What is a Behavior Change Program?

An important element of some employee wellness programs is known as Behavior Change programs. These are programs that are designed to help, in this case, an employee make significant and long lasting changes to behavior that is affecting their health and wellness. While other components of an employee wellness program may serve to inspire or motivate, they are often not designed to help the employee make the desired change.

It can be extremely difficult to make and maintain changes in the areas of weight control, fitness and diet over a long period of time. These types of changes often require a more intensive type of motivation and education, like a Behavior Change Program. Keep in mind that in order to have a long-term change in behavior, the program will also need to include: an effective support system along with positive incentives and follow up, for the individual that is involved.

Generally, there are different stages that an individual goes through, before he or she commits to changing a particular behavior. Many times a health problem that a person may have and yet be unaware of, serves as a catalyst for change. This is one of the reasons that various health screenings and education about early detection are so important. People are most often motivated by an inner desire to change, or the expressed desire for change, from their family and friends. However, the bottom line is that employers should realize that a Behavior Change Program, no matter how incentive driven, will not be effective, until the employee is ready to make healthier choices.

If the employer decides to incorporate a Behavior Change Program into the employee wellness program then the following steps can help the program be much more successful. The core belief of any Behavior Change Program whether it deals with diet, fitness, smoking cessation, etc., is that the employee will only be able to achieve a new healthier behavior, if the set goals to change their current behavior. The following tips can help in establishing those goals-

• All behavior changes need to be goal specific. This means that they must include specific tasks that need to be accomplished, within a particular time frame.


• All behavior changes must have goals that are unrealistic. If the goals are not realistic then most people will end up giving up.


• All behavior changes must have goals that are made up of stepping stones. Few behavior changes can be successfully made with the accomplishment of a single goal. Each goal should have stepping stone behaviors that lead to the desired outcome. Keep in mind that each goal may need several stepping stones.


• All behavior changes must have goal that provide rewards when each stepping stone is accomplished.

Employers should understand that over time challenges will occur as employees try to maintain their behavior changes. Some people will be unable to maintain the desired change and go back to old behaviors. However, it should be kept in mind that just because someone reverted back, it does not mean that the Behavior Change Program was a waste of time and resources.

Part of the Behavior Change Program should be educating employees on how they can maintain their new healthier behavior over a long period of time. For many people this new behavior will become a new healthy habit. Support from co-workers, family and friends, can be highly instrumental in helping employees be successful.

Employers should make sure that any Behavior Change Programs they invest in will support the overall goals of the employee wellness program. Experts agree that if your workforce needs them, Behavior Change Programs are worth the investment and can be a vital and effective part of the employee wellness program. Studies also show that these types of programs provide a positive employee wellness, return on investment.