Creating a Wellness Program.

Ideally, you’ll develop an overall plan for a wellness program before beginning to plan specific wellness programs. for example, you can start by getting the following elements in place -

• support from  senior management

• a wellness committee or team

• information about the wellness needs and interests of employees

• a budget

• program objectives

• an examination plan

Even when you’ve few financial and/or HR, you can still take a “micro” approach. for example, you may focus on only one specific issue or problem. Creativity, enthusiasm and planning can help you overcome limitations.

This article will give you some ideas for establishing up wellness programs. Even the smallest steps can have an impact.

Whether you pick to begin with a single program or create something larger, planning is essential. First think about the big picture and then look after the details.

Ask yourself these questions -

• Identify an action. What health-related program will fit the bill and best suit the employees and organization?

• Promote. How can you most effectively get the word out to employees? What are the opportunities for promotion? Consider everything, because employees have access to and pay attention to different kinds of messages.

In a average workplace, workers get information from e-mail, newsletters, bulletins,  flyers, meeting announcements and fellow workers.

• Deliver. Who’s the best person or group to put the program into action? Ask other businesses about approaches they have used. Decide on your budget before making a decision.

• Evaluate. What should you evaluate to determine success? Do you need hard data and/or testimonials from individual participants?

We recommend the following when planning your initiative -

• creating and communicating clear objectives

• targeting your audience

• determining on the kind of program or campaign

The Elements of Wellness Programming

Programs to promote wellness in the workplace do not need to be restricted to a single area. You may think corporate wellness only involves promoting positive personal health, e.g., blood pressure (BP) clinics,  flyers on heart disease, “lunch and learn” workshops on consuming habits and short-term physical activity programs.

These activities are important, but corporate wellness should also be part of a corporation’s company strategy and go beyond traditional programming.

Taking a expanded approach, the National Quality Institute lately identified three key elements of a healthful workplace -

• physical environment

• social environment and personal resources

• health practices

Specific Program Ideas

Physical Environment

Look after workers’ health and safety and establish regulations to support their health and safety. Consider providing the following -

• Safe bike storage and shower and/or change facilities for cyclists and other commuters.

• Fridges for staff members to keep snacks and meals fresh and/or healthy snacks in vending machines and cafeterias.

• Ergonomic assessments.

• Subsidies to help workers join local recreation centers.

• Classrooms/conference rooms available for booking activities like yoga, pilates, tai chi, meditation and aerobics.

• Safe and pleasant stairwells that invite workers to use them.

• Assessing the potential for violence at work with plans to deal with such risks.

• Good lighting and sound and air quality.

Social Environment

Human relationships and communication, as well as ways of doing business, can affect an employee’s mental and physical health. Companies should consider the following -

• respectful workplace policies that provide safe worksites

• policies on flex time

• policies on working from home

• employee satisfaction surveys

• leadership coaching

• resiliency training

• staff member assistance programs

To foster a positive social culture or climate, consider employees’ needs, which include -

• being respected

• a sense of belonging, purpose and mission

• freedom of expression

• protection from harassment and discrimination

What you’ve “always done” might not address current staff member needs. Ensuring that people  enjoy being at work isn’t an easy task, but making the right changes can have a gigantic impact.

Health Practices

Offer programs and set policies that help staff members remain healthy or improve their health while at work. Consider offering the following -

• “Lunch and learn sessions” on healthful habits such as sleeping better, eating on the run, healthful snacks, using a pedometer, pole walking, work-life balance, time management, stress management, resiliency, parenting and reading nutrition labels.

• Stop use of tobacco clinics or subsidies to help workers quit.

• Health risk (assessment|appraisal}s, including fitness assessments.

• Programs to address the issues raised in the health risk (assessment|appraisal}s.

• Healthy snacks served at meetings and conferences.

Personal Corporate Wellness Tips

If there’s no wellness program at your worksite, do not let that stop you from keeping healthy. Perhaps your example will spark a movement toward a healthier workplace.

Here are a few ideas to think about -

• be active at work. There are many ways to bring activity into your workday. Walk to work, even if it’s just one way. Hold walking meetings. Bike to work. Use the stairs. Walk to a workmate’s office in lieu of sending an e-mail.

• Eat well at work. Pack a healthy snack and meal. Place a bottle of water at your desk or workstation. Eat breakfast and eat regularly during the day. Take turns bringing a basket of fruit for peers’ snacks. Order healthy snacks for meetings.

• Maintain work-life balance. Be certain to work efficiently so you can leave on time. Conduct short, effective meetings. Leave your work at work and do not take it home.

Minimize social chit-chat. Make sure to set up your office to enhance your work. Prevent clutter. Plan and prioritize to ensure that the most important things get done first.

There’s no limit to the number or variety of wellness programs. A key to success is planning well and ensuring that you can evaluate the results so that you can sustain momentum.

Talk to other wellness practitioners to find out what works well for them. Listen to your peers to determine their needs and interests. and do not forget to promote, promote, promote.