Employee Wellness Program: Gaining Leadership Support

Strong and visible leadership support for the Company Health and Wellness Program promotes health and is vital to securing necessary Company Health and Wellness Program resources (staff, time, and money) and implementing recommended changes.

1. Establish a Company Health and Wellness Program champion

In a small employer, there may be a single leader who is the clear choice to champion the Employee Wellness Program. In a larger employer, look for an executive with the authority to sway others in the highest levels of the organization regarding the Employee Wellness Program. The Company Health and Wellness Program champion need not be the fittest member of leadership. Rather, look for a Company Health and Wellness Program leader with the disposition to be a visible and vocal supporter of workplace policies that encourage healthy behaviors. Organizations with multiple sites can consider whether it would be useful to have an executive Company Health and Wellness Program champion at each site.

2. Find existing Company Health and Wellness Program allies

There may already be a number of individuals within your employer who recognize the value of a Employee Wellness Program. Think about who those individuals are in your employer; consider areas such as occupational safety, union representatives, risk management, medical officers, and human resources when looking for a Company Health and Wellness Program ally. Capture their stated support for the Employee Wellness Program. Company Health and Wellness Program support could include contributions of staff time or expertise, financial resources, agreement to endorse/support policy and environmental changes, or agreement to participate in, and voice their support for, changes in the workplace that will help to build a culture of health.

3. Build a business case for the Company Health and Wellness Program

There is a reason that more and more companies are finding a way to promote employee health via a Company Health and Wellness Program and policies: A Company Health and Wellness Program makes good business sense. employees with healthy behaviors, on average, are more productive when at work (higher presenteeism)1 and incur lower health care costs than workers with less healthy behaviors.2,3  As a result it would be foolish not to have a Employee Wellness Program.

4. When developing a Company Health and Wellness Program use what you know about leadership styles and the decision-making process within your employer

Every employer is different. Build leadership support for the Company Health and Wellness Program in the way that makes the most sense for your employer. Think about the following as you plan how to approach leadership for Company Health and Wellness Program support:

• What are the current priorities and pressures facing executives? How could a Company Health and Wellness Program and a healthier workforce support those priorities?
• How do your leaders rather receive data: written documents? verbal presentations?
• What kinds of Company Health and Wellness Program information are likely to sway decisions? Do they want data and Company Health and Wellness Program statistics specific to your employer, or are state or national data sufficient? Are your leaders more influenced by internal factors or by what competitors are doing?
• Who would your leaders see as a reliable messenger for this Company Health and Wellness Program information? Does someone from the risk management area carry more clout than someone from the human resources area?
• How do decisions get made in your employer? Informal committee meetings? Formal or informal meetings between executives? Plan accordingly and you improve the odds that the Company Health and Wellness Program will become a reality.

5. Maintain Company Health and Wellness Program support once you have it

Once you have appropriate Company Health and Wellness Program support, ensure that you maintain it by regularly updating your leaders on employee health and progress toward starting a culture that promotes health. Ask upper management how often they want to receive Company Health and Wellness Program progress reports.

Source Information:
1 Bunn, JOEM, 2006, 48:10.
2 Foldes, Bland, An et al. Modifiable Health Risks and Short-Term Health Care Costs. BC/BS of Minnesota internal research, submitted for publication.
3 Anderson, 2000, American Journal of Health Promotion, 15:1.