Posts from — October 2008

A representative Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative Committee is a cornerstone of a successful Workplace Wellness Program, regardless of the size of the employer.

Membership of your Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative Committee

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

Here are some additional considerations:

• Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative Committee members can be selected by leadership or can be selected from among volunteers.
• Determine in advance how long Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative 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 employer’s Workplace Wellness Program.
• It’s not necessary, or even desirable, to have your healthiest employees on the Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative Committee. Ideal Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative Committee members are those who best can represent their peers, motivate others and support the implementation of the Workplace Wellness Program.
• Consider providing an incentive or recognition to Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative Committee members. It legitimizes their positions and encourages participation. Some employers that have started stipends have generated enough employee interest that the selection of Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative Committee membership becomes a competitive process. The Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative Committee responsibilities become a formal part of the member’s job accountabilities.

Role of your Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative Committee

In some employers the Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative Committee is accountable for the implementation of the Workplace Wellness Program. In other employers, the Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative Committee plays an advisory role. In either case, the group members can be asked to:

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

Functioning of your Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative Committee

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

Communicate. Set up frequent channels of communication with Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative 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 Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative coordinator to members and from members to coordinator.

Check-in. At least once a year, evaluate how effectively the Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative Committee is functioning. Is the Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative 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 Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative roles and responsibilities? Are there members who want to rotate off of the committee? How will new members be selected?

Beginning a Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative need not be costly, but will require the commitment of some financial resources. If possible, include the Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative in your employer’s annual business plan and budget as you do for other efforts important to your employer’s success.

How much to budget for the Workplace Wellness Program?

There is no one-size-fits-all formula for establishing a Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative that results in enhanced employee health. Organizations differ in how much money they need and how much they can make available for the Workplace Wellness Program. Consider the following common expenses in developing an adequate Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative budget:

• Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative staffing costs (either internal salaries or consultant fees)
• Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative data collection costs (including health risk assessment costs, if relevant)
• Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative incentives for healthy behaviors (such as discounts on premiums for non-smokers)
• Costs of Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative Strategies to be started (such as costs of covering tobacco quit medications or costs of subsidizing healthy foods in the cafeteria or vending machines)
• Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative administrative and communications expenses

In times of tight finances, be prepared to justify your requested Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative budget. Arm yourself with data on potential short- and long-term outcomes of the proposed Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative Strategies. Itemize the Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative expenses of past initiatives and share projected expenses for initiatives planned for the upcoming year.

Sustaining Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative Financing

A dedicated Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative line item in your employer’s budget makes it more likely to be regarded as a need, rather than as a “nice-to-have” amenity that could be cut when funds run low.

One of the best Strategies for ensuring continued financial support for the Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative is frequent communication to leadership, including:

• How many employees have you reached through the Workplace Wellness Program? Has morale improved? Have health risks decreased, e.g., fewer employees using tobacco, more employees active?
• How well are you managing the Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative resources you’ve been given? Where and how has your budget been spent? Keep track of the staff time necessary for each initiative and be able to present the numbers at any time.
• Anecdotal Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative success stories from employees. Don’t underestimate the power of a good story to put a human face on your success.

Supplemental sources of Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative Financing

If necessary, have the individuals accountable for establishing a Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative look for ways to supplement available internal funds. Are there grants or other funding available that can help support your Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative ? What community Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative resources could you use to meet some of your needs?