Is your business’s Worksite Wellness Program Worksite Wellness Program Committee new? Has it existed on paper but been inactive for a while? In either case, some of the following may be appropriate agenda items for your first Worksite Wellness Program meetings. You may also want to revisit these topics annually.

• Clarify roles of Worksite Wellness Program Committee members
­ Are members responsible for implementing changes or recommending changes?
­ How long are members’ terms on the Worksite Wellness Program Committee?
­ How will new members be selected?

• Determine Worksite Wellness Program Committee meeting frequency and processes
­ Determine dates, times, and locations.
­ Determine how agendas will be set.
­ Plan for recording and distributing meeting notes.

• Plan Worksite Wellness Program communication with upper management
­ Does a leader sit on the group or does the coordinator report on progress (and to whom)?
­ How frequently do leaders want reports on Worksite Wellness Program progress?

• Select a name and brand for your business’s Worksite Wellness Program

• Develop a vision statement for your business’s Worksite Wellness Program

• Identify existing allies Worksite Wellness Program for promoting worker health within your business
­ Who do Worksite Wellness Program Committee members know who could be relied on to support worksite changes needed to create a culture that promotes health?

• Brainstorm challenges your business may face in working to create facilities, policies and Worksite Wellness Program practices that promote worker health
­ What do committee members regard as opportunities? How about potential Worksite Wellness Program obstacles?

• History of past Worksite Wellness Program efforts
­ If relevant, summarize past Worksite Wellness Program efforts. Discuss what your business learned from those efforts.
? What has the business tried over the last few years?
? What has worked well?
? What hasn’t worked well?
? How, if at all, was success of previous Worksite Wellness Program efforts measured?

Membership of your Worksite Wellness Program Committee

Aim for a committee of a manageable size (no more than 15 members, depending on your business’s size). Your Worksite Wellness Program Committee should represent all employee groups (e.g., full-time and part-time workers, managers and front-line staff, salary and hourly workers, union representation, HR, marketing or communications, legal, and occupational health/safety).

Here are some additional considerations:

• Worksite Wellness Program Committee members can be selected by leadership or can be selected from among volunteers.
• Determine in advance how long Worksite Wellness Program Committee members will support and how new members will be selected. Balance the need for continuity with the need to bring fresh ideas and energy to your business’s Worksite Wellness Program.
• It’s not necessary, or even desirable, to have your healthiest workers on the Worksite Wellness Program Committee. Ideal Worksite Wellness Program Committee members are those who best can represent their peers, motivate others and support the implementation of the Worksite Wellness Program.
• Consider providing an incentive or recognition to Worksite Wellness Program Committee members. It legitimizes their positions and encourages participation. Some businesss that have implemented stipends have generated enough worker interest that the selection of Worksite Wellness Program Committee membership becomes a competitive process. The Worksite Wellness Program Committee responsibilities become a formal part of the member’s job accountabilities.

Role of your Worksite Wellness Program Committee

In some businesss the Worksite Wellness Program Committee is responsible for the implementation of the Worksite Wellness Program. In other businesss, the Worksite Wellness Program Committee plays an advisory role. In either case, the group members can be asked to:

• Attend regular meetings of the Worksite Wellness Program Committee.
• Help establish a vision and name for the business’s Worksite Wellness Program.
• Represent their peers by sharing ideas, needs, concerns and feedback from their work areas and colleagues about proposed Worksite Wellness Program Strategies, policies, and programs.
• Make available feedback on the possible barriers to proposed Worksite Wellness Program Strategies and offer suggestions for addressing those barriers (e.g., how does a proposed policy fit with the schedules of workers?).
• Suggest effective Worksite Wellness Program communication Strategies and solutions to challenges. For example, what is the best way to communicate with workers who work the third shift? How will workers react to a proposed message from upper management?
• Be a voice of support for a culture of wellness, carrying the message from the Worksite Wellness Program Committee to their work areas and colleagues.

Functioning of your Worksite Wellness Program Committee

Meet. Schedule regular Worksite Wellness Program Committee meetings on paid work time. Your Worksite Wellness Program Committee may want to meet very often at first, then slightly less frequently as your health improvement strategy is more established. If your Worksite Wellness Program Committee is new, it might be useful to ask members to provide information about themselves and their interests.

Communicate. Set up regular channels of communication with Worksite Wellness Program Committee members so they are up to date and engaged. An email list is frequently the easiest way to do this. Encourage communication to flow both ways: from Worksite Wellness Program coordinator to members and from members to coordinator.

Check-in. At least once a year, determine how effectively the Worksite Wellness Program Committee is functioning. Is the Worksite Wellness Program Committee serving its original purpose? Ask committee members for their feedback. Do they feel like their work is making a difference? Do they feel like their input is valued and taken into account when planning and implementing initiatives? Do they understand their expected Worksite Wellness Program roles and responsibilities? Are there members who want to rotate off of the committee? How will new members be selected?