Checklist for establishing a wellness program

Here are some of the many factors to be considered in establishing a wellness program. Steps for setting up a wellness program are outlined at ¶84,020.

• Data gathering. The initial data gathering tasks are best assigned to a particular person or a subcommittee. Working within prescribed deadlines, this person or committee should check records regarding insurance claims, health benefits use, absenteeism and other relevant factors.

• Surveying employees and management. A survey of employees and management is the best way to learn of employee interest, desire to participate and perceived needs. Surveys should seek information on employee preferences and interest.

• Management involvement. Company management and key decision-makers in the company must be interested and involved in the wellness program to make it successful. Wellness activities need to be perceived by employees to be as important as other areas that come under management's review.

• Existing company resources. Many informal activities, such as sports teams or walking groups, are already in action at many companies that are thinking of formalizing a wellness program. These are good areas in which to start because employee interest has already been proven. In addition, most companies have meeting rooms or cafeterias that can be used for health promotion education classes, so that they have a head start on providing program facilities.

• Employee leadership as a resource. Company employees can be viewed as health promotion resources as well. For example, employee leaders can instill a sense of employee ownership of the program through employee investment of time and talent. They can also reinforce positive health behavior changes and can help to motivate other employees.

• Community facilities. Other wellness program resources are found in the local community. Companies may find it more feasible to rent community facilities or to subsidize club or YMCA memberships for employees. Government, public and private agency programs concerning nutrition, cancer, smoking cessation, heart disease, lung disease, weight control and so forth are good sources for literature, speakers and education classes.

• Physical fitness facilities. Companies planning to add physical fitness facilities to their workplaces need to consider safety and function in designing these facilities. Equipment choice for programs and design of health facilities and programs are services that can be contracted by the wellness program committee since committee members may not have the expertise to handle all safety and design details. In general, the committee will need to consider facility traffic flow, locker room design and equipment, size of fitness area, staff and equipment.

• Incentive programs. Developing a system of employee incentives encourages employees to adopt good health habits. Such a system can include free courses, free course materials, cash awards, prizes, gifts or gift certificates to award such achievements as weight loss, smoking cessation, regular exercise or maintenance of low blood pressure or low cholesterol levels.

Incentives must be fairly administered. It is wise to include rewards for employees who are already healthy as well as for those who wish to change their health habits. Incentives should not be coercive or manipulative. They may take the form of additional vacation days, additional pay, or paid-time off for employee participation in wellness programs or activities, rather than a negative form such as a decrease in benefits for non-participation or failure to meet goals.

Employees' families should be encouraged to participate when feasible, so that healthy habits receive encouragement away from the worksite. This may also encourage employee participation.

• Company philosophy and climate. Health promotion programs will enjoy greater success if they are in tune with the facilities available at the company, primary management objectives, and employee needs. For instance, a good nutrition education program may have little impact on employees if the only company lunch facility available is a lunchroom with junk food in its vending machines. A company with a cafeteria can more easily foster a good nutrition program.

A clear pronouncement of corporate philosophy in health and wellness is most valuable. If high productivity is most important, then a wellness program might seek to immediately address absenteeism by starting with safety education, stress management, or chronic disease management. If company philosophy emphasizes loyalty and employment longevity, then programs that offer long-term lifestyle education for employees and their families might work best.

• Staffing. A competent staff is one of the most important contributions to the success of a wellness program, particularly a fitness facility. Staff should be professional, friendly, enthusiastic and creative. They are responsible for planning and implementing programs, recruiting participants, keeping accounts and records and operating the programs and facilities on a day-to-day basis. They may also oversee the risk screening for participants and arrange for more extensive medical examinations for higher-risk employees.

• Liability. Another element of cost is involved in the issue of the employer's liability for accidents or injury to employees in the course of wellness activities. Liability should be covered through specific insurance or workers' compensation plans. Liability can be reduced by:

  • hiring competent staff;

  • educating participants concerning risks;

  • screening employees prior to admitting them to exercise programs and prescribing their exercises based on the medical histories and condition; and

  • safely maintaining facilities and equipment.

• Cost. Cost is often the most significant factor an employer considers in choosing wellness activities. However, many studies have shown that, for every dollar an employer spends on a wellness program, it actually saves several dollars.

Additional cost-saving may be achieved if employees contribute to the cost of some of the programs offered.

• Nondiscrimination-tax effect. It is important for an employer to offer wellness programs to all employees and not just key executives, so that important tax benefits are not lost.

• Program evaluation and progress measurement. A benefits administrator will wish to build into company wellness programs systems to periodically measure progress and evaluate the programs. Progress can be measured individually for each program participant when results are visible in terms of weight loss, smoking cessation, fitness, and lowered blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Progress can be measured for the company by measuring before and after factors such as absenteeism, health care costs, health services usage, accidents, and insurance claims.