Wellness Programs - Building Program Support.

As with any program, the two crucial elements for the success of your wellness program are  upper management support and employee involvement.  Executive management sets the vision and provides the resources from which action plans flow.  

Genuine support from senior personnel also lends credibility to the wellness program.  It is key that  senior level management be visible supporters and role models for your Wellness Program.

Employees need to be involved on a few levels so that they feel ownership of the wellness program.  Employees are the program stakeholders!  

All employees should have an opportunity to provide input and feedback through needs and interest surveys and program evaluation tools.  The information collected should be used to plan programs that target those needs and interests to ensure participation, buy-in, and support.

There are a few methods to identify worker needs and interests such as -

• Conducting Employee Focus Groups

• Discussing Wellness Interests During Department Meetings

• Distributing and Summarizing a Needs and Interest Survey

• Including an Opportunity to Provide Suggestions on Each Analysis Tool  

Any one or combination of a few techniques will ensure that the wellness program meets what staff members want.  Click here for a sample Needs and Interest Survey.

Step 3 provides additional information on deciding wellness program needs.  But first, establishing a Wellness Committee can help you involve management and staff members, determine need, and plan your wellness program.