Agency heads discuss possibilities for joint wellness programs

Four agencies are moving ahead with an initiative to create a healthier and more pleasant work environment in downtown Washington through a shared "work-life" campus.

A farmers market, green space and cafeterias to promote healthy foods were some of the ideas batted around during a meeting last month to discuss the project, which would benefit employees at the Office of Personnel Management, Interior Department, General Services Administration and Federal Reserve Board. The four agencies are located within blocks of one another, between F Street and Constitution Avenue in Northwest Washington, and collectively employ more than 6,000 people.

Other possible joint efforts include centralized child care and a garden and common green area, according to a statement from OPM. Personnel chief John Berry, who announced the project in early May, also said he wanted agencies to evaluate their wellness programs and telework policies. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, GSA acting Administrator Paul Prouty and officials from the Federal Reserve Board joined Berry at last month's meeting.

Rhea Suh, assistant secretary for policy, management and budget at Interior, said the initiative would help efforts to build a cafeteria with healthier dining options as part of a headquarters renovation that began in 2002.

"This department is particularly looking forward to creating a sustainable, healthy cafeteria that focuses on our role as community members in the larger context as well as on our commitment to employees," Suh said in an e-mail to Government Executive. "The work-life campus initiative also ties into broader federal efforts on healthy food choices and reducing the carbon footprint of federal facilities."

Salazar noted as part of OPM's statement that workplace conditions in the federal government can sometimes be "far less attractive" than those in the private sector. "America's top employers have understood for a long time just how important it is to create a pleasing place to work as a strong draw for recruiting and retaining the best talent in the land," he said

Berry has experience with work-life balance programs. While he was an assistant secretary at Interior during the Clinton administration, he oversaw initiatives to boost employee wellness.

According to OPM, this was the first in a series of monthly meetings, which the department heads hope will result in recommendations for agencies governmentwide.