Collaboration and Effective Workplace Wellness Programs
Why should you collaborate?
Active, ongoing partnerships and cooperative efforts multiply Worksite Wellness Plan resources in order to better serve Employees and their families.
How can you build collaboration into a Workplace Wellness Program?
Get Ready…
- Brainstorm a list of every potential Wellness partner you can think of. Be creative!
- Be a politician: introduce yourself to everyone BEFORE you need their help.
- Develop a plan to get Senior Management support from as high up the chain as possible. Ensure that to include specific ways that your Worksite Wellness Plan will impact force readiness.
- Determine how YOU can help your organizations (not just what they can do for you).
Be Steady…
- Get input from everyone that your Worksite Wellness Plan will affect. Make a special effort to talk to the workers closest to Worksite Wellness Plan implementation (those with “boots on the ground”).
- The most frequently asked questions should be: “What would you suggest?” and “How do you think this would work best?”
- Find someone who has done the same type of Worksite Wellness Plan before and ask their advice.
- Plan NOW to show Worksite Wellness Plan effectiveness. Identify who may ALREADY BE COLLECTING information that will show the Worksite Wellness Plan is working.
Get Set…
- Step back and review your Worksite Wellness Plan from a potential partner’s point of view.
- Brainstorm questions your collaborators might have, and have the answers ready.
- Be ready to frame your “selling points” in terms that are important to each specific partner.
- Put the Worksite Wellness Plan benefits in language your collaborators will understand.
- Emphasize to potential partners how this Worksite Wellness Plan will provide benefit to them.
And Go…
- Build as many partnerships as you can BEFORE you implement a Workplace Wellness Program.
- Make your partnerships a two-way street: always let your collaborators know what you can do for them – then follow-up and do what you say you would do.
- Maintain Senior Management support by providing a regular flow of information. Invite Senior Management participation in the Worksite Wellness Plan and special events whenever possible. (Hint: they make great judges if you have a contest.)
- Provide regular feedback to your collaborators.
- Don’t hog the spotlight: let your collaborators share in the visibility of the Workplace Wellness Program.
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