Creating a successful wellness program

Implementing a wellness program takes strategic planning. There are four components that are crucial to a program's success:

Top level support
It's imperative to gain CEO and senior leadership support of worksite wellness initiatives. Leading by example, management can reinforce the importance of the wellness program and communicate how it benefits the company and the employees. Management should also provide a budget for wellness activities, communications and employee incentives.

Employee engagement
It's difficult for a single person to create and implement a wellness program. The most successful ones are driven by wellness teams, comprised of employees from all levels and departments within the company.

Communications and resources
The greatest wellness program in the world will go nowhere without effective promotion. Provide communications that educate, inform, and clearly define available resources to help employees reach for a healthy lifestyle.

Incentives for healthy choices
There is evidence that employees are more likely to participate in wellness activities if there's a reward involved. It can be a financial reward, extra vacation time or any other type of incentive that employees find valuable.

"...we've had great support by both our ownership and our employees to help this wellness program get off the ground."

-Mike Warner, Director of Human Resources /Marathon Coach

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