Health Wellness ProgramHealth and Wellness Programs and Wellness Program Consulting

Establishing an active Company Health Promotion Program Committee supplies opportunities for both upper management and employee participation in the program.  The Wellness Committee ought to be a team of employees and managers who formally meet to plan activities to reward healthier employee lifestyles.

Typical Functions of a Company Health Promotion Program Committee:

• Reviewing needs & interests
• Brainstorming program ideas
• Beginning activities
• Implementing communication plans
• Promoting programs to co-workers
• Serving as champions of the Corporate Wellness Programs
• Assisting with assessment  

Your Employee Wellness Program Committee ought to be representative of all levels of the corporation.  Consider all areas of the workforce – multiple sites, shift staff members, diversity (race, gender, ethnicity), and departments.   It’s also important to consider who will chair or co-chair the Employee Wellness Program Committee and whether or not there are the finances to support a Employee Wellness Program manager or occupational health professional, even on a part-time or contractual basis.  Click here for more information on the advantages of a health professional.  

Depending on your corporation size and resources, if you already have a corporation Safety Committee you might want to consider making it the Safety & Workplace Wellness Program Committee.  You are able to request volunteers or invite employees to participate.  

The number of Employee Wellness Program Committee participants depends on the size of your employer; however, you need a sufficient number of participants to get the work done and yet not too many to keep it manageable, usually a minimum of 4 participants and maximum of 12 to 15 participants.  It’s significant to include skeptics of wellness as well and not just those staff members already living healthy lifestyles.  

Depending on your workplace, consider representatives from the following areas:

• Employee representatives from a cross section of different departments,
• Senior Management
• Health and safety consultant(s),
• Human Resources (HR) consultant(s),
• Employee benefits representative or someone from finance,
• Your Employee Assistance Program(EAP) provider (if applicable), Click here for more information on EAPs
• Occupational health employee (if applicable).

Establish a strong Company Wellness Program Committee!  The Company Wellness Program Committee ought to meet on a regular basis with a planned agenda and action items.  Effective Wellness Committees have a shared mission, vision and goals/objectives.  Participants must believe that their participation is worthwhile and appreciated, that their work is valuable, benefits the organization and co-employees, and they are appreciated for their contributions. Refer to the NC Workplace Programs section for examples of what other employers have implemented.