Posts from — March 2009

All-Inclusive Workplace Health Promotion Programs involve all workers, deal with all major health risks, offers choices, and target both the workers and the workplace environment; support periodic assessment of its outcome.  All-Inclusive Workplace Health Promotion Programs emphasize follow-up and offers support for the employee as long as he/she is employed. Studies have established this approach to be highly efficacious. Key components are planning, implementation, and assessment.

Planning accross the board Workplace Health Promotion Programs involve performing a needs and interest assessment, appointing a Workplace Health Promotion Program Committee, selecting wellness providers, setting objectives and goals for the corporate wellness program, marketing/promoting the program, and instituting procedures to ensure confidentiality.

Implementation of all-inclusive Worksite Wellness Programs consist of five major tasks:

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

Assessment involves monitoring Worksite Health Promotion Programs to find out if it is working and to help you refine it. Measuring success shows what you have achieved, helps justify expenditures, 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.  Workplace Health Promotion 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 research studies on this topic and a number of systematic reviews.

Health risks inflate expenditures.  Medical Insurance expenditures escalate with both age and number of risks present.8,10   The number of risks is also strongly related to sick leave absenteeism, Worker’s Compensation expenditures, short-term disability, and reduced work rate (”presenteeism”).

Early Corporate Health Promotion Programs were relatively basic and typically produced a return on investment of less than one dollar for every dollar spent 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 elevated risks.  Interventions and activities are not customized, 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 incentives are given to workers 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 established 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 elevated risks.  Most are site-based and voluntary, with spouses included only rarely.  Modest rewards and incentives may be utilized to encourage 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 high risks and the management of health expenditures.  They are generally voluntary, but use strong financial and other incentives to encourage participation.  They are multi-component in nature (address all major risks), and have both onsite and virtual modalities of operation.  The interventions are highly targeted and individualized, and available to spouses as well as workers.

For employers, the cost of offering health care insurance for their employees is of great importance.  Those expenditures have been growing at yearly rates between 6 percent and 14%. Chapman's 2007 systematic review reported an average reduction in medical care expenditures of 26.5 percent as a result of Company Wellness Programs.  His review covered 60 of the most scientifically valid research studies, with an average of 3.77 years of study.

Absenteeism due to illness is another cost driver.  Chapman's review reports an average decline in sick leave 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 productivity).11,13  In one study, every risk reduced through a wellness program yielded a 9 percent decline in presenteeism (and a 2 percent decline in absenteeism).

Some employers have achieved a zero percent increase in medical 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 employees falling into the low risk category.10  Although robust efforts to decrease the risk status of those in moderate or high risk categories must be made, the needs of currently healthy employees must be addressed as well to avoid increases in risk-status.

Given the size of the federal workforce, important cost savings in the government's contribution to health care insurance premiums for employees could 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 Employee Health Promotion Programs would provide substantial fiscal benefits for the government.

References

1.   Aldana, Steven G.  (2001)   Financial Impact of Workplace Wellness 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 Worksite Health Promotion Programs Economic Return Studies: 2005 Update.  The Art of Health Promotion, July/August, 1-15.
5.   Chapman, Larry.   (2006)   Employee Participation in Worksite Health Promotion Programs and Worksite 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 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 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.

Organization America is increasingly investing in employee wellness because it is good business.  In order to meet productivity demands, companies must rely on a healthy, advantageous workforce to succeed in the highly competitive global marketplace.  Over a hundred research studies in both corporate and governmental settings have documented the economic benefits of Company Wellness Programs, including reduced absenteeism, reduced injuries and workman’s compensation expenditures, reduced healthcare expenditures, reduced employee turnover, as well as increased 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 advance realized.  To enhance their effectiveness federal government Employee Wellness Programs may be able to incorporate some of the features described.  Employee wellness programs established to have beneficial returns on investment frequently include the following features:

1.   Health and work rate management model
Programs characterized by this model focus attention on identification and reduction of specific risks or behaviors such as smoking, lack of physical exercise, excess weight, unhealthy diet, elevated cholesterol, high Blood Pressure (BP), stress, depression, and so on.  High-risk staff members are specifically targeted for intervention, although the most thriving 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 thriving programs.  Staff Members take the questionnaire annually in many cases.  The HRA serves to expand awareness, provide direction, and innervate people to better specific behaviors.  In some cases, the customized 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, 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 frequently 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 many cases the monetary incentives are associated with reductions in medical insurance premiums.  Some programs use disincentives as well as incentives, such as charging staff members who smoke higher rates for their medical insurance contribution.

5.   High participation rates
Effective programs use rewards and incentives 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 improve their health habits may be periodically coached via phone by trained health and wellness coaches.  Health and Wellness Coaching helps employees set and achieve realistic lifestyle-related objectives including those discussing stress, work life balance, smoking, weight, physical activity, and various behavior modifications.  Three or more sessions are generally provided.  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 offer stimulating variety and alternatives in order to accommodate the needs of all staff members.  In addition to on-Site physical exercise and healthy eating programs, on-line programs, e-mail reminders and notices, printed newsletters and materials, and employer courses are common dissemination strategies.

8.   Senior Leadership support
Enthusiastic and common endorsement by 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
Effective programs have common 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 & wellness opportunities and reinforce the corporate emphasis on wellness through common and multiple “touches”.

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

11.   Family participation
Many programs encourage spouses and other family members to participate in the company 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 workers effective and convenient assistance with quitting.  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 phone-based programs may be available as well.  

13.   Physical Activity
Regular physical activity is a core component of every wellness program.  Employees 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 neighborhood exercise facilities is a common alternative to workplace facilities.

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

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

16.   Wellness screenings/immunizations
staff members are actively encouraged to complete recommended health care screenings for Blood Pressure, cholesterol, BMI, colorectal and breast cancer, and others.  Annual influenza immunizations are also encouraged.  Some sites offer these services at the workplace.  Incentives are frequently awarded for completion of these screenings/immunizations.

17.   Onsite healthcare
Actual provision of on-Site primary care medical services is a growing trend.  The rapidly escalating expenditures of medical care insurance for employees has stimulated this trend.  Some employers have found that it is less expensive to offer primary care services themselves than to fund those services through health care insurance.  Onsite care also reduces the amount of time employees would otherwise spend away from the workplace getting such services.

References

1.   Aldana, Steven G.  (2001)   Financial Impact of Company Wellness 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 Employee 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 Employee 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 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.

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

Evaluations may conclude that some interventions didn’t work well. You may learn that a popular Employee Wellness Program costs 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 foster 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 goals/objectives.

Three major areas of an evaluation

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

Common questions used to evaluate a Employee Health Promotion Program

Worksite Wellness Program Structure Questions

• What is included in the Workplace Wellness Program? What is the intervention?
• Where does the Workplace Wellness Program take place?
• How is the Company Wellness Program delivered? What content is included?
• Who manages the Workplace Wellness Program?

Company Wellness Program Process Questions

• How many people participate?
• Do participants complete the Company Health Promotion Program?
• Are participants satisfied?
• Which aspects of the Workplace Health Promotion Program are best attended?

Worksite Wellness Program Outcome Questions

• Does the Workplace Wellness Program improve knowledge about health concerns?
• Does the Company Wellness Program modify behavior?
• Does the Workplace Health Promotion Program save the business money?
• What is the return on investment (ROI)?

• Ascertain through an employee survey what incentives and rewards they value.
• Identify what incentives and rewards the corporation can support as well as what the budget will allow.
• Be sure that every attendant who achieves a goal receives some recognition.
• Avoid offering rewards and incentives for the “best” or the “most.”
• Avoid using food as a reward.
• Use incentives and rewards to reward your Company Health Promotion Program, through logos and branding.

Incentives promote staff members 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 increase participation rates, help people complete a Employee Wellness Program, or help people modify or adhere to healthy lifestyles. Providing incentives and rewards and rewards will send an valuable message to the employees that your company is committed to helping them with improving their health. It also plays a valuable role in motivating people to participate.

Tips on how to choose appropriate incentives:

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

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

Tips on creating a Worksite Health Promotion Program:

• Establish activities based on your intended objectives approaching the specific needs of your staff members. Focus on those subject matters that are of greatest interest to your staff members and the greatest needs of your employer, in that order. Avoid subject matters with narrow appeal.
• Keep it simple. Design the Workplace 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.
• Choose activities in which every employee can take part.

Ideas for your Employee Health Promotion Program:

• Challenges. Activities that focus on practicing a desired behavior that continues for 4-8 weeks and focuses on specific issues (such as physical exercise, diet, 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. However, you ought to advocate individuals to make lifestyle changes that they want to make even without an external incentive.
• Education on disease management. For example, support and education groups for diabetes, elevated Blood Pressure, etc.
• Learing new skills. For example, CPR and first aid.
• Preventive screenings like Blood Pressure, blood lipids, and vision.

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

Establish 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 encourage healthier lifestyles
• Develop a wellness program that is visible to both workers and to your customers
• Focus on written policies and instructions
• Set objectives for your wellness program.

Review Guidelines for Writing Goals.

Goals Should Be

Specific – A intention is specific when it provides a description of what will be accomplished. It will state exactly what the business intends to accomplish. It should 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 intention is measurable if it is quantifiable. To determine if your intention 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 intention needs to be realistic for your corporation and where the corporation is at the moment. A intention to take out all the high fat items in the vending machines may not be realistic for your corporation right now; a better intention would be to substitute some of the chips, candy bars and pies for pretzels, yogurt and dried fruit.

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

Successful wellness programs are designed to meet the needs and interests of the employees. Ask employees what they are interested in, and what needs they have. People are more willing to take part 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 sizable number of employees. Closed form questions provide 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 employer president. Make sure to include a statement about confidentiality and anonymity.
• Ask a group of representative workers to review the survey before it is distributed. Find out if the questions will be understood by workers 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 significant. 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 percent to 50 percent is considered significant.

A vital first step in organizing your company’s wellness program is the formation of a Employee Wellness Program Committee. The focus of the Employee Wellness Program Committee is to plan, reward, and start the program. The Employee Wellness Program Committee establishes continuity, motivation, and broad ownership of the program as well as supports an excellent vehicle for communication.

So who should be on the Corporate Health Promotion Program Committee? Consider appointing the following people/departments to your Corporate Health Promotion Program Committee:

• Upper Management within your business
• Union representatives
• Human Resources (HR) department
• Employee Assistance Program
• Information technology
• Communications
• Health and safety department
• staff members interested in health & wellness

Building a thriving Employee Health Promotion Program requires employee time as well as money. Some larger companies may spend 20 hours per week for three to six months preparing all the steps prior to starting a Employee Health Promotion Program.

Anywhere from 4 to 10 people meeting monthly equals a Worksite Health Promotion Program Committee. A mission statement for the Worksite Health Promotion Program Committee must be developed by the second meeting. This way, everyone knows what the Worksite Health Promotion Program Committee is working toward.

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

Support from upper management is critical to building a thriving wellness program! Visible upper management reinforcement is one of the most vital factors in the success of a workplace Worksite 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 Worksite Health Promotion Program objectives to organization outcomes, thereby positioning Worksite Health Promotion Program as a fundamental part of the organization.

It is significant to establish support and excitement for the program from all levels of the employer including upper management, mid-level management, and grass-root staff members.

The challenge for any Company Wellness Program coordinator is convincing management about the potential value of Company Wellness Program to the corporation and conceptualizing how Company Wellness Program initiatives can influence the corporation in a meaningful manner. The American Journal of Health Promotion is a great resource to help you with obtaining convincing information on the benefits of a Company Wellness Program.

Employee Health Promotion Program support from management can come in numerous 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 programs
• Leadership by management, such as the distribution of a letter of support for the program.
• Flexibility of employee schedules to accommodate wellness activities