How to create an employee wellness program

Many businesses are asking themselves how they could go about creating an employee wellness program. There is no single right way to approach employee wellness programs but winning programs do share common success factors. These include: a public commitment from management, employee involvement, adequate resources, and a policy on workplace health that goes hand in hand with the organization's mission, vision and values. While there is no one-size-fits-all wellness program there are certain things that all employee wellness programs must consider. Here are some of the universal questions all businesses can ask:

• What are your goals? Are you looking to provide extra incentives for your employees?Do you want to focus on one particular aspect (smoking cessation, weight loss, disease prevention) or do you want a broad range of subjects to cover?
• Who is your intended audience? It is crucial to make sure the program appeals to all age groups and fitness levels within your workforce.Also it is important to consider what the specific age related needs of your employees will be in regards to an employee wellness program.
• How involved do you want the program to be? Will you hold an informational health fair, or do you expect employees to get educated on their own time? Will you sponsor a series of events or offer services through one or more private vendors?
• What will be your budget?It is crucial to consider how much of your company's resources you are willing to commit to an employee wellness program.This will in large measure determine how extensive your wellness program will really be.
• How will you gauge improvement of the participants in the program? Will you do a longitudinal study to measure employees' health over time or establish metrics based on productivity, absenteeism and health insurance claims?
• What incentives will you offer?Some employers are offering cash rewards while others offer reductions in health care costs, points toward merchandise or other rewards.Whatever you decide to offer make sure that it will appeal to your workforce and be something they are willing to work for.
• What does your attorney say? Legal expertise is essential when setting up an employee wellness program.You must ask yourself if you will have employees sign consent forms before participating in an exercise program. Employers must also understand and adhere to two federal laws, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) and the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Have you publicized your employee wellness program? Do workers grasp their scope, the incentives, the schedule of events and the purpose of the program? Do they know that the medical information they are volunteering will be kept confidential?

Although the goal is to eventually have a long-term, comprehensive employee wellness program, it is important to keep in mind that some companies prefer to begin with a single program at a basic level. For example, the first steps could be as simple as offering lunch-hour sessions on first aid or healthy eating; or they could launch a pilot project to find out how interested employees are to ensure that the employees needs are being met before taking on anything more ambitious. This approach also provides a chance to show the impact on employees and the workplace so management will be more willing to consider a larger and more far-reaching strategy.

Other companies may plan a variety of initiatives to meet the needs of the different types of people that make up their workforce. And some companies decide to develop a sound business case, complete with a health strategy, before attempting any type of program. Companies will want to ensure that a new employee wellness program is fully integrated with their overall business vision and mission.