Starting a Wellness Program Business Plan, part 1

A organization plan is a roadmap for success. Use the guidelines below to develop a realistic organization plan and budget for your Corporate Health Promotion Programs.

What is a organization plan?

• A plan for success
• A document that convincingly demonstrates that your Wellness Program will help the business to achieve its goals.

Questions to ask when developing a Wellness Program organization plan
• Why do you need to do the Corporate Health Promotion Program?
• What are you going to do?
• Where are you going to do it?
• Who is the target audience?
• How are you going to do it?
• Who is going to implement the Corporate Health Promotion Program?
• How much will the Wellness Program cost Senior Management?
• What is Senior Management going to get out of the Corporate Health Promotion Program? Why should Senior Management invest in the Corporate Health Promotion Program?

Wellness Program organization Plan Components
• Title and duration of the Wellness Program
• Points of contact
• Background information (description of need; bibliography/literature review; how the Wellness Program will help achieve the organization’s goals)
• Wellness Program description
• Goals and objectives
• Implementation site
• Target population
• Work plan
• Partnerships and collaborations
• Timelines and milestones
• Budget and resource requirements (dollars and people)

Gaining the support of leadership
• Clearly link the Wellness Program goals and objectives to the organization’s strategic plan.
• Focus on the desired outcomes.
• Use the right language for the right audience. For example, Senior Management is interested in decreased clinic visits, increased provider productivity, management of the health of the population. However, Senior Management is interested in increased readiness, decreased lost duty/training time, and decreased disability and FECA claims.
A well thought-out Wellness Program organization plan will help you gain leadership support, help you get and keep resources needed to implement the Corporate Health Promotion Program, and keep the Wellness Program on track towards meaningful outcomes.