Creating a Health Promotion Program.

Ideally, you will create an overall plan for a health promotion program before beginning to plan specific health promotion programs. for  instance, you can start by getting the following elements in place -

o  support from upper-level management

o  A wellness committee or team

o  information about the wellness needs and interests of employees

o  A budget

o  wellness program objectives

o  An analysis plan

Even if you have few financial and/or human resources (HR), you can still take a “micro” approach. for example, you could focus on only one specific issue or problem. Creativity, enthusiasm and planning can help you overcome limitations.

This article will give you some ideas for establishing up wellness programs. Even the smallest steps can have an impact.

Whether or not you select to start with a single health promotion program or create something larger, planning is essential. First think about the big picture and then look after the details.

Ask yourself these questions -

o  Identify an action. What health-related wellness program will fit the bill and best suit the staff and organization?

o  Promote. Just how can you most effectively get the word out to employees? What are the opportunities for promotion? Consider everything, because staff have access to and pay attention to different types of messages.

In a average worksite, workers get information from e-mail, newsletters, bulletins, flyers, meeting announcements and fellow workers.

o  Deliver. Who is the best person or group to put the wellness program into action? Ask other corporations about approaches they have used. Decide on your budget before making a decision.

o  Evaluate. What should you evaluate to determine success? Do you need hard data and/or testimonials from individual participants?

We recommend the following when planning your wellness program -

o  building and communicating clear health promotion program objectives

o  Targeting your audience

o  determining on the type of health promotion program or campaign

The Elements of Wellness Programming

Programs to promote wellness in the worksite don’t need to be restricted to a single area. You may think corporate wellness only involves promoting positive personal health, e.g., blood pressure clinics, brochures on heart disease, “lunch and learn” workshops on eating habits and short-term exercise programs.

These activities are important, but company health promotion should also be part of a corporation’s organization strategy and go beyond traditional health promotion programming.

Taking a broader approach, the National Quality Institute recently identified three key elements of a healthful worksite -

o  physical environment

o  social environment and personal resources

o  health practices

Specific Program Ideas

Physical Environment

Look after workers’ safety and health and establish regulations to support their safety and health. Consider providing the following -

o  Safe bike storage and shower and/or change facilities for cyclists and other commuters.

o  Fridges for staff to keep snacks and meals fresh and/or healthful snacks in vending machines and cafeterias.

o  Ergonomic assessments.

o  Subsidies to help staff members join local recreation centers.

o  Classrooms/conference rooms available for booking activities like yoga, pilates, tai chi, meditation and aerobics.

o  Safe and pleasant stairwells that invite employees to use them.

o  Investigating the potential for violence at work with plans to deal with such risks.

o  Good lighting and sound and air quality.

Social Environment

Human relationships and communication, in addition to ways of doing organization, can affect an worker’s mental and physical health. Organizations should consider the following -

o  respectful workplace policies that provide safe workplaces

o  policies on flex time

o  policies on working from home

o  worker satisfaction surveys

o  leadership coaching

o  resiliency training

o  worker assistance programs

To foster a positive social culture or climate, consider employees’ needs, which include -

o  being respected

o  A sense of belonging, purpose and mission

o  freedom of expression

o  protection from harassment and discrimination

What you’ve “always done” might not address current worker needs. Ensuring that people  enjoy being at work is not an easy task, but making the right changes can have a immense impact.

Health Practices

Offer wellness programs and set policies that help employees remain healthful or improve their health while at work. Consider offering the following -

o  ”Lunch and learn sessions” on healthful habits such as sleeping better, consuming on the run, healthful snacks, using a pedometer, pole walking, work-life balance, time management, stress management, resiliency, parenting and reading nutrition labels.

o  Stop smoking clinics or subsidies to help workforce quit.

o  Health risk appraisals, including fitness assessments.

o  Programs to address the issues raised in the health risk appraisals.

o  Healthy snacks served at meetings and conferences.

Personal Employee Health Promotion Tips

If there is no wellness program at your workplace, do not let that stop you from keeping healthy. Perhaps your example will spark a movement toward a healthier workplace.

Here are several ideas to think about -

o  be active at work. There are lots of ways to bring activity into your workday. Walk to work, even when it is just one way. Hold walking meetings. Bicycle to work. Use the stairs. Walk to a workmate’s office instead of sending an e-mail.

o  Eat well at work. Pack a healthful snack and meal. Place a bottle of water at your desk or workstation. Eat breakfast and eat regularly during the day. Take turns bringing a basket of fruit for colleagues’ snacks. Order healthful snacks for meetings.

o  Maintain work-life balance. Make certain to work efficiently so you can leave on time. Conduct short, effective meetings. Leave your work at work and don’t take it home.

Minimize social chit-chat. Be certain to set up your office to enhance your work. Avoid clutter. Plan and prioritize to ensure that the most essential things get done first.

There’s no limit to the number or variety of wellness programs. A key to success is planning well and ensuring that you can evaluate the results so that you can sustain momentum.

Talk to other wellness practitioners to figure out what works well for them. Listen to your coworkers to determine their needs and interests.  And do not forget to promote, promote, promote.