HealthPromotionQuote.com

There’s no single right way to approach health promotion programs but winning programs share common success factors. These include commitment from management, staff member involvement, adequate resources, and a policy concerning health that goes hand in hand with the organization’s mission, vision and values.

Health Promotion Program –  A Range of Approaches

Although the goal is to eventually have a long-term, comprehensive health promotion program, some businesses prefer to begin with a single program at a basic level.

For  instance, the first steps could be as simple as offering lunch-hour sessions on first aid or healthy eating; or they may launch a pilot project to find out how interested employees are to ensure employees needs are being met before taking on anything more ambitious.

This approach provides a chance to show the impact on staff members and the workplace so management will be more willing to consider a larger and more far-reaching strategy.

Other corporations plan a selection of programs to meet the needs of the different types of people  that make up their workforce.  And some decide to develop a sound business case, complete with a health strategy, before trying any kind of program.

Companies want to ensure that a new program is fully integrated with their overall corporation vision and mission.

Health Promotion Program –  Success Factors

Whether your business chooses to think large from the outset or to start with something smaller, always rememberthe following key success factors –

• support and participation from management;

• staff member involvement in planning;

• programs that meet employee needs;

• a realistic budget; and

• continuous review.

In sports, a game plan is a series of steps that a team must follow to accomplish its goal of winning. Most winning teams plan to win. Organizations also need game plans, even when they don’t call them by that name.

Good planning will help to ensure that your health promotion program happens the way you want it to, and that costs may be identified in advance and kept within budget. Good planning prevents small problems from becoming bigger.

Steps in Planning a Health Promotion Program

Obtain management support. You might need to develop a company case to convince managers that the health promotion program is a company strategy-that worker health and job satisfaction affects their productivity. Staff Members need to see evidence that  upper-level management believes in and is committed to worker health.

Establish a planning committee. Members can include representatives from employee groups in addition to from human resources, health and safety, and communications.

Collect information. to prove that your program is beneficial, establish a benchmark before the program begins. You could wish to look at worker satisfaction, absenteeism rates, stress levels, drug costs or WCB expenses.

Assess what workplace facilities are available to support workers to make healthful options such as showers and change areas or a secure place to store a bike. Assess staff member needs through a recent survey or questionnaire, suggestion box or focus group. Communicate the results.

Develop the plan to reflect the information accumulated. Include program objectives, activities and how you are going to measure whether your objectives were met.

Keep the plan flexible. You could have to change direction in response to worker feedback or changes in the organization’s structure.

Get management approval. Support for staff time and a budget are needed.

Put activities in place. Offer a variety of activities that develop awareness, increase knowledge, develop skills, and provide social interaction.

Activities could include walking clubs, participation in national campaigns like Corporate Health Promotion Week, SummerActive, WinterActive, corporate challenge, golf days, and newsletters that provide information about community resources.

Workplaces can also make it easier for workers to make healthful options by providing flextime to allow workers to fit activity in when it is convenient or by subsidizing programs in cooperation with community or private fitness facilities. A policy on catering for meetings can ensure that healthful foods are offered.

Evaluate the plan. Share your successes with others, learn from your mistakes and modify activities.

A health promotion program doesn’t have to be complicated or a immense investment. Just do it. Get support from management, bring a few committed individuals  together to generate some ideas and get started.