Keys to Effective Workplace Wellness Initiatives

Collaboration and Effective Workplace Wellness Initiatives

Why should you collaborate?

Active, ongoing partnerships and cooperative efforts multiply Workplace Health and Wellness Plan resources in order to better serve Employees and their families.

How can you build collaboration into a Workplace Wellness Program?

Get Ready…
• Brainstorm a list of every potential Wellness partner you can think of. Be innovative!
• Be a politician: introduce yourself to everyone BEFORE you need their help.
• Develop a plan to get Upper Management support from as high up the chain as possible. Make sure to include specific ways that your Workplace Health and Wellness Plan will impact force readiness.
• Determine how YOU can help your organizations (not just what they can do for you).

Be Steady…
• Get input from everyone that your Workplace Health and Wellness Plan will affect. Make a special effort to talk to the workers closest to Workplace Health and Wellness Plan implementation (those with “boots on the ground”).
• The most frequently asked questions should be: “What would you suggest?” and “How do you think this would work best?”
• Find someone who has done the same type of Workplace Health and Wellness Plan before and ask their advice. (Hint: the Workplace Health and Wellness Plan has a list of many Wellness POCs.)
• Plan NOW to show Workplace Health and Wellness Plan effectiveness. Identify who may ALREADY BE COLLECTING information that will show the Workplace Health and Wellness Plan is working.

Get Set…
• Step back and review your Workplace Health and Wellness Plan from a potential partner’s point of view.
• Brainstorm questions your collaborators might have, and have the answers ready.
• Be ready to frame your “selling points” in terms that are important to each specific partner.
• Put the Workplace Health and Wellness Plan benefits in language your collaborators will understand.
• Stress to potential partners how this Workplace Health and Wellness Plan will provide benefit to them.

And Go…
• Build as many partnerships as you can BEFORE you begin a Workplace Wellness Program.
• Make your partnerships a two-way street: always let your collaborators know what you can do for them – then follow-up and do what you say you would do.
• Maintain Upper Management support by providing a regular flow of information. Invite Upper Management participation in the Workplace Health and Wellness Plan and special events whenever possible. (Hint: they make great judges if you have a contest.)
• Offer regular feedback to your collaborators.
• Don’t hog the spotlight: let your collaborators share in the visibility of the Workplace Wellness Program.