HealthPromotionQuote.com

A lot of organizations recognize the need for a comprehensive strategy to help their employees be the best they can be.

They also know that successful and sustainable health promotion programs are much more than several “lunch and learn” programs.

Your health promotion program should include a broad range of key elements, including –

• A clear agenda or statement of objectives.

• A plan characterized by passion.

• an effective leader who is creative and organized.

• A focus on short-term outcomes combined with an overall vision.

• A measurable strategy (what’s important gets measured!).

• A policy of celebrating and communicating success.

Planning Your Health Promotion Program

Plan carefully to ensure that your health promotion program is seen as part of a broad commitment to maintaining the health and safety of all workers. Yes, creating a good plan takes a lot of effort and time (and sometimes resources).

But planning is essential and well worth the investment required.  As the saying goes, “failing to plan is planning to fail.”

You might begin by conducting a recent survey of employee needs and interests. When you take this route, pay attention to the results and plan hence. When you don’t, the staff members will not support the program.

Accumulating information about what you’re already offering is also a good idea. for example, you may be surprised by your corporation or corporation’s current wellness and health policies.

Another important step is to establish an agenda and/or measurable goals to help you determine priorities, timelines and the resources required to launch the program. be bold and creative in your planning, but also realistic.

Leadership

The leader of your health promotion program must be able to wear many hats. the leader’s duties include –

• Developing a vision of the health promotion program after receiving input from all interested workers.

• Communicating ideas and a rationale throughout the organization (to upper-level managers and fellow workers alike).

• Keeping others enthusiastic about and committed to a health promotion program.

• Serving as a role model and wellness coach.

• Developing and maintaining leadership skills such as giving effective presentations and being well-organized.

Good leaders avoid becoming overwhelmed by overly ambitious and complex plans. You may want to stick to short-term goals at the beginning so that you get immediate and visible results.

These first steps are the basis for a successful health promotion program.

Good leaders involve as many people  as possible in the program. for example, you will want to form a committee made up of a diverse group of staff members to provide advice during the planning phase. This approach will –

• Make sure to help you to obtain valuable information from all parts of the corporation.

• Develop ambassadors who’ll help you implement the health promotion program.

Keeping Score and Celebrating

Always rememberhow you will monitor progress and evaluate the success of your health promotion program. Evaluation allows you to –

• Identify areas of excellence.

• Identify factors that affect participation in your programs.

• Gain management’s support for your efforts (and maintain that support).

• Better understand issues that need attention.

• Learn from mistakes and change the program to keep it on the right track.

When you evaluate your program, you can measure such things as –

• Staff Member absences.

• Employee turnover rates.

• The cost of your worker assistance program.

• The cost of benefits, including short-term and long-term disability payments.

• The cost of your drug plan.

• Accident rates and safety records.

• Employees’ participation in health promotion programs (and whether they are staying in the programs).

• Changes in employees’ health habits.

• Level of employees’ awareness of healthful lifestyle issues.

• Results of your environmental wellness audit.

• Other noticeable changes in areas such as morale and job satisfaction.

A good communications plan provides ongoing information to staff members (including upper-level managers) and fosters excitement about the health promotion program.

Positive reinforcement is part of an effective communications plan. for  instance, you could recognize people  who have helped set up the program or offer tangible rewards for achieving objectives.

Everybody needs to know whether workers are getting involved, enjoying the activities and getting some benefit from them. Showing that a health promotion program has financial benefits is often an important factor in maintaining strong support from the top.

If you pay attention to the key elements of your health promotion program and communicate openly and continuously while planning and delivering it, you will lay a solid foundation and leave a legacy that lasts.