By Joanna Weekes

Now that we have covered the what and why of workplace health promotion programs, today we can look at the how.

It’s really important that your workplace health promotion program suits both the needs of your business and the needs of your workers. So how can you achieve this?

The way to develop a health promotion program that fits is to follow a few key steps. And here they are…

Step 1: Gain management approval

It is important to have the backing of the company leaders and stakeholders to ensure there will be a company committed to the program. Put a proposal forward to develop a health promotion program to get the ‘go-ahead’.

Step 2: Determine the expectations and goals of the health promotion program

This step involves identifying the needs of the business and its workers in developing the program.

How will the workplace health program benefit the business?

What issues will it address?

Consult workers and get them involved from the beginning to ensure the program you develop attends to their concerns and interests.

Step 3: Decide who will coordinate the workplace health program

There needs to be a person or a team at the helm of the program to ensure it is planned and carried out effectively to achieve its goals.

Step 4: Plan how the workplace health program will address the set goals and objectives

This step involves determining the methods you will use in your health promotion program to address the identified concerns and needs of your workplace and workers.

Step 5: Identify the resources and skills needed

What do you need to make the plan a reality? Determine the level of resources (cost, people, expertise, etc) needed to implement the workplace health promotion program and seek out these resources.

Step 6: Implementation

Put all the plans into place.

Step 7: Promote your workplace health program

You need to make sure that your workers know what’s going on. Encourage them to be involved – promote the program and make it inviting, point out the benefits and get your workers excited about it.

Step 8: Monitor and review the workplace health program

Once it’s all in place, don’t forget to go back and review the program. Workplaces change, the people inside them change, and you need to ensure the health promotion program remains relevant. Make any relevant adjustments.

Remember, having an effective workplace health promotion program in place in your workplace shows your workers that you take an active interest in their health and contentment within your business.

In addition, it can also demonstrate to a court that your company is committed to the health and safety of your workers and creating a safe working environment.

That’s all for today – enjoy your weekend!