Beginning a Workplace Health and Wellness Initiative Committee

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?