Wellness Programs: Continuing Progress

Workplace wellness programs have evolved in terms of their scope and relative complexity, but there is a continuing body of evidence that any program -- no matter the relative size of the organization -- can have positive impacts.

Two related studies highlight the trend, and provide an interesting glimpse into the evolving nature of workplace wellness programs. Of note, many programs have advanced considerably from an initial health-dominant focus to a broader range of considerations around whole-person wellness, improving organizational culture and workplace learning, and improving overall productivity.

The first, published in 2002 by the now-defunct Canadian Labour and Business Centre (CLBC), provided an overview of Twelve Case Studies on Innovative Workplace Health Initiatives. While highlighting the long-term nature of such initiatives and the relative difficulties in creating universal impact measures, the study emphasized that health and wellness initiatives are most effective when they are seen as an integrated part of the organization's business strategy, rather than being a "nice to have". In turn, this spotlights the leadership dimension of such initiatives -- both executive and staff participation are key.

A follow-up study in 2006 by the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL, which now incorporates the prior work of the CLBC as part of its Work and Learning Knowledge Centre) observed a continuing trend toward greater effectiveness in such programs since 2002. A highlight of the 2006 study is again the critical importance of leadership in such initiatives, with several key steps being present in most of the programs adopted:

Policy and Communication—Senior managers signed health and safety policy commitment statements, which were then brought to the attention of all employees. In some cases, these statements were embedded in the firm’s mission statement.

Organization—Roles, responsibilities and accountability for employees, committees and management were clearly outlined.

Planning and Implementation—Guidelines were developed for proactive health and safety planning, setting of objectives, internal inspections and risk assessments.

Measuring Performance—Commitments were made to consistent data gathering in order to monitor progress in implementation and success in achieving overall objectives.

Audit and Review—Audits and reviews were built into the programs to assess the effectiveness of program delivery systems and overall impact on business performance and employee health, wellness and morale.

Source: http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/Reports/LessonsInLearning/LiL-31March2006.htm