How to start an employee wellness program

One of the first factors that should be considered when you are starting an employee wellness program is making sure that your program encompasses the types of event and program that your employees are most likely to be interested in. To help facilitate the process, it can be helpful to establish a team that will deal with all aspects of the employee wellness program. Most often this team is known as the Health Promotions team and should be staffed with representatives, from all areas of your company.

This team will then be responsible, for all of the facets of the employee wellness program including but not limited to: developing the incentive program, designing and supporting all necessary events, and gathering evaluation data, to determine how well the program is going. In addition, in order to be successful, employee wellness program will need visible support from the uppermost levels of the management team. Because this is so important it is recommended that some management be involved directly with the Health Promotions Team.

Many businesses choose to design their employee wellness program, with a theme. If your business decides to do this, it is crucial that the theme resonate with the employees. The theme should be meaningful and help employees want to become involved. Keep in mind that the theme can be a reflection of the workplace culture or it could be tied to something else that would be meaningful to the employees.

It is important to understand that employee wellness is a consideration that should be taken into account, all during the year. While your employee wellness program might sponsor big events once or twice a year, the program should continue on some level everyday. There are many different ideas, for continuing with the theme of health and wellness. These include but are not limited to:

• The Health Promotions Team can publish wellness newsletters. These newsletters will focus on the health issues that are most pressing, for the employees.


• The Health Promotions Team can sponsor potluck lunches that feature only health recipes. In addition, nutritional or cooking classes could be offered to help employees with their diets.


• The Health Promotions Team can sponsor the formation of the walking club, or other exercise group.

It is important to understand that any employee wellness program will require various resources, both in the establishing of the program, along with maintaining the program. The company will have to make a commitment of certain resources, in order to be successful in establishing and managing their employee wellness program.

For companies that are willing to start an employee wellness program, there are numerous benefits. This type of program has been clearly shown to improve the overall health of employees, and sometimes their dependants. When a wellness program focuses on reducing those who are risk, for serious diseases, everyone becomes a winner. However, employers must understand that all employees are at different stages, when it comes to their ability to change. Some employees may be much more successful at this type of program then others.

Employers should understand that implementing an employee wellness program, should be considered a long term commitment. If an employer believes they can put in a wellness program one year, and then withdraw it the next, and have lasting results, they are seriously mistaken. By gathering the right resources and materials, and helping your employees make lasting changes, it will benefit both the employer and the employee in numerous ways.

Finally, those companies who are considering establishing an employee wellness program should look at tying incentives to the program. Whether the incentives are given for participation only, or for results, they can go a long way, toward motivating employees to get involved.