Is your wellness program raising your blood pressure? Anyone involved with worksite wellness is interested in creating more than a "good enough" program. Aim to create a great one! Get the best results from your program by drawing on research from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA).
For more than 20 years, WELCOA has dedicated its efforts to researching and promoting the wellness efforts of America's healthiest companies. What do they do and how do they do it? They have identified the 7 key benchmarks of success that seem to be present in companies that have the best results-oriented workplace wellness programs.
The Health and Fitness Journal published by ACSM also reviewed and studied successful programs and identified a list of elements they found important for getting the best results from your worksite wellness program.
Here are their results:
Wellness Counsel Of America (WELCOA)
- CEO Support - contain healthcare costs with top level support
- Cohesive Wellness Teams - distribute the responsibility for wellness throughout the company
- Data-Driven Health Efforts - gather data using corporate culture audits, health risk appraisals, and knowledge and interest surveys to reveal the health needs and interests within the organization
- Carefully Crafted Operating Plan - develop the roadmap and guide to determine where to focus efforts and plan investments
- Appropriate Interventions
- Supportive Environment
- Evaluation of Outcomes
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
- Strong Top Management Support - finding champions at the executive level
- Employee Ownership and Involvement - employee ownership and involvement; a wellness committee (including employees) that gives input and evaluation
- New Program Development - based on sound data (proven effective, sound health principles) and good planning strategies
- Program Aligned with Business Objectives - directly involved with productivity, cost containment, profitability, and the mission of the organization
- Constant Organization-Wide Communication Efforts - multi-level program development, regular newsletters, targeted personalized wellness messages
- A Wellness Commitment - to create a supportive environment and healthy culture
- Formalized Reporting/Tracking Program – including evaluation of the wellness program
Do you have the proper tools to create a great wellness program? Contact Wellsource today to add the tools necessary to put the power of wellness in your hands!
