Keys to Effective Workplace Wellness Programs

Collaboration and Effective Workplace Wellness Programs

Why should you collaborate?

Active, ongoing partnerships and cooperative efforts multiply Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative resources in order to better serve Employees and their families.

How can you build collaboration into a Workplace Wellness Program?

Get Ready…
• Brainstorm a list of every potential Wellness partner you can think of. Be innovative!
• Be a politician: introduce yourself to everyone BEFORE you need their help.
• Develop a plan to get Upper Management support from as high up the chain as possible. Make sure to include specific ways that your Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative will impact force readiness.
• Determine how YOU can help your organizations (not just what they can do for you).

Be Steady…
• Solicit input from everyone that your Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative will affect. Make a special effort to talk to the employees closest to Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative implementation (those with “boots on the ground”).
• The most frequently asked questions should be: “What would you suggest?” and “How do you think this would work best?”
• Find someone who has done the same type of Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative before and ask their advice. (Hint: the Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative has a list of many Wellness POCs.)
• Plan NOW to show Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative effectiveness. Establish who may ALREADY BE COLLECTING information that will show the Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative is working.

Get Set…
• Step back and look at your Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative from a potential partner’s point of view.
• Brainstorm questions your collaborators might have, and have the answers ready.
• Be ready to frame your “selling points” in terms that are important to each specific partner.
• Put the Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative benefits in language your collaborators will understand.
• Emphasize to potential partners how this Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative will provide benefit to them.

And Go…
• Build as many partnerships as you can BEFORE you implement a Workplace Wellness Program.
• Make your partnerships a two-way street: always let your collaborators know what you can do for them – then follow-up and do what you say you would do.
• Maintain Upper Management support by providing a regular flow of information. Invite Upper Management participation in the Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative and special events whenever possible. (Hint: they make great judges if you have a contest.)
• Provide regular feedback to your collaborators.
• Don’t hog the spotlight: let your collaborators share in the visibility of the Workplace Wellness Program.