Wellness Programs A to Z

As with any wellness program, the two vital elements for the success of your wellness program are upper management support and employee involvement. Executive management sets the vision and provides the resources from which action plans flow.  

Genuine support from executive management also lends credibility to the health promotion program. It’s key that executive management be visible supporters and role models for your Health Promotion Program.

Employees need to be involved on a few levels so that they feel ownership of the wellness program. Employees are the wellness program stakeholders!  

All employees should have an opportunity to provide input and feedback through needs and interest surveys and health promotion program examination tools.  The information gathered should be used to plan health promotion programs that target those needs and interests to ensure participation, buy-in, and support.

There are a few methods to identify staff member needs and interests such as –

• Conducting Employee Focus Groups

• Discussing Wellness Interests During Department Meetings

• Distributing and Summarizing a Needs and Interest Survey

• Including an Opportunity to Give Suggestions on Each Analysis Tool  

Any one or combination of several techniques will ensure that the health promotion program meets what workforce want.  Click here for a sample Needs and Interest Survey.

Step 3 provides additional information on determining health promotion program needs.  But first, establishing a Wellness Committee can help you involve upper management and employees, determine need, and plan your health promotion program.