Posted by admin | Posted in Health Program Ideas, Screening and Intervention Programs, Wellness Program Incentives | Posted on 01-04-2009
To succeed in encouraging physical activity during the workday, you must find out what workers need and want. They are the individuals whose behavior you are trying to impact, so it’s critical to understand their needs and gain their reinforcement.
The Employee Interest Survey
Ask workers questions that let you assess such key characteristics as age, sex, social relationships, family responsibilities and current physical exercise participation.
It’s important to know this information so that your physical activity initiative meets employees’ needs. Staff Members aren’t going to participate in something they’re not interested in.
Ask workers what they want, and then implement changes that fit with their needs and working conditions. By way of example, workers may not wish to do activities that make them sweat, because they do not want to shower at work.
Ask staff members what the organization might do to make it easier for them to be more physically active during work. If there’s a common behavior throughout your organization, a single change might affect an abundance of people.
For example, suppose a big group shows interest in biking to work. They may want to shower and change after their commute. You might give priority to installing workplace showers and changing facilities. Secure bike storage might be important as well.
If you’re starting a program that requires going outside, start in the spring. By the time winter arrives, participation is already a habit.
Involving workers is key to building physical exercise participation rates. People are more willing to participate in and support physical exercise drives when they are involved in decision making.
The following tips will help you produce your own employee interest survey:
• Keep it short (no longer than ten minutes to complete).
• Let workers know why you are doing the survey.
• Rather than using all open-ended questions, which can be long and difficult to analyze, ask people to choose from a drop-down list of possible responses.
• Ask for comments and ideas in one open-ended question at the end.
• Make it confidential and anonymous. Do not request information that may identify a person.
• If you’re including a list of possible programs or environmental changes, be sure your workplace has the facilities and resources to offer them.