Health And Wellness In The WorkplaceHealth And Wellness In The Workplace

Initially introduced by Halbert Dunn in the 1950’s, wellness became a popular buzzword during the late 1970’s and received considerable academic attention in the 1980’s.  Worksite Wellness Programs for employees became more widespread during the following decade, and credible evidence for their economic viability began to be published.  There have now been over 100 published studies on this topic and a number of systematic reviews.

Health risks inflate costs.  Medical Insurance costs escalate with both age and number of risks present.8,10   The number of risks is also strongly related to sick time absenteeism, Worker’s Compensation costs, STD, and reduced work rate (”presenteeism”).

Early Employee Health Promotion Programs were relatively basic and typically produced a return on investment of less than one dollar for every dollar spent operating the program (ROI = <1:1).8 Such programs might be characterized as "fun-oriented".  Participation is entirely voluntary, and there is no particular focus on the reduction of specifically identified elevated risks.  Interventions and activities are not customized, and there is no emphasis on the management of health expenditures.  These programs are typically site-based only, lack options to address all of the primary behaviorally-related health risks, and lack multimodal presentation.  Minimal or no rewards and incentives are available to employees for participation, and services to spouses and family members are not available.  Most such programs lack meaningful assessment.  

More conventional programs are "activity-oriented" and have shown an ROI of between 1:2.5 and 1:3.5.8 These programs may have a greater emphasis on health and risk reduction, even though the efforts are relatively broad and not customized.  They may have some generalized emphasis on health cost management, even though not necessarily aimed at specific high risks.  Most are site-based and voluntary, with spouses included only rarely.  Modest rewards and incentives may be utilized to advocate participation.  Formal evaluation may be weak.

The newest and most economically viable programs are "results-oriented" and exemplify the health and productivity management model.  These programs consistently produce return rates of 1:4 or greater within a 12-24 month period.8   Such programs are strongly focused on the reduction of specifically identified high risks and the management of health expenditures.  They are generally voluntary, but use strong monetary and other incentives to promote participation.  They are multi-component in nature (address all major risks), and have both worksite and virtual modalities of operation.  The interventions are highly targeted and individualized, and available to spouses as well as staff members.

For corporations, the expense of offering health insurance for their staff members is of great significance.  Those expenditures have been rising at yearly rates between 6 percent and 14%. Chapman's 2007 systematic review published an average reduction in healthcare expenditures of 26.5 percent as a result of Employee Wellness Programs.  His review covered 60 of the most scientifically valid studies, with an average of 3.77 years of study.

Rates of Absenteeism due to illness is another cost driver.  Chapman's review reports an average reduction in sick time of 25.3%.   Cost for Worker's Compensation was reduced by 40.7%, and disability costs by 24.2%. There is also an emerging literature on the costs of presenteeism (reduced productivity).11,13  In one study, every risk reduced through a wellness program provideed a 9% reduction in presenteeism (and a 2% reduction in absenteeism).

Some businesses have achieved a zero percent increase in health care expenditures across at least brief periods of time.10  Doing so requires 90-95% participation of the employee population in focused wellness drives, with 75%-85% of the staff members falling into the low risk category.10  Although robust efforts to decrease the risk status of those in moderate or high risk categories must be made, the needs of currently healthy staff members must be addressed as well to avoid increases in risk-status.

Given the size of the federal workforce, important cost savings in the government's contribution to healthcare insurance premiums for workers might be achieved if a majority of that population were participating in active wellness programs.  Similarly, improvements in absenteeism, worker's compensation, disability, presenteeism, and turnover as a result of robust Company Wellness Programs would yield substantial fiscal advantages for the government.

References

1.   Aldana, Steven G.  (2001)   Financial Impact of Company Health Promotion Programs:  A Comprehensive Review of the Literature.   Am J Health Promotion 15(5):296-320.
2.   Chapman, Larry.  (1998)   The Role of Incentives in Health Promotion.  The Art of Health Promotion  2(3):1-8.
3.   Chapman, Larry.   (2003)   Biometric Screening in Health Promotion:  Is it Really As Important as We Think?  The Art of Health Promotion  7(2):1-12.
4.   Chapman, Larry.  (2005)   Meta-Evaluation of Worksite Wellness Programs Economic Return Studies: 2005 Update.  The Art of Health Promotion, July/August, 1-15.
5.   Chapman, Larry.   (2006)   Employee Participation in Workplace Wellness Programs and Workplace Wellness Programs:  How Important are Incentives, and Which Ones work Best?   North Carolina Medical Journal   67(6):  431-432.
6.   Chapman, Larry, Lesch, Nancy, and Passas Baun, Mary Beth.   (2007)   The Role of Health and Wellness Coaching in Corporate Wellness Programs.   The Art of Health Promotion, July/August, 1-12.
7.   Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   Proof Positive:  An Analysis of the cost-Effectiveness of Worksite Wellness.  Northwest Health Management Publishing, Seattle, WA.
8.   Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   An In-Depth Look at the Economic Evidence for Rewarding Health Behavior Change.   Workshop presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthy Behaviors for Health Plans and Employers” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.
9.   Edington, Dee.   (2001)   Emerging Research:  A View from One Research Center.  American Journal of Health Promotion 15(5): 341-349.
10.   Edington, Dee W.  (2007)   Health Management as a Serious Business Strategy.  Presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthy Behaviors for Health Plans and Employers” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.
11.   Pelletier, Barbara, Boles, Myde, and Lunch, Wendy.  (2004)  Changes in Health Risks and Work Productivity.   Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 46(7): 746-754.
12.   Pelletier, Kenneth R.  (2005)   A Review and Analysis of the Clinical and Cost-Effectiveness Studies of comprehensive Health and Disease Management Programs at the Worksite: Update VI 2000-2004.  JOEM 47(10)1051-1058.
13.   DeVol, Ross, Bedroussian, Armen, et. al.  (2007)  An Unhealthy America:  The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease.  Report released by the Milken Institute.   www.milkeninstitute.org.
14.   Partnership for Prevention.  (2008) Investing in Health:  Proven Health Promotion Practices for Workplaces.   http://www.prevent.org/images/stories/2008/investinginhealth_finalfinal.pdf.

Business America is increasingly investing in employee wellness because it is good business.  In order to meet productivity demands, employers must rely on a healthy, advantageous workforce to succeed in the highly competitive global marketplace.  Over a hundred research studies in both corporate and governmental settings have documented the economic benefits of Company Health Promotion Programs, including reduced absenteeism, reduced injuries and workman’s compensation costs, reduced medical costs, reduced employee turnover, as well as greater productivity, greater worker satisfaction, and improved morale.1-10  

The more recent literature reflects improvements in wellness programming along with greater return on investment.  In general, the more focused and intensive the program, the greater profit realized.  To enhance their success federal government Corporate Wellness Programs may be able to incorporate some of the features described.  Employee wellness programs shown to have positive returns on investment often include the following features:

1.   Health and productiveness management model
Programs characterized by this model focus attention on identification and reduction of specific risks or behaviors such as smoking, lack of physical exercise, excess weight, unhealthy diet, high cholesterol, high Blood Pressure (BP), stress, depression, and so on.  High-risk staff members are specifically targeted for intervention, although the most thriving programs also direct efforts towards healthy staff members in order to maintain their low-risk status.  This model emphasizes outcomes as opposed to simply offering wellness activities for their own sake.  

2.   Health risk appraisal
Use of a computerized health risk appraisal (HRA) instrument with individualized feedback and recommendations is almost universal in thriving programs.  Workers take the questionnaire each year in numerous cases.  The HRA serves to broaden awareness, provide direction, and excite people to better specific behaviors.  In some cases, the customized report is directly linked to appropriate resources related to identified risks.  Research indicates that the use of an HRA is effective if it is followed by some kind of educational or therapeutic intervention for identified risks.  It frequently serves as the entry point into wellness programs.

3.   Health Testing
Many programs combine the outcome of the health risk appraisal with measurement of each employee’s biometrics, including weight and Body Mass Index (BMI), Blood Pressure (BP), blood lipids, fasting glucose, and assorted other metrics.  Combining the results of the HRA with biological measures results in a more accurate risk profile.   Computerized health risk appraisals frequently incorporate biometric data in their risk analysis.

4.   Incentives
employees are usually given monetary or other important rewards for completing an HRA, participation in a program or class, specific accomplishments such as stopping smoking, losing weight, or exercising, and for maintaining healthy status and/or behaviors.  In many cases the monetary incentives/rewards are associated with reductions in healthcare insurance premiums.  Some programs use disincentives as well as incentives/rewards, such as charging employees who smoke higher rates for their healthcare insurance contribution.

5.   High participation rates
Effective programs use incentives and rewards to drive participation rates up.  They also market their programs extensively, and may use contest or challenge strategies to heighten enthusiasm and promote participation.

6.   Wellness coaching
staff members with identified risks or desire to improve their health habits may be periodically coached via phone by trained wellness coaches.  Wellness Coaching helps staff members set and achieve realistic lifestyle-related objectives and goals including those approaching stress, work life balance, smoking, weight, physical exercise, and various behavior modifications.  Three or more sessions are generally available.  In some intensive programs, the coaching extends to actual disease management intervention for staff members with identified elevated-risk diseases.

7.   Multiple formats
Programs may offer wellness content in online, paper, and seminar formats to reinforcement stimulating variety and alternatives in order to accommodate the needs of all workers.  In addition to onsite physical exercise and healthy eating events, on-line programs, e-mail reminders and notices, printed newsletters and materials, and organization courses are common dissemination strategies.

8.   Senior Leadership reinforcement
Enthusiastic and frequent endorsement by senior staff is critical to achieving high rates of participation.  When senior executives are wellness role models themselves the effects of endorsement are enhanced.

9.   Frequent contact
Effective programs have common contact of some sort with every employee.  This may be through marketing efforts (e.g., posters, e-mail notices, reminders, or messages, etc.), bulletin boards, newsletters, employee meeting presentations, discussion in new employee orientation, supervisory sessions, etc.   The key is to enhance employee awareness of wellness and health opportunities and reinforce the corporate emphasis on wellness through common and multiple “touches”.

10.   Open enrollment
To bolster high participation rates workers must have easy access to the wellness programs and activities.  Open and uncomplicated enrollment processes achieve this.  Some employers automatically enroll all workers and then allow those who do not wish to take part to “opt-out”.  This practice has been shown to boost enrollment rates in some settings.

11.   Family participation
Many programs advocate spouses and other family members to take part in the business wellness activities and to adopt a healthy lifestyle along with the designated employee.  It is far easier for the employee to have a healthy lifestyle if his/her family does so as well.

12.   Smoking cessation
Because smoking and other tobacco use is the number one threat to health it is essential to offer workers effective and convenient assistance with stopping.  Access to smoking cessation pharmaceuticals is often part of such programs.  In-house programs offer the most convenient access to these services, although on-line or phone-based programs may be available as well.  

13.   Physical Activity
Regular physical activity is a core component of every wellness program.  Employees must be strongly encouraged to engage in regular physical activity.  Most programs provide either periodic or continuous worksite opportunities, and some locations have worksite gyms, swimming pools, walking trails, etc.  Discounted or paid memberships to community exercise facilities is a common alternative to worksite facilities.

14.   Weight management
Because obesity is a primary threat to health it is imperative that programs offer effective assistance with weight management.  Enthusiastic encouragement from upper management to shed excess weight is important.  Web-based programs, worksite programs, or discounted access to weight management programs in the neighborhood may all be available.  Long-term follow-up is essential for maintenance of weight loss.

15.   Stress management
Workplace stress is perhaps the most common issue among workers and a primary contributor to absenteeism, presenteeism (reduced productivity), and low morale.  Almost all thriving wellness programs offer assistance with personal and worksite stress.  Some programs refer workers to outside resources for more serious conditions like depression and anxiety disorders, but most offer web-based or successive workplace general stress reduction programs.  Some organizations endeavor to structure the work environment to minimize stress, both physically and operationally.

16.   Health screenings/immunizations
employees are actively encouraged to complete recommended medical care screenings for Blood Pressure (BP), blood lipids, BMI, colorectal and breast cancer, and others.  Annual influenza immunizations are also encouraged.  Some sites offer these services at the workplace.  Incentives are often awarded for completion of these screenings/immunizations.

17.   Onsite health care
Actual provision of onsite primary care medical services is a growing trend.  The rapidly escalating expenditures of medical care insurance for employees has stimulated this trend.  Some companies have saw that it is less expensive to offer primary care services themselves than to fund those services through health care insurance.  Onsite care also reduces the amount of time employees would otherwise spend away from the worksite getting such services.

References

1.   Aldana, Steven G.  (2001)   Financial Impact of Worksite Wellness Programs:  A Comprehensive Review of the Literature.   Am J Health Promotion 15(5):296-320.
2.   Chapman, Larry.  (1998)   The Role of Incentives in Health Promotion.  The Art of Health Promotion  2(3):1-8.
3.   Chapman, Larry.   (2003)   Biometric Screening in Health Promotion:  Is it Really As Important as We Think?  The Art of Health Promotion  7(2):1-12.
4.   Chapman, Larry.  (2005)   Meta-Evaluation of Worksite Health Promotion Programs Economic Return Studies: 2005 Update.  The Art of Health Promotion, July/August, 1-15.
5.   Chapman, Larry.   (2006)   Employee Participation in Company Wellness Programs and Company Wellness Programs:  How Important are Incentives, and Which Ones work Best?   North Carolina Medical Journal   67(6):  431-432.
6.   Chapman, Larry, Lesch, Nancy, and Passas Baun, Mary Beth.   (2007)   The Role of Health and Wellness Coaching in Corporate Wellness Programs.   The Art of Health Promotion, July/August, 1-12.
7.   Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   Proof Positive:  An Analysis of the cost-Effectiveness of Worksite Wellness.  Northwest Health Management Publishing, Seattle, WA.
8.   Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   An In-Depth Look at the Economic Evidence for Rewarding Health Behavior Change.   Workshop presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthy Behaviors for Health Plans and Employers” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.
9.   Edington, Dee.   (2001)   Emerging Research:  A View from One Research Center.  American Journal of Health Promotion 15(5): 341-349.
10.   Edington, Dee W.  (2007)   Health Management as a Serious Business Strategy.  Presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthy Behaviors for Health Plans and Employers” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.
11.   Pelletier, Barbara, Boles, Myde, and Lunch, Wendy.  (2004)  Changes in Health Risks and Work Productivity.   Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 46(7): 746-754.
12.   Pelletier, Kenneth R.  (2005)   A Review and Analysis of the Clinical and Cost-Effectiveness Studies of comprehensive Health and Disease Management Programs at the Job Site: Update VI 2000-2004.  JOEM 47(10)1051-1058.
13.   DeVol, Ross, Bedroussian, Armen, et. al.  (2007)  An Unhealthy America:  The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease.  Report released by the Milken Institute.   www.milkeninstitute.org.
14.   Partnership for Prevention.  (2008) Investing in Health:  Proven Health Promotion Practices for Workplaces.   http://www.prevent.org/images/stories/2008/investinginhealth_finalfinal.pdf.

Evaluations determine the outcome of a Worksite Wellness Program. They help you learn if your objectives were met. It is a good idea to add an evaluation component to your Worksite Wellness Program.

Evaluations may conclude that some interventions didn’t work well. You may learn that a popular Worksite Wellness Program costs too much and didn’t really affect employees’ health. While these may not be the outcomes you hoped for, without this information you might continue ineffective interventions. Having this information will help you develop better solutions. When your results are great, it’s magnificent! You can spread the word to staff members and management that your program is achieving its objectives and goals.

Three major areas of an assessment

• Corporate Health Promotion Program structure – The basic framework of the program
• Company Wellness Program process – How well the program is run
• Corporate Health Promotion Program outcomes – Whether the program met the set objectives

Common questions used to evaluate a Workplace Health Promotion Program

Company Health Promotion Program Structure Questions

• What is included in the Corporate Health Promotion Program? What is the intervention?
• Where does the Workplace Wellness Program take place?
• How is the Workplace Wellness Program delivered? What content is included?
• Who manages the Worksite Health Promotion Program?

Employee Wellness Program Process Questions

• How many people take part?
• Do participants complete the Company Health Promotion Program?
• Are participants satisfied?
• Which aspects of the Company Wellness Program are best attended?

Workplace Wellness Program Outcome Questions

• Does the Workplace Wellness Program improve knowledge about health problems?
• Does the Employee Wellness Program change behavior?
• Does the Employee Health Promotion Program save the corporation money?
• What is the return on investment (ROI)?

• Identify through an employee survey what rewards and incentives they value.
• Determine what incentives and rewards the organization can provide as well as what the budget will allow.
• Make sure that every colleague who achieves a goal receives some recognition.
• Avoid offering incentives for the “best” or the “most.”
• Avoid using food as a reward.
• Use incentives to encourage your Worksite Health Promotion Program, through logos and branding.

Incentives promote workers to adopt beneficial behaviors or maintain an existing beneficial behavior that may potentially help the employee stay healthy and live longer. Adopting beneficial health behavior is fundamentally what wellness is about.

Incentives can be used to stimulate participation rates, help people complete a Worksite Wellness Program, or help people change or adhere to healthy lifestyles. Providing incentives/rewards and rewards will send an significant message to the staff members that your company is committed to assisting them with working on their health. It also plays a significant role in motivating people to take part.

Tips on how to choose appropriate incentives/rewards:

• Determine through an employee survey what incentives they value.
• Ascertain what incentives/rewards the business can support as well as what the budget will allow.
• Ensure that every colleague who achieves a intention receives some recognition.
• Avoid offering rewards and incentives for the “best” or the “most.”
• Avoid using food as a reward.
• Use incentives and rewards to reward your Worksite Health Promotion Program, through logos and branding.

When creating a accross the board Employee Health Promotion Program, make sure that it consists of a variety of awareness, lifestyle modification, supportive environment programs, policies and activities that target risk behaviors, and the needs and interests of the workers. It will be important to review and revise existing policies governing such areas as smoking sections and the employee cafeteria.

Tips on beginning a Company Wellness Program:

• Design activities based on your intended goals discussing the specific needs of your employees. Focus on those subject matters that are of greatest interest to your employees and the greatest needs of your company, in that order. Avoid subject matters with narrow appeal.
• Keep it simple. Design the Worksite Wellness Program so it’s simple for the participants to be aware of and track.
• Integrate a combination of activities to include awareness, educational, and behavior elements.
• Choose activities in which every employee can take part.

Recommendations for your Worksite Health Promotion Program:

• Challenges. Activities that focus on practicing a desired behavior that continues for 4-8 weeks and focuses on specific topics (such as physical activity, nutrition, or stress management).
• Learning experiences. This includes sessions, videos, and classes.
• Behavior changes (such as smoking cessation). You may or may not offer interventions at the workplace. However, you must advocate individuals to make lifestyle changes that they want to make even without an external incentive.
• Education on disease management. By way of example, support and education groups for diabetes, high Blood Pressure, etc.
• Learing new skills. By way of example, CPR and first aid.
• Preventive screenings like Blood Pressure, cholesterol, and vision.

Source: Adapted from the Building Healthy Texans Worksite Wellness Toolkit.

Establish goals/objectives

Goals are general standard procedures that explain what you want to achieve. Objectives define strategies or steps to take to attain the identified goal.

A wellness program should have a “destination”. Use the results of your surveys and your wellness committee’s mission statement as guides. Consider these ideas:

• Focus on making health information and learning resources readily available to staff members
• Focus on group activities so workers can work together to support and bolster healthier lifestyles
• Organize a wellness program that is visible to both employees and to your customers
• Focus on written policies and ground rules
• Set objectives for your wellness program.

Review Guidelines for Writing Goals.

Goals Should Be

Specific – A goal is specific when it supports a description of what will be accomplished. It will state exactly what the company intends to accomplish. It ought to be written so that it can be easily and clearly communicated. A specific goal will make it easier for those writing objectives and action plans to address the following questions:

• Who is to be involved?
• What is to be accomplished?
• Where is it to be done?
• When is it to be done?

Measurable – A goal is measurable if it is quantifiable. To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as: How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?

Attainable – You can attain most any objective you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps. Goals that may have seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable.

Realistic – Realistic, means “do-able.” The intention needs to be realistic for your business and where the business is at the moment. A intention to take out all the high fat items in the snack machines may not be realistic for your business right now; a better intention would be to substitute some of the chips, candy bars and pies for pretzels, yogurt and dried fruit.

Timely – Finally, a objective must have a timeframe: for next week, in three months, by age 35. It must have a starting and ending point. It ought to also have some intermediate points at which progress can be assessed. Limiting the time in which a objective must be accomplished helps to focus effort toward its performance. If you do not set a time, the responsibility is too vague. It tends not to happen because you feel you can start at any time. Without a time limit, there’s no urgency to start taking action now.

Successful wellness programs are designed to meet the needs and interests of the employees. Ask employees what they are interested in, and what needs they have. People are more willing to participate and support wellness efforts if they are involved in the decision-making process.

When planning a survey, keep the following hints in mind:

• Ask mostly closed form questions, especially if you will be sending the survey to a big number of workers. Closed form questions offer specific choices and are easy to tabulate.
• Invite comments, opinions and recommendations, or ask open-ended questions at the end of the survey. Open-ended items are more difficult to summarize.
• Include a brief explanatory cover letter with the survey with the signature of the organization president. Make sure to include a statement about confidentiality and anonymity.
• Ask a group of representative employees to review the survey before it is distributed. Find out if the questions will be understood by employees and won’t be objected to.
• Include demographic information at the beginning, or end of the survey (gender, age, shift, site, department, etc.).
• Conduct a random drawing for a valued incentive item for all those who returned the survey. This could increase the response rate.

One rule to consider concerning surveys is if you have fewer than 500 employees, everyone must receive one. The benefit of everyone receiving a survey can be significant. If you have over 500 employees, a sample of the work population from each department will suffice. The higher the response, the more valid and reliable the outcome. A minimum response of 40% to 50% is considered significant.

A vital first step in organizing your company’s wellness program is the formation of a Corporate Wellness Program Committee. The focus of the Corporate Wellness Program Committee is to plan, promote, and implement the program. The Corporate Wellness Program Committee establishes continuity, motivation, and broad ownership of the program as well as supports an excellent vehicle for communication.

So who ought to be on the Company Wellness Program Committee? Consider appointing the following people/departments to your Company Wellness Program Committee:

• Upper Management within your business
• Union representatives
• Human Resources (HR) department
• EAP
• Information technology
• Communications
• Health and safety department
• staff members interested in health and wellbeing

Building a efficacious Worksite Health Promotion Program requires employee time as well as money. Some larger companies may invest 20 hours per week for three to six months preparing all the steps prior to starting a Worksite Health Promotion Program.

Anywhere from 4 to ten people meeting monthly equals a Corporate Wellness Program Committee. A mission statement for the Corporate Wellness Program Committee should be developed by the second meeting. This way, everyone knows what the Corporate Wellness Program Committee is working toward.

Once a wellness program has been established, the committee’s size and meeting schedule may change. Still, no fewer than 4 participants should meet at least quarterly so the group – and the wellness program – does not fade away.

Support from management is critical to building a thriving wellness program! Visible management reinforcement is one of the most vital factors in the success of a worksite Company Wellness Program. Upper Management executives are responsible for making sure that the organization meets its objectives. They can provide additional assistance by supporting you to link your Company Wellness Program objectives to organization outcomes, thereby positioning Company Wellness Program as a fundamental part of the organization.

It is significant to foster support and excitement for the program from all levels of the organization including upper management, mid-level management, and grass-root staff members.

The challenge for any Workplace Health Promotion Program coordinator is convincing management about the potential value of Workplace Health Promotion Program to the corporation and conceptualizing how Workplace Health Promotion Program pushes can influence the corporation in a meaningful manner. The American Journal of Health Promotion is a great resource to assist you with obtaining convincing information on the advantages of a Workplace Health Promotion Program.

Company Health Promotion Program support from management can come in countless different ways:

• Involvement in the wellness program planning process
• Distribution of funding for the wellness program
• Support for time given to the wellness program
• Participation in wellness events
• Leadership by management, such as the distribution of a letter of reinforcement for the program.
• Flexibility of employee schedules to accommodate wellness activities

The first step in starting your wellness/Workplace Health Promotion Program is to know your organization and how Workplace Health Promotion Program will fit into the current structure. By researching your organization’s history with similar programs and eliciting feedback from co-staff members, you can discover the best solution for your organization.

Corporate Health Promotion Program: Research Questions

• Find out if Company Health Promotion Program has been done in the past. If so, what worked and what did not?
• Was it widely accepted?
• Was programming successful? Why or why not?
• What does your corporation hope to gain from launching a Corporate Health Promotion Program?

Answers to these questions will help you start the process of creating a culture of wellness within your company. It is imperative that you evaluate the environment before starting a program.