How to create a successful employee wellness strategy

Our last edition covered the high potential ROI of employee wellness programmes. In this issue, we look at how to make it happen, based on the science behind effective wellness programmes. After extensive research, we've identified seven steps to creating the most impactful workplace wellness programmes for your company.

1. Be relevant

Before doing anything else, take a good look at your staff. Who are they? What keeps them up at night? The key to an engaging programme is relevance. As there are no official guidelines for employee wellness programmes, your best source of information is your own team. Conduct staff surveys, engage with employee organisations or unions (where appropriate), and chat with team leaders on the ground. This approach will help you avoid confirmation bias and reveal what your employees truly need from a wellness programme.

Relevance also means being comprehensive. An effective programme should address a range of concerns, without sacrificing depth. While physical, mental, and emotional well-being are common focus areas, your stakeholder engagements might uncover unique needs specific to your workforce. Programmes that address these needs are far more likely to have higher engagement rates, and therefore high effectiveness.

2. Align with company goals

We've all seen it: a wellness programme gets introduced with all the bells and whistles, only to fizzle out over time. Usually, there wasn’t enough buy-in from staff or leadership. And while there may be good intentions behind such programmes, they only serve to waste time and money. But if you want long-term success, the key is aligning with business objectives.

A great example is Chevron. With over 60% of their jobs involving work on oil rigs or refineries, staff safety is paramount. This means staff members need to be physically fit for duty. Chevron addressed this with a comprehensive physical and mental wellness programme, including free employee gyms, planned physical activities and work/life balance initiatives. The company even ensured employees and their communities have access to basic healthcare. And since the programme aligned with business goals while still greatly benefiting the staff, it is still proving effective to this day.

3. Get leadership buy-in

Employee wellness programmes need commitment at every level of an organisation. From C-suite to middle management, right down to team leaders on the ground, wellness needs to be woven into the company's foundation. This means leaders must lead by example. When your staff see that even the CEO attends the financial wellness workshops and tracks his steps for the fitness programme, employees are far more likely to follow suit. Consider designating specific managers to a wellness department or specific wellness projects to ensure accountability. You can also nominate employees as ‘wellness champions’, upskilling them to become go-to contacts for specific wellness concerns.

4. Make it accessible

Low-or no-cost services are the backbone of an effective programme. Employees will not be eager to engage with a programme that requires going out of their way, even if just an extra 10 minutes. Instead, make it easy for them to access and take part in the wellness programme. As one CEO wisely put it, "we thought of all the reasons people wouldn't use the facility, and we worked to eliminate every one of them." Chevron is again a great example. They conduct daily "stretch breaks" within certain units at set times, and some facilities have professional trainers visit for a 10-minute stretch series. By building exercise into the normal workday and providing all necessary instructions, they remove barriers to participation.

5. Leverage partnerships

Collaboration, both internal and external, is key to a successful wellness program. Internally, your wellness department should work hand-in-hand with other teams. For instance, partnering with the finance team ensures cost-effectiveness, while collaborating with HR can integrate wellness into broader employee development strategies. Externally, leveraging partnerships is an excellent way to expand your offering without breaking the bank. Some partners, like NGOs and earned wage access providers, even offer their services at no cost to the company. These partnerships can bring specialised expertise and resources to your wellness program, enhancing its overall value and appeal to employees.

Consider reaching out to local gyms for corporate discounts, partnering with mental health organisations for counselling services, or collaborating with financial institutions for financial wellness workshops. By tapping into these external resources, you can create a more comprehensive and impactful wellness programme that addresses a wide range of employee needs.

6. Send effective communication

Wellness is not just a mission—it's a message. How you communicate your wellness programme can significantly impact its success. Utilise diverse media channels, employ creative strategies, and approach communications with sensitivity to effectively engage and motivate employees. The trick here is being slow and steady. Employees who are suddenly told they must do sensitive cancer screenings will not react as well as those who were informed weeks in advance of the opportunity to undergo a free cancer test and get a free cooldrink afterward. Build anticipation, create a buzz, and make your wellness initiatives something employees look forward to, not dread.

7. Monitor and evaluate

As with any investment, the wellness programme's effectiveness should be evaluated over time to decide if any adjustments are necessary. Decide beforehand on a list of evaluation metrics, such as participation rates, completion rates, or reduction in absenteeism, and use this to tailor the programme for maximum effectiveness.

But don't stop at just collecting data. Regular analysis and reporting can help you identify trends, celebrate successes, and address areas for improvement. Share these insights with your leadership team and employees to maintain enthusiasm and demonstrate the programme's value. Remember, a wellness programme is not a set-and-forget initiative – it's an evolving strategy that should grow and change with your organisation's needs.

Conclusion:

If well-implemented, employee wellness programmes can have significant ROI for any company. Research shows there are seven pillars to success - when all are present, a programme is almost guaranteed to work, and work well.

Ready to transform your workplace wellness strategy? Let's start the conversation. Reach out to us for a no-obligation demo of our earned wage access solution and discover how it can complement your wellness initiatives.