Want some wellness program ideas and wellness policy ideas to get you started? Or maybe you want to jump begin or improve upon your current wellness program?
The list below provides “best practices’ that can help meet any wellness program budget! the Health Promotion Program ideas are divided into topic areas.
General Wellness Progam Ideas
o Policy – Conduct an Worker Needs and Interest Survey
o Policy – Develop a management/employee Wellness Committee
o Policy – Choose heath programs that cover costs for weight control and smoking cessation
o Policy – Waive co-pay or reimburse for preventive healthcare visits
o Program – Display handouts on a variety of wellness topics for workforce to take
o Program – Establish a wellness resource center or library with videos, books, magazines, DVD’s on a variety of topics of interest to employees
o Program – Identify workers who are mentors or champions for healthful activities and ask them to present or to list as a contact for other employees
o Program – Plan and promote periodic or regular educational sessions.
o Program – Plan monthly educational sessions on the national health observance topic
o Program – Post a Health Promotion Bulletin Board and update it monthly
o Program – Promote messages from national health observances during the month
o Program – Publish and/or post healthful tips in newsletters, paycheck stuffers, bulletin boards, etc.
o Program – Sponsor a benefits fair
o Program – Sponsor business fitness and healthy eating challenges
o Program – Sponsor organization wellness fairs or other on-site events
Nutrition Programs
o Policy – Give free, healthful snacks for staff (fruit, nuts, popcorn)
o Policy – Give healthy meal choices in cafeterias and at business events
o Policy – Provide information to staff members about the nutritional content of food served in the cafeteria
o Policy – Start a fresh fruit “snack basket” in the breakroom or cafeteria
o Policy – Stock vending machines with healthier options
o Policy – Subsidize healthful foods in the cafeteria or vending machines (10ยก apples may be more appealing than $1.00 candy bars)
o Program – Coordinate a weekly or monthly healthy lunch club
o Program – Have flyers available on a variety of healthful eating topics
o Program – Include nutrition articles in business newsletters
o Program – Schedule a healthful food tasting contest Free
o Program – Schedule educational sessions at lunch-time on a selection of nutrition topics of interest
o Program – Sponsor an staff member healthful food cookbook. Either sell the cookbook and use profits for programs, or purchase a cookbook for all employees
Weight Loss Programs / Weight Management Programs
o Policy – Consider flexible work schedules so that workforce can take part in weight-loss programs
o Policy – Subsidize registration costs for weight-management programs
o Program – Form a support group to help workers who are trying to lose weight
o Program – Locate registered dieticians near your worksite as a resource for workforce who want information on healthful consuming, meal planning or weight control
o Program – Give individual counseling for workers trying to lose weight
o Program – Offer on-site fitness and weight-management programs through your local hospital, Weight Watchers, TOPS or local, registered dietician
o Program – Schedule an educational session on diet myths and healthful eating
Exercise Programs
o Policy – Allow flexible work schedules to encourage exercise
o Policy – Create a fitness space with aerobic equipment, and weights
o Policy – Develop accessible walking paths, trails, and/or bike routes
o Policy – Be sure to encourage personnel to walk more by parking farther away from the entrance
o Policy – Establish a fitness club with aerobic equipment, weights, group exercise classes, fitness professionals
o Policy – Hold walking meetings
o Policy – Make the stairwells more appealing (carpet, fresh paint, artwork, posters)
o Policy – Offer decreased fitness club membership fees to all employees
o Policy – Provide facilities for workers to secure bikes
o Policy – Schedule 5 ?.” 10 minute stretch breaks during the day
o Policy – Subsidize fitness center membership for personnel who participate a minimal number of days per week (ex., 3 days per week)
o Policy – Support lunchtime walking/running clubs or business sports team
o Program – Make sure to encourage stairwell use and incentives
o Program – Install a basketball hoop outside
o Program – Promote and support community walks or fitness events
o Program – Promote walking during breaks and other off-time periods
o Program – Provide periodic fitness incentive programs to encourage exercise
o Program – Schedule educational sessions on fitness activities
Tobacco use Cessation Programs / Tobacco Cessation Programs
o Policy – Create a smoke-free grounds
o Policy – Develop a tobacco-free worksite
o Policy – Make sure to encourage the use of 1-800-QUIT-NOW, North Carolina’s free Tobacco Use Quitline. Or check www.QuitlineNC.com
o Policy – Reimburse for tobacco replacement products
o Policy – Subsidize the cost of tobacco use cessation workshops
o Program – Give flyers and information on health effects from tobacco use and tobacco cessation
o Program – Schedule awareness sessions to motivate workers to attempt to quit tobacco use
o Program – Schedule onsite smoking cessation workshops
Staff Member Health Screening
o Policy – Discount medical insurance premiums or reduce co-payments for workforce who participate in screenings and who participate in managing their risk factors
o Policy – Install blood pressure (BP) monitoring equipment
o Program – Offer flu shots for workforce and family members
o Program – Give Health Risk Appraisals (HRAs) to all staff, including counseling and follow-up
o Program – Give periodic blood pressure (BP) screenings and follow-up
o Program – Give periodic screenings for cholesterol, blood sugar, body composition, etc.
Stress Management Programs / Make sure to work Life Balance Programs
o Program – Allow flexible schedules for family/work life balance
o Program – Offer and promote an worker assistance program
o Program – Provide information on substance abuse prevention
o Program – Give handouts and information on stress management and psychological health
o Program – Give flyers and information on work life balance, like financial planning, childcare, parenting, elder care, etc.
o Program – Provide supervisor and manager training on communication, relationship building, organizational stressors, etc.
o Program – Review business policies and work schedules to identify organizational stressors
o Program – Review the worker assistance program to ensure it is meeting the needs of the workforce and company
o Program – Schedule educational sessions on stress management and work life balance
o Program – Schedule seminars on relaxation, stress management, and work life balance topics