Health Promotion Programs – Building Program Support.

As with any wellness program, the two critical elements for the success of your wellness program are upper management support and worker involvement. Senior level management sets the vision and provides the resources from which action plans flow.

Genuine support from upper management also lends credibility to the wellness program. It is key that upper management be visible supporters and role models for your Health Promotion Program.

Employees need to be involved on a few levels so that they feel ownership of the health promotion program. Employees are the health promotion program stakeholders!

All personnel should’ve an opportunity to provide input and feedback through needs and interest surveys and wellness program examination tools.  The information gathered ought to be used to plan wellness programs that target those needs and interests to ensure participation, buy-in, and support.

There are several methods to identify worker needs and interests such as -

o  Conducting Employee Focus Groups

o  Discussing Health Promotion Interests During Department Meetings

o  Distributing and Summarizing a Needs and Interest Survey

o  Including an Opportunity to Provide Suggestions on Each Analysis Tool

Any one or combination of several techniques will ensure that the health promotion program meets what staff members want.  Click here for a sample Needs and Interest Survey.

Step 3 provides additional information on determining wellness program needs.  But first, establishing a Wellness Committee can help you involve senior level management and staff members, determine need, and plan your wellness program.