTACT ME or visit my EMPLOYEE WELLNESS offerings to get started.
And don’t forget to download the Employee Wellness Getting Started Toolkit to help you get started with your employee wellness program planning needs.
