Components of a Successful Wellness Program

Wellness programs are growing in popularity.  More employers promote good health behaviors and more insurance carriers offer wellness programs along with their health benefit packages, often at no extra cost.

Many employers start small with smoking cessation, walking programs, or simply posting information about health related topics. Other employers, including The Starr Group, have developed multi-faceted wellness programs. The Starr Group program includes fitness, health risk assessments, bio-metric screenings and education in addition to a company-wide wellness program vision statement.

The Wellness Council of America, WELCOA, recommends building a results-oriented workplace wellness program.  This allows employers to measure the results of their wellness activities and builds a cohesive program that will stand the test of time.

Key aspects of a successful program include:

• Garnering the support of senior level management
• Creating cohesive wellness teams
• Building a supportive environment
• Collecting and evaluating data
• Having a cohesive plan and identifying appropriate interventions

For more information on carriers offering wellness programs or how to begin or enhance a wellness program for your company, contact your Starr Group representative.

For more information about WELCOA certifications and Well Workplace awards visit: http://WELCOA.org/wellworkplace