How to create an employee wellness program?

Every company wants to have productive, happy employees and to retain their most important professionals. All of this and so much more can be achieved through an employee wellness program. This offers many benefits and it has turn into one of the most valuable trends in the world of Human Resources management.  

Perhaps you are not very familiar with the concept of employee wellness plans. We can help you to capitalize on all its benefits. In this article, we will show you how to create an employee wellness program step by step. 

How to create a wellness program? 

The first and most important step is to receive the green light from the company’s administration. At first glance, this could seem a little difficult for Human resources professionals since business management don’t usually agree to approve projects that require investing resources.  

For that reason, the administration must understand the benefits this program offers not just for employees but also for the whole organization. Show them the positive effects this type of initiatives has had on organizations similar to yours. The budget you will have for the program will depend on their cooperation. 

1. Identify the type of program 

The next step is to pick the type of program you will implement in the organization. Don’t let the term wellness trick you into thinking it only focuses on employee health. There are many other aspects that have influence over employee wellbeing. Some examples of employee wellness programs are: 

• Continuous education programs 
• Assistance programs 
• Leisure programs 

You have to create one of these programs to meet a specific need workers have. If you want to know what type of program will work best in your business, you have to conduct a survey. This has to comprise detailed questions and delve deep into employee’s necessities. The information you collect will help you create a better plan for the people in the company. 

For example, the survey could reveal that working from home is causing your employees to adopt a sedentary lifestyle and it is generating concerns about their physical health. In that case, the best action would be to implement an employee wellness program focused on health. 

2. Set the objectives 

One you have identified the type of employee wellness program you need at work, you have to start creating it. For that purpose, the first step is to set its objectives. You can set the main objectives by answering a couple questions. Let’s check them one by one. 

What do you want to achieve with the plan? 

Your main objective should be specific. As you can imagine, this will revolve around the type of program you need. For example, if you want to increase the health level in employees, you can set your main objective the following way: Having an X% of employee participation in the employee health plan at work. 

When do you want to achieve it? 

Set a specific time to achieve each objective you have. Otherwise, you could be chasing your objectives indefinitely. You could do it this way: Having an X% of employee participation in the health plan at work for January next year. 

3. Design the program 

Ok, you have already answered the what and the when. Now it’s time to answer the how. To design the program correctly you have to identify the specific actions that will help you meet your employees’ needs. If, for example, the objective is to improve the health levels in workers, you could implement nutrition programs, personal trainer sessions, sports events, among many other similar alternatives. 

How can you identify the best actions for your employees? Here you can use the information you gathered with the survey you conducted initially. If it wasn’t very detailed or you want be very specific with the actions you will take, you can conduct a second survey to understand what measures will suit best your employees. 

When it comes to setting the scope of the plan, you could be tempted to create a very ambitious one. However, the most successful programs are the simplest ones. Focus on solving workers’ needs in a direct and simple manner. This way, employees will be more engaged with it. 

On the other hand, don’t forget the scope of the employee wellness program is determined by the budget the company invests in it. Here we have to mention that you could collaborate with academic institutions for education programs o gyms in the case of health programs. 

4. Implement the program and monitor the results 

Since the program is now ready, it’s time to promote the participation. Announce it as a fun event and explain the benefits it offer for employees. The process does not ends with the plan implementation. It is also important to measure the results and make corrections if necessary. 

First, check the engagement level of people with the program. Based on this you will know if it’s necessary to take especial measures to increase participation. Then, it’s important to conduct surveys to check if the program really meets employees’ needs. Lastly, don’t forget that the plan must be revised periodically and check if its results improve in the long term. 

Now you know how to create an employee wellness plan. Pay attention throughout each step of this process and you will get positive results for your employees and for your organization. 

At Talent2Win, we strive to align your company’s business objectives with the best Talent Acquisition strategies available. If you want to learn more about the services we offer, do not hesitate to contact us.