Creating a wellness program that’s the perfect fit for your team doesn’t have to be a stitch in time. Follow this tailored checklist to design, implement, and maintain a program that supports both your employees and your organization’s goals.
Step 1: Planning Your Program
Start by threading the needle between employee needs and company goals:
- Define Outcomes: Identify what you aim to achieve. Examples include reducing absenteeism, improving safety, lowering healthcare costs, or boosting employee morale.
- Gather Insights: Survey employees, review current benefits usage, or conduct a health risk assessment to pinpoint areas of interest.
- Stakeholder Collaboration: Involve stakeholders to align the wellness program with organizational objectives and understand its value.
- Form a Wellness Committee: Bring together a diverse group of team members to oversee the program.
- Budgeting: Establish a clear budget to support the initiative.
- Choose Program Types: Consider options such as weight loss support, smoking cessation, nutrition education, health screenings, disease management, or fitness programs.
- Incentives and Compliance: Decide whether to offer incentives, and ensure compliance with laws like the ADA, GINA, ACA, and HIPAA.
- Leverage Broker Expertise: Consult with your insurance broker for vendor recommendations and program design assistance.
- Communication Plan: Develop a plan to launch surveys, introduce the program, gather feedback, and maintain regular communication about features and benefits.
Step 2: Ensuring Success
Once the program is up and running, keep it seamless and strong:
- Feedback Collection: Regularly gather input from employees and stakeholders to measure success and identify areas for improvement.
- Goal Alignment: Compare initial goals with program outcomes and employee participation rates.
- Ongoing Communication: Keep employees in the loop with consistent updates and reminders.
- Midyear Check-ins: Conduct surveys midyear to gauge engagement and satisfaction.
- Metrics Review: Analyze program metrics to confirm effectiveness.
- Compliance Review: Ensure compliance with notice requirements under applicable laws like ADA, GINA, ACA, and HIPAA.
- Budget Assessment: Review the budget and feedback to adjust for future program renewals.
- Broker and Vendor Review: Meet with your insurance broker and vendors ahead of renewals to discuss feedback and potential adjustments.
- Program Updates: Communicate any program changes well in advance of the renewal date.
By following this checklist, you’ll sew together a wellness program that strengthens your team’s well-being and aligns with your company’s goals.
