Wellness Plans : Creating a Health Promotion Program.

Ideally, you’ll create an overall plan for a wellness program before starting to plan specific wellness programs. for example, you can begin by getting the following elements in place –

• support from senior level management

• A wellness committee or team

• information about the wellness needs and interests of employees

• A budget

• health promotion program objectives

• An evaluation plan

Even if you have few financial and/or HR, you can still take a “micro” approach. for  instance, 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 health promotion programs. Even the smallest steps can have an impact.

Whether you choose to start with a single health promotion 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 wellness program will fit the bill and best suit the personnel and organization?

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

In a average worksite, 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 health promotion program into action? Ask other organizations 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 wellness program –

• creating and communicating clear health promotion program objectives

• Targeting your audience

• determining on the type of health promotion program or campaign

The Elements of Wellness Programming

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

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

Taking a broader 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 personnel to keep snacks and meals fresh and/or healthful snacks in vending machines and cafeterias.

• Ergonomic assessments.

• Subsidies to help staff members join local recreation centers.

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

• Safe and pleasant stairwells that invite staff members to use them.

• Reviewing 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, in addition to ways of doing company, can affect an staff member’s mental and physical health. Organizations ought to consider the following –

• respectful worksite policies that provide safe worksites

• policies on flex time

• policies on working from home

• staff member satisfaction surveys

• leadership coaching

• resiliency training

• worker 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” may 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 huge impact.

Health Practices

Make available wellness programs and set policies that help staff members remain healthful or improve their health while at work. Consider offering the following –

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

• Stop tobacco use clinics or subsidies to help workforce quit.

• Health risk appraisals, including fitness assessments.

• Programs to address the issues raised in the health risk appraisals.

• Healthy snacks served at meetings and conferences.

Personal Employee Wellness Tips

When there’s no wellness program at your workplace, 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 instead 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 sure to work efficiently so you can leave on time. Conduct short, effective meetings. Leave your work at work and don’t take it home.

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

There is 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 figure out what works well for them. Listen to your coworkers to determine their needs and interests.  And don’t forget to promote, promote, promote.