Wellness Program Incentives

All-Inclusive Workplace Wellness Programs involve all staff members, deal with all primary health risks, offers choices, and target both the staff members and the workplace environment; support periodic assessment of its outcome.  All-Inclusive Workplace Wellness Programs emphasize follow-up and offers backing for the employee as long as he/she is employed. Research studies have demonstrated this approach to be highly thriving. Key components are planning, implementation, and assessment.

Developing all-inclusive Worksite Health Promotion Programs involve performing a needs and interest assessment, appointing a Worksite Health Promotion Program Committee, selecting wellness providers, setting goals and objectives for the corporate wellness program, marketing/promoting the program, and implementing procedures to ensure confidentiality.

Implementation of comprehensive Employee Wellness Programs consist of five primary tasks:

1.   Health screening and referral
2.   Follow-up and counseling employees
3.   Follow-up with physicians
4.   Health improvement programs
5.   Organizing worksite-wide activities.

Assessment involves monitoring Corporate Wellness Programs to discover if it is working and to help you refine it. Measuring success shows what you have achieved, helps justify costs, and supports information for management to support continued programming.

Initially introduced by Halbert Dunn in the 1950’s, wellness became a popular buzzword during the late 1970’s and received considerable academic attention in the 1980’s.  Employee Wellness Programs for staff members became more widespread during the following decade, and credible evidence for their economic viability began to be published.  There have now been over 100 published studies on this topic and a number of systematic reviews.

Health risks aggravate expenditures.  Health Care Insurance expenditures escalate with both age and number of risks present.8,10   The number of risks is also strongly related to sick time absenteeism, Worker’s Compensation expenditures, STD, and reduced productiveness (”presenteeism”).

Early Workplace Wellness Programs were relatively basic and typically produced a return on investment of less than one dollar for every dollar invested operating the program (ROI = <1:1).8 Such programs might be characterized as "fun-oriented".  Participation is entirely voluntary, and there is no particular focus on the reduction of specifically identified high risks.  Interventions and activities are not personalized, and there is no emphasis on the management of health costs.  These programs are typically site-based only, lack options to address all of the major behaviorally-related health risks, and lack multimodal presentation.  Minimal or no rewards and incentives are given to staff members for participation, and services to spouses and family members are not available.  Most such programs lack meaningful assessment.  

More conventional programs are "activity-oriented" and have shown an ROI of between 1:2.5 and 1:3.5.8 These programs may have a greater emphasis on health and risk reduction, although the efforts are relatively broad and not personalized.  They may have some generalized emphasis on health cost management, although not necessarily aimed at specific high risks.  Most are site-based and voluntary, with spouses included only rarely.  Modest incentives and rewards may be utilized to bolster participation.  Formal assessment may be weak.

The newest and most economically viable programs are "results-oriented" and exemplify the health and productivity management model.  These programs consistently produce return rates of 1:4 or greater within a 12-24 month period.8   Such programs are strongly focused on the reduction of specifically identified elevated risks and the management of health expenditures.  They are generally voluntary, but use strong financial and other incentives to reward participation.  They are multi-component in nature (address all primary risks), and have both onsite and virtual modalities of operation.  The interventions are highly targeted and individualized, and provided to spouses as well as employees.

For companies, the expense of providing health insurance for their staff members is of great effect.  Those costs have been increasing at annual rates between 6% and 14%. Chapman's 2007 systematic review published an average reduction in medical care costs of 26.5% as a result of Corporate Wellness Programs.  His review covered 60 of the most scientifically valid research studies, with an average of 3.77 years of study.

Rates of Absenteeism due to illness is another cost driver.  Chapman's review reports an average reduction in sick time of 25.3%.   Cost for Worker's Compensation was reduced by 40.7%, and disability costs by 24.2%. There is also an emerging literature on the costs of presenteeism (reduced productiveness).11,13  In one study, every risk reduced through a wellness program yielded a 9 percent reduction in presenteeism (and a 2 percent reduction in absenteeism).

Some businesses have achieved a zero percent rise in health care costs across at least brief periods of time.10  Doing so requires 90-95 percent participation of the employee population in focused wellness initiatives, with 75%-85 percent of the staff members falling into the low risk category.10  Although robust efforts to decrease the risk status of those in moderate or elevated risk categories must be made, the needs of currently healthy staff members must be addressed as well to avert increases in risk-status.

Given the size of the federal workforce, valuable cost savings in the government's contribution to medical insurance premiums for workers might be achieved if a majority of that population were participating in active wellness programs.  Similarly, improvements in absenteeism, worker's compensation, disability, presenteeism, and turnover as a result of robust Worksite Health Promotion Programs would yield substantial fiscal benefits for the government.

References

1.   Aldana, Steven G.  (2001)   Financial Impact of Worksite Health Promotion Programs:  A Comprehensive Review of the Literature.   Am J Health Promotion 15(5):296-320.
2.   Chapman, Larry.  (1998)   The Role of Incentives in Health Promotion.  The Art of Health Promotion  2(3):1-8.
3.   Chapman, Larry.   (2003)   Biometric Screening in Health Promotion:  Is it Really As Important as We Think?  The Art of Health Promotion  7(2):1-12.
4.   Chapman, Larry.  (2005)   Meta-Evaluation of Company Health Promotion Programs Economic Return Studies: 2005 Update.  The Art of Health Promotion, July/August, 1-15.
5.   Chapman, Larry.   (2006)   Employee Participation in Workplace Wellness Programs and Workplace Wellness Programs:  How Important are Incentives, and Which Ones work Best?   North Carolina Medical Journal   67(6):  431-432.
6.   Chapman, Larry, Lesch, Nancy, and Passas Baun, Mary Beth.   (2007)   The Role of Health and Wellness Coaching in Workplace Health Promotion Programs.   The Art of Health Promotion, July/August, 1-12.
7.   Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   Proof Positive:  An Analysis of the cost-Effectiveness of Worksite Wellness.  Northwest Health Management Publishing, Seattle, WA.
8.   Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   An In-Depth Look at the Economic Evidence for Rewarding Health Behavior Change.   Workshop presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthy Behaviors for Health Plans and Employers” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.
9.   Edington, Dee.   (2001)   Emerging Research:  A View from One Research Center.  American Journal of Health Promotion 15(5): 341-349.
10.   Edington, Dee W.  (2007)   Health Management as a Serious Business Strategy.  Presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthy Behaviors for Health Plans and Employers” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.
11.   Pelletier, Barbara, Boles, Myde, and Lunch, Wendy.  (2004)  Changes in Health Risks and Work Productivity.   Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 46(7): 746-754.
12.   Pelletier, Kenneth R.  (2005)   A Review and Analysis of the Clinical and Cost-Effectiveness Studies of comprehensive Health and Disease Management Programs at the Worksite: Update VI 2000-2004.  JOEM 47(10)1051-1058.
13.   DeVol, Ross, Bedroussian, Armen, et. al.  (2007)  An Unhealthy America:  The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease.  Report released by the Milken Institute.   www.milkeninstitute.org.
14.   Partnership for Prevention.  (2008) Investing in Health:  Proven Health Promotion Practices for Workplaces.   http://www.prevent.org/images/stories/2008/investinginhealth_finalfinal.pdf.

Organization America is increasingly investing in employee wellness because it is great business.  In order to meet productivity demands, corporations must rely on a healthy, beneficial workforce to succeed in the highly competitive global marketplace.  Over a hundred studies in both corporate and governmental settings have documented the economic advantages of Corporate Wellness Programs, including reduced absenteeism, reduced injuries and workman’s compensation costs, reduced healthcare costs, reduced employee turnover, as well as enhanced productivity, greater worker satisfaction, and improved morale.1-10  

The more recent literature reflects improvements in wellness programming along with greater return on investment (ROI).  In general, the more focused and intensive the program, the greater profit realized.  To enhance their performance federal government Corporate Health Promotion Programs may be able to incorporate some of the features described.  Employee wellness programs established to have positive returns on investment frequently include the following features:

1.   Health and productivity management model
Programs characterized by this model focus attention on identification and reduction of specific risks or behaviors such as smoking, lack of physical activity, excess weight, unhealthy diet, high cholesterol, high Blood Pressure (BP), stress, depression, and so on.  High-risk staff members are specifically targeted for intervention, although the most efficacious programs also direct efforts towards healthy staff members in order to maintain their low-risk status.  This model emphasizes outcomes as opposed to simply offering wellness activities for their own sake.  

2.   Health risk appraisal
Use of a computerized health risk appraisal (HRA) instrument with individualized feedback and recommendations is almost universal in efficacious programs.  Staff Members take the questionnaire each year in many cases.  The HRA serves to increase awareness, provide direction, and encourage people to better specific behaviors.  In some cases, the personalized report is directly linked to appropriate resources related to identified risks.  Research indicates that the use of an HRA is effective if it is followed by some kind of educational or therapeutic intervention for identified risks.  It often serves as the entry point into wellness programs.

3.   Health Screening
Many programs combine the outcome of the health risk appraisal with measurement of each employee’s biometrics, including weight and Body Mass Index (BMI), Blood Pressure (BP), cholesterol, fasting glucose, and assorted other metrics.  Combining the results of the HRA with biological measures results in a more accurate risk profile.   Computer health risk appraisals often incorporate biometric data in their risk analysis.

4.   Incentives
staff members are usually given monetary or other valuable rewards for completing an HRA, participation in a program or class, specific accomplishments such as stopping smoking, losing weight, or working out, and for maintaining healthy status and/or behaviors.  In numerous cases the monetary incentives/rewards are associated with reductions in health care insurance premiums.  Some programs use disincentives as well as incentives/rewards, such as charging staff members who smoke higher rates for their health care insurance contribution.

5.   High participation rates
Successful programs use incentives and rewards to drive participation rates up.  They also market their programs extensively, and may use contest or challenge strategies to heighten enthusiasm and bolster participation.

6.   Wellness coaching
employees with identified risks or desire to better their health habits may be periodically coached via phone by trained health and wellness coaches.  Health Coaching helps employees set and achieve realistic lifestyle-related objectives including those addressing stress, work life balance, smoking, weight, physical activity, and various behavior modifications.  Three or more sessions are generally available.  In some intensive programs, the coaching extends to actual disease management intervention for employees with identified high-risk diseases.

7.   Multiple formats
Programs may offer wellness content in online, paper, and seminar formats to support stimulating variety and alternatives in order to accommodate the needs of all workers.  In addition to on-Site physical exercise and healthy eating events, on-line programs, e-mail reminders and notices, printed newsletters and materials, and employer seminars are common dissemination strategies.

8.   Senior Management backing
Enthusiastic and common endorsement by upper management is essential to achieving high rates of participation.  When senior executives are wellness role models themselves the effects of endorsement are enhanced.

9.   Frequent contact
Successful programs have persistent contact of some sort with every employee.  This may be through marketing efforts (e.g., posters, e-mail notices, reminders, or messages, etc.), bulletin boards, newsletters, employee meeting presentations, discussion in new employee orientation, supervisory sessions, etc.   The key is to enhance employee awareness of health and wellbeing opportunities and reinforce the corporate emphasis on wellness through persistent and multiple “touches”.

10.   Open enrollment
To bolster high participation rates employees must have easy access to the wellness programs and activities.  Open and uncomplicated enrollment processes achieve this.  Some businesses automatically enroll all employees and then allow those who do not wish to take part to “opt-out”.  This practice has been demonstrated to boost enrollment rates in some settings.

11.   Family involvement
Many programs promote spouses and other family members to take part in the corporation wellness activities and to adopt a healthy lifestyle along with the designated employee.  It is far easier for the employee to have a healthy lifestyle if his/her family does so as well.

12.   Smoking cessation
Because smoking and other tobacco use is the number one threat to health it is essential to offer staff members effective and convenient assistance with stopping.  Access to tobacco cessation pharmaceuticals is frequently part of such programs.  In-house programs support the most convenient access to these services, although on-line or telephone-based programs may be available as well.  

13.   Physical Activity
Regular physical activity is a core component of every wellness program.  Staff Members must be strongly encouraged to engage in regular physical activity.  Most programs provide either periodic or continuous workplace opportunities, and some locations have workplace gyms, swimming pools, walking trails, etc.  Discounted or paid memberships to community exercise facilities is a common alternative to workplace facilities.

14.   Weight management
Because obesity is a major threat to health it is imperative that programs offer effective assistance with weight management.  Enthusiastic encouragement from management to shed excess weight is valuable.  Internet based programs, worksite programs, or discounted access to weight management programs in the neighborhood may all be available.  Long-term follow-up is vital for maintenance of weight loss.

15.   Stress management
Workplace stress is perhaps the most common issue among employees and a major contributor to absenteeism, presenteeism (reduced work rate), and low morale.  Almost all efficacious wellness programs offer assistance with personal and workplace stress.  Some programs refer employees to outside resources for more somber conditions like depression and anxiety disorders, but most offer internet based or common worksite general stress reduction programs.  Some companies endeavor to structure the work environment to minimize stress, both physically and operationally.

16.   Health screenings/immunizations
employees are actively encouraged to complete recommended health care screenings for Blood Pressure (BP), blood lipids, BMI, colorectal and breast cancer, and others.  Annual influenza immunizations are also encouraged.  Some sites offer these services at the worksite.  Incentives are frequently awarded for completion of these screenings/immunizations.

17.   On-Site health care
Actual provision of onsite primary care medical services is a growing trend.  The rapidly escalating costs of medical care insurance for workers has stimulated this trend.  Some employers have saw that it is less expensive to offer primary care services themselves than to fund those services through health care insurance.  On-Site care also reduces the amount of time workers would otherwise spend away from the worksite getting such services.

References

1.   Aldana, Steven G.  (2001)   Financial Impact of Workplace Health Promotion Programs:  A Comprehensive Review of the Literature.   Am J Health Promotion 15(5):296-320.
2.   Chapman, Larry.  (1998)   The Role of Incentives in Health Promotion.  The Art of Health Promotion  2(3):1-8.
3.   Chapman, Larry.   (2003)   Biometric Screening in Health Promotion:  Is it Really As Important as We Think?  The Art of Health Promotion  7(2):1-12.
4.   Chapman, Larry.  (2005)   Meta-Evaluation of Corporate Health Promotion Programs Economic Return Studies: 2005 Update.  The Art of Health Promotion, July/August, 1-15.
5.   Chapman, Larry.   (2006)   Employee Participation in Employee Health Promotion Programs and Employee Health Promotion Programs:  How Important are Incentives, and Which Ones work Best?   North Carolina Medical Journal   67(6):  431-432.
6.   Chapman, Larry, Lesch, Nancy, and Passas Baun, Mary Beth.   (2007)   The Role of Health and Wellness Coaching in Company Health Promotion Programs.   The Art of Health Promotion, July/August, 1-12.
7.   Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   Proof Positive:  An Analysis of the cost-Effectiveness of Job Site Wellness.  Northwest Health Management Publishing, Seattle, WA.
8.   Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   An In-Depth Look at the Economic Evidence for Rewarding Health Behavior Change.   Workshop presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthy Behaviors for Health Plans and Employers” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.
9.   Edington, Dee.   (2001)   Emerging Research:  A View from One Research Center.  American Journal of Health Promotion 15(5): 341-349.
10.   Edington, Dee W.  (2007)   Health Management as a Serious Business Strategy.  Presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthy Behaviors for Health Plans and Employers” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.
11.   Pelletier, Barbara, Boles, Myde, and Lunch, Wendy.  (2004)  Changes in Health Risks and Work Productivity.   Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 46(7): 746-754.
12.   Pelletier, Kenneth R.  (2005)   A Review and Analysis of the Clinical and Cost-Effectiveness Studies of comprehensive Health and Disease Management Programs at the Job Site: Update VI 2000-2004.  JOEM 47(10)1051-1058.
13.   DeVol, Ross, Bedroussian, Armen, et. al.  (2007)  An Unhealthy America:  The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease.  Report released by the Milken Institute.   www.milkeninstitute.org.
14.   Partnership for Prevention.  (2008) Investing in Health:  Proven Health Promotion Practices for Workplaces.   http://www.prevent.org/images/stories/2008/investinginhealth_finalfinal.pdf.

Evaluations determine the outcome of a Workplace Wellness Program. They help you figure out if your objectives were met. It is a good idea to add an assessment component to your Workplace Wellness Program.

Evaluations may conclude that some interventions didn’t work well. You may discover that a popular Corporate Wellness Program expenditures too much and didn’t really affect employees’ health. While these may not be the outcomes you hoped for, without this information you might continue ineffective interventions. Having this information will help you advance better solutions. When your results are great, it’s magnificent! You can spread the word to workers and management that your program is achieving its objectives and goals.

Three major areas of an evaluation

• Employee Health Promotion Program structure – The basic framework of the program
• Corporate Wellness Program process – How well the program is run
• Corporate Health Promotion Program outcomes – Whether the program met the set objectives

Common questions used to evaluate a Corporate Health Promotion Program

Workplace Health Promotion Program Structure Questions

• What is included in the Employee Wellness Program? What is the intervention?
• Where does the Corporate Health Promotion Program take place?
• How is the Corporate Health Promotion Program delivered? What content is included?
• Who manages the Corporate Wellness Program?

Company Wellness Program Process Questions

• How many people participate?
• Do participants complete the Worksite Wellness Program?
• Are participants satisfied?
• Which aspects of the Corporate Wellness Program are best attended?

Corporate Wellness Program Outcome Questions

• Does the Corporate Health Promotion Program better knowledge about health problems?
• Does the Company Wellness Program alter behavior?
• Does the Employee Health Promotion Program save the company money?
• What is the return on investment (ROI)?

• Ascertain through an employee survey what rewards and incentives they value.
• Ascertain what rewards and incentives the organization can provide as well as what the budget will allow.
• Make sure that every attendant who achieves a intention receives some recognition.
• Avoid offering incentives/rewards for the “best” or the “most.”
• Avoid using food as a reward.
• Use incentives/rewards to encourage your Workplace Wellness Program, through logos and branding.

Incentives bolster workers to adopt beneficial behaviors or maintain an existing beneficial behavior that may potentially help the employee stay healthy and live longer. Adopting beneficial health behavior is fundamentally what wellness is about.

Incentives can be used to boost participation rates, help people complete a Employee Health Promotion Program, or help people modify or adhere to healthy behaviors. Providing incentives and rewards and rewards will send an significant message to the workers that your employer is committed to supporting them with working on their health. It also plays a significant role in motivating people to participate.

Tips on how to choose appropriate incentives:

• Identify through an employee survey what incentives they value.
• Ascertain what rewards and incentives the organization can support as well as what the budget will allow.
• Ensure that every participant who achieves a intention receives some recognition.
• Avoid offering incentives and rewards for the “best” or the “most.”
• Avoid using food as a reward.
• Use incentives/rewards to promote your Corporate Wellness Program, through logos and branding.

When creating a accross the board Worksite Health Promotion Program, make sure that it consists of a variety of awareness, lifestyle shift, supportive environment programs, policies and activities that target risk behaviors, and the needs and interests of the workers. It will be important to review and revise existing policies governing such areas as smoking sections and the employee cafeteria.

Tips on creating a Worksite Wellness Program:

• Organize activities based on your planned objectives and goals addressing the specific needs of your workers. Focus on those topics that are of greatest interest to your workers and the greatest needs of your business, in that order. Avoid topics with narrow appeal.
• Keep it simple. Design the Corporate Wellness Program so it’s simple for the participants to know and track.
• Integrate a combination of activities to include awareness, educational, and behavior components.
• Identify activities in which every employee can take part.

Ideas for your Workplace Health Promotion Program:

• Challenges. Activities that focus on practicing a desired behavior that continues for 4-8 weeks and focuses on specific topics (such as physical activity, nutrition, or stress management).
• Learning experiences. This includes classes, videos, and classes.
• Behavior changes (such as smoking cessation). You may or may not offer interventions at the workplace. Still, you should encourage people to make lifestyle changes that they want to make even without an external incentive.
• Education on disease management. By way of example, support and education groups for diabetes, high Blood Pressure, etc.
• Learing new skills. For example, CPR and first aid.
• Preventive screenings like Blood Pressure (BP), blood lipids, and vision.

Source: Adapted from the Building Healthy Texans Job Site Wellness Toolkit.

Design goals and objectives

Goals are general guidelines that explain what you want to achieve. Objectives define strategies or steps to take to attain the identified goal.

A wellness program must have a “destination”. Use the results of your surveys and your wellness committee’s mission statement as guides. Consider these ideas:

• Focus on making health information and learning resources readily available to employees
• Focus on group activities so employees can work together to support and bolster healthier lifestyles
• Create a wellness program that is visible to both employees and to your customers
• Focus on written policies and ground rules
• Set objectives for your wellness program.

Review Guidelines for Writing Goals.

Goals Should Be

Specific – A intention is specific when it supplies a description of what will be accomplished. It will state exactly what the employer intends to accomplish. It must be written so that it can be easily and clearly communicated. A specific intention will make it easier for those writing objectives and action plans to address the following questions:

• Who is to be involved?
• What is to be accomplished?
• Where is it to be done?
• When is it to be done?

Measurable – A objective is measurable if it is quantifiable. To determine if your objective is measurable, ask questions such as: How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?

Attainable – You can attain most any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps. Goals that may have seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable.

Realistic – Realistic, means “do-able.” The objective needs to be realistic for your company and where the company is at the moment. A objective to take out all the high fat items in the snack machines may not be realistic for your company right now; a better objective would be to substitute some of the chips, candy bars and pies for pretzels, yogurt and dried fruit.

Timely – Finally, a intention must have a timeframe: for next week, in three months, by age 35. It must have a starting and ending point. It ought to also have some intermediate points at which progress can be assessed. Limiting the time in which a intention must be accomplished helps to focus effort toward its execution. If you do not set a time, the responsibility is too vague. It tends not to happen because you feel you can begin at any time. Without a time limit, there’s no urgency to begin taking action now.

Successful wellness programs are designed to meet the needs and interests of the workers. Ask workers what they are interested in, and what needs they have. People are more willing to participate and support wellness efforts if they are involved in the decision-making process.

When planning a survey, keep the following hints in mind:

• Ask mostly closed form questions, especially if you will be sending the survey to a big number of staff members. Closed form questions support specific choices and are simple to tabulate.
• Invite comments, ideas and recommendations, or ask open-ended questions at the end of the survey. Open-ended items are more difficult to summarize.
• Include a brief explanatory cover letter with the survey with the signature of the corporation president. Make sure to include a statement about confidentiality and anonymity.
• Ask a group of representative staff members to review the survey before it is distributed. Find out if the questions will be understood by staff members and won’t be objected to.
• Include demographic information at the beginning, or end of the survey (gender, age, shift, site, department, etc.).
• Conduct a random drawing for a valued incentive item for all those who returned the survey. This might stimulate the response rate.

One rule to consider concerning surveys is if you have fewer than 500 staff members, everyone ought to receive one. The benefit of everyone receiving a survey can be important. If you have over 500 staff members, a sample of the work population from each department will suffice. The higher the response, the more valid and reliable the outcome. A minimum response of 40% to 50% is considered important.

A critical first step in organizing your company’s wellness program is the formation of a Corporate Wellness Program Committee. The focus of the Corporate Wellness Program Committee is to plan, reward, and enable the program. The Corporate Wellness Program Committee establishes continuity, motivation, and broad ownership of the program as well as provides an great vehicle for communication.

So who must be on the Company Wellness Program Committee? Consider appointing the following people/departments to your Company Wellness Program Committee:

• Upper Management within your company
• Union representatives
• Human resources department
• Employee Assistance Program(EAP)
• Information technology
• Communications
• Health and safety department
• employees interested in wellbeing and health

Building a successful Employee Wellness Program requires employee time as well as money. Some larger businesses may invest 20 hours per week for three to six months preparing all the steps prior to launching a Employee Wellness Program.

Anywhere from 4 to ten people meeting monthly equals a Worksite Wellness Program Committee. A mission statement for the Worksite Wellness Program Committee must be developed by the second meeting. This way, everyone knows what the Worksite Wellness Program Committee is working toward.

Once a wellness program has been established, the committee’s size and meeting schedule may change. Still, no fewer than 4 participants ought to meet at least quarterly so the group – and the wellness program – does not fade away.

Support from senior staff is essential to building a successful wellness program! Visible senior staff reinforcement is one of the most vital factors in the success of a workplace Employee Health Promotion Program. Senior Staff executives are responsible for making sure that the organization meets its objectives. They can provide additional assistance by assisting you to link your Employee Health Promotion Program objectives to organization outcomes, thereby positioning Employee Health Promotion Program as a fundamental part of the organization.

It is important to establish support and excitement for the program from all echelons of the company including upper management, mid-level management, and grass-root workers.

The challenge for any Workplace Wellness Program coordinator is convincing management about the potential value of Workplace Wellness Program to the business and conceptualizing how Workplace Wellness Program pushes can influence the business in a meaningful manner. The American Journal of Health Promotion is a great resource to support you with obtaining convincing information on the advantages of a Workplace Wellness Program.

Company Health Promotion Program support from management can come in a myriad of different ways:

• Involvement in the wellness program planning process
• Distribution of funding for the wellness program
• Support for time given to the wellness program
• Participation in wellness events
• Leadership by management, such as the distribution of a letter of support for the program.
• Flexibility of employee schedules to accommodate wellness activities