So. Your company is about to get healthier.
Great.
There's been lots of talk about a workplace health programme around the office.
You've heard some good ideas, some bad ideas and, well, some misguided ones too.
Management agree the company should do something but as they've never had anything like this before, they want to choose something proven. Now they've asked you, the project superstar, to 'get this thing started'.
Fantastic.
We've got 7 steps to ensure your workplace health promotion success.
You'll need to know:
Well that depends...sorry.
Sowing and reaping in health promotion
Workplace health promotion programmes, also known as occupational or corporate health promotion programmes, come in many forms.
Some businesses invest heavily by introducing everything from free GYM memberships and lunchtime fitness classes, to massage and hot yoga.
And while that's all well and good, some staff may feel alienated by, or just not enjoy these activities. Actually, some may even resent the initiatives, seeing them as pointless or a waste of company resources.
The focus then, should be on helping each employee to improve their particular situation.
A whole of health approach is best. It offers something valuable to everybody. Your newly healthy colleagues may even create a shrine in your honour. Right beside the new fruit bowl in reception.
And yes, management will love you too.
The returns on employee health far outweigh the cost:
Sounds great right?
That's because as an investment it just makes sense. There is no downside to healthier staff.
Following the guide below will save you time and ensure you deliver a plan based on what works best.
If you'd like any help with your health promotion strategy, please feel free to contact us, or search healthreach.ie for more information.
Let's get started. Here's your seven steps to a healthier workplace:
1. Get Senior Management Involved
Management need to believe in the value of the health promotion plan and get involved.
Some funds and/or man hours must be made available for developing, implementing and evaluating the new health initiative. Highlighting how an occupational health promotion programme lines up with business objectives and listing the bottom line benefits should help.
Usually, an insight into competitors' health programmes doesn't hurt either.
Also, management should walk the talk and get personally involved in workplace health promotion. Doing so offers a unique opportunity to display leadership. It helps employees relate to management at the human level. This has been shown to help drive employee engagement in the programme and boost moral generally.
2. Give Key Roles To Key People
Form a team of individuals who share responsibly for promoting and improving workplace health.
Include people from different departments and career levels. More innovative ideas are likely to develop this way, leading to greater levels of interest.
The health promotion team members should also devise a list of appropriate directions the programme may take. The team should then offer some well thought out suggestions to their colleagues, while still allowing a degree of flexibility.
For example:
“The number one cause of premature death in Ireland is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Screening, seminars and monitoring may be helpful as CVD is highly preventable and every member of staff will benefit in a very real way”.
Is smarter than:
“Paint-balling is fun, with some exercise, and most of the staff will probably enjoy it”
Also, try adding a competitive element to further increase engagement levels. Incentivising participation is always included in the best workplace health promotion programmes.
Just be careful and avoid alienating any staff members.
3. Listen To The Employees
Once your team members have returned from speaking with their colleagues the data can be evaluated.
Depending on the size of your company a survey may have been sent out, but qualitative/verbal reports are usually fine.
Don't complicate things at this point.
Concentrate on setting goals for the programme based on 2 principles:
Work on finding a happy balance.
4. Create a Sustainable Long Term Plan
A successful health promotion programme needs a plan. An annual plan is best.
It should include a budget, schedule and mission statement, along with specific and measurable:
Again, linking the occupational health promotion plan to one or more of the company’s existing strategic initiatives is a clever idea.
Your boss will love it.
It'll also have a better chance of maintaining the support of management as it develops and the benefits begin to show.
5. Putting It All Together
The particulars of your health promotion plan should be combined with 3 key factors in mind.
The objectives and goals of management:
The objectives and goals of employees:
Addressing the main health risk factors of your employee population:
Cardiovascular disease and the loss of productivity caused by its risk factors are widely considered the greatest threat to both employees and employers when it comes to health.
Workplace health promotion is therefore most efficient when focused on cardiovascular disease prevention. This approach provides the greatest benefit to both staff and employers through an increase in the longevity and quality of health.
Our Workplace Health Challenge does just that. It could be exactly what your looking for. It is a fun, comprehensive programme that is evidence based and very cost effective. It's a great fit for almost any company - check it out here.
6. Facilitate a Supportive Environment
The good news is that CVD's risk factors are lifestyle based and highly reversible in the right environment.
Look at your plan, listen to employees and have some fun!
This is where things get creative...
Now make it even more fun.
Aim for lots of little changes to the workplace.
Get as many people involved in the brain-storming process as possible.
This will increase ownership of the health promotion programme throughout the company and get people talking.
Do whatever works to create a culture of health.
7. Keep moving Forward
Let your new workplace health promotion programme evolve naturally over time. Don't force it.
While it's important to measure the outcomes it's also important to be realistic. Do this by managing expectations from the beginning, particularly with management.
Managements' objectives should be measured annually, remembering to take any influencing variables into consideration.
Statistically, significant bottom-line results should be recognised after year 2 but the feel good factor around the office will be instant.
Investing in employee health is a long term strategy that shows short term results.
We wish you luck with your health promotion plan and please...
Contact Health Reach for more details on how we can support your company's health goals or visit healthreach.ie for more information on some of our workplace health promotion packages.
And remember...
Keep staff healthy by keeping it fun.
Take care and good health.
Great.
There's been lots of talk about a workplace health programme around the office.
You've heard some good ideas, some bad ideas and, well, some misguided ones too.
Management agree the company should do something but as they've never had anything like this before, they want to choose something proven. Now they've asked you, the project superstar, to 'get this thing started'.
Fantastic.
We've got 7 steps to ensure your workplace health promotion success.
You'll need to know:
- What's involved
- Who exactly will do it
- And how much it'll cost
Well that depends...sorry.
Sowing and reaping in health promotion
Workplace health promotion programmes, also known as occupational or corporate health promotion programmes, come in many forms.
Some businesses invest heavily by introducing everything from free GYM memberships and lunchtime fitness classes, to massage and hot yoga.
And while that's all well and good, some staff may feel alienated by, or just not enjoy these activities. Actually, some may even resent the initiatives, seeing them as pointless or a waste of company resources.
The focus then, should be on helping each employee to improve their particular situation.
A whole of health approach is best. It offers something valuable to everybody. Your newly healthy colleagues may even create a shrine in your honour. Right beside the new fruit bowl in reception.
And yes, management will love you too.
The returns on employee health far outweigh the cost:
- Less absenteeism
- Increased productivity
- Increased staff moral and vitality
- Better retention and attraction of talent
- Employees who feel valued and appreciated
Sounds great right?
That's because as an investment it just makes sense. There is no downside to healthier staff.
Following the guide below will save you time and ensure you deliver a plan based on what works best.
If you'd like any help with your health promotion strategy, please feel free to contact us, or search healthreach.ie for more information.
Let's get started. Here's your seven steps to a healthier workplace:
1. Get Senior Management Involved
Management need to believe in the value of the health promotion plan and get involved.
Some funds and/or man hours must be made available for developing, implementing and evaluating the new health initiative. Highlighting how an occupational health promotion programme lines up with business objectives and listing the bottom line benefits should help.
Usually, an insight into competitors' health programmes doesn't hurt either.
Also, management should walk the talk and get personally involved in workplace health promotion. Doing so offers a unique opportunity to display leadership. It helps employees relate to management at the human level. This has been shown to help drive employee engagement in the programme and boost moral generally.
2. Give Key Roles To Key People
Form a team of individuals who share responsibly for promoting and improving workplace health.
Include people from different departments and career levels. More innovative ideas are likely to develop this way, leading to greater levels of interest.
The health promotion team members should also devise a list of appropriate directions the programme may take. The team should then offer some well thought out suggestions to their colleagues, while still allowing a degree of flexibility.
For example:
“The number one cause of premature death in Ireland is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Screening, seminars and monitoring may be helpful as CVD is highly preventable and every member of staff will benefit in a very real way”.
Is smarter than:
“Paint-balling is fun, with some exercise, and most of the staff will probably enjoy it”
Also, try adding a competitive element to further increase engagement levels. Incentivising participation is always included in the best workplace health promotion programmes.
Just be careful and avoid alienating any staff members.
3. Listen To The Employees
Once your team members have returned from speaking with their colleagues the data can be evaluated.
Depending on the size of your company a survey may have been sent out, but qualitative/verbal reports are usually fine.
Don't complicate things at this point.
Concentrate on setting goals for the programme based on 2 principles:
- The programme is of benefit to all employees
- Management can measure outcomes beneficial to the company
Work on finding a happy balance.
4. Create a Sustainable Long Term Plan
A successful health promotion programme needs a plan. An annual plan is best.
It should include a budget, schedule and mission statement, along with specific and measurable:
- short-term goals (like engagement levels)
- long-term objectives (like reduced absenteeism)
Again, linking the occupational health promotion plan to one or more of the company’s existing strategic initiatives is a clever idea.
Your boss will love it.
It'll also have a better chance of maintaining the support of management as it develops and the benefits begin to show.
5. Putting It All Together
The particulars of your health promotion plan should be combined with 3 key factors in mind.
The objectives and goals of management:
- Improvements in absenteeism
- Productivity
- Aligned with existing objectives.
The objectives and goals of employees:
- Improved health
- Energy
- Peace of mind*
Addressing the main health risk factors of your employee population:
- Cholesterol levels
- Blood pressure
- Body fat percentage
Cardiovascular disease and the loss of productivity caused by its risk factors are widely considered the greatest threat to both employees and employers when it comes to health.
Workplace health promotion is therefore most efficient when focused on cardiovascular disease prevention. This approach provides the greatest benefit to both staff and employers through an increase in the longevity and quality of health.
Our Workplace Health Challenge does just that. It could be exactly what your looking for. It is a fun, comprehensive programme that is evidence based and very cost effective. It's a great fit for almost any company - check it out here.
6. Facilitate a Supportive Environment
The good news is that CVD's risk factors are lifestyle based and highly reversible in the right environment.
Look at your plan, listen to employees and have some fun!
This is where things get creative...
- Start a lunchtime walking club and give walkers a longer lunch
- Applaud when people take the stairs
- Remove junk food and fizzy drinks from the vending machines
- Run a company healthy recipe contest on Facebook and let your customers vote too
- Provide screening and nutrition workshops
- Run a workplace health challenge (Trust me, check it out.)
Now make it even more fun.
Aim for lots of little changes to the workplace.
Get as many people involved in the brain-storming process as possible.
This will increase ownership of the health promotion programme throughout the company and get people talking.
Do whatever works to create a culture of health.
7. Keep moving Forward
Let your new workplace health promotion programme evolve naturally over time. Don't force it.
While it's important to measure the outcomes it's also important to be realistic. Do this by managing expectations from the beginning, particularly with management.
Managements' objectives should be measured annually, remembering to take any influencing variables into consideration.
Statistically, significant bottom-line results should be recognised after year 2 but the feel good factor around the office will be instant.
Investing in employee health is a long term strategy that shows short term results.
We wish you luck with your health promotion plan and please...
Contact Health Reach for more details on how we can support your company's health goals or visit healthreach.ie for more information on some of our workplace health promotion packages.
And remember...
Keep staff healthy by keeping it fun.
Take care and good health.
RSS Feed
