In recent years, the development and implementation of workplace wellness or wellbeing programs has emerged as a mechanism to address the longer-term worker health and welfare needs, beyond the more immediate and measurable workplace safety outcomes.
Such programs can be costly and often struggle to achieve engagement with the workforce. However, if designed well, they can reduce worker injury levels and rehabilitation costs, increase productivity, provide inspiration for healthier lifestyle decision-making, and boost morale in the workplace.
Some strategies to help achieve a successful wellness program include:
- Make sure the physical and psychological needs of the target workers are understood, including any constraints inherent in the physical environment and the workplace culture
- Include preventative activity in the program, but also give consideration to the role of proactive interventions targeting workers already suffering from poor health or at risk of poor health outcomes.
- Identify the potential barriers to engagement so as to enable pre-emptive mitigation and maximise participation. This process should include getting input from workers.
- Normalise healthy choices and behaviours by real-life stories that demonstrate their positive effects.
- Develop clear and measurable objectives for the program so that those responsible for its implementation know what they’re striving to achieve, and so that the return on the investment of the program can be accurately measured.
- Provide feedback to staff regularly over the progress of the program.
Please contact QRMC for more information.
