Corporate Wellness Incentives

Strong and visible upper management support for the Corporate Health Promotion Program encourages health and is essential to securing needed Corporate Health Promotion Program resources (staff, time, and money) and implementing recommended changes.

1. Identify a Corporate Health Promotion Program champion

In a small corporation, there may be a single leader who is the clear choice to champion the Corporate Health Promotion Program. In a larger corporation, look for an executive with the authority to influence others in the highest levels of the organization regarding the Corporate Health Promotion Program. The Corporate Health Promotion Program champion need not be the fittest member of upper management. Rather, look for a Corporate Health Promotion Program leader with the disposition to be a visible and vocal supporter of workplace policies that encourage healthy behaviors. Organizations with multiple sites can consider whether it would be useful to have an executive Corporate Health Promotion Program champion at each site.

2. Find existing Corporate Health Promotion Program allies

There may already be a number of individuals within your corporation who recognize the value of a Corporate Health Promotion Program. Think about who those individuals are in your corporation; consider areas such as occupational safety, union representatives, risk management, medical officers, and human resources when looking for a Corporate Health Promotion Program ally. Obtain their stated support for the Corporate Health Promotion Program. Corporate Health Promotion Program support could include contributions of staff time or expertise, financial resources, agreement to endorse/support policy and environmental changes, or agreement to participate in, and voice their support for, changes in the workplace that will help to build a culture of health.

3. Build a business case for the Corporate Health Promotion Program

There is a reason that more and more organizations are finding a way to promote the health of the employees via a Corporate Health Promotion Program and policies: A Corporate Health Promotion Program makes good business sense. staff members with healthy behaviors, on average, are more productive when at work (higher presenteeism)1 and incur lower medical care costs than workers with less healthy behaviors.2,3  As a result it would be foolish not to have a Corporate Health Promotion Program.

4. When developing a Corporate Health Promotion Program use what you know about leadership styles and the decision-making process within your corporation

Every corporation is different. Build upper management support for the Corporate Health Promotion Program in the way that makes the most sense for your corporation. Think about the following as you plan how to approach upper management for Corporate Health Promotion Program support:

• What are the current pressures and priorities facing executives? How could a Corporate Health Promotion Program and a healthier workforce support those priorities?
• How do your leaders prefer to receive data: written documents? verbal presentations?
• What kinds of Corporate Health Promotion Program information are likely to influence decisions? Do they want data and Corporate Health Promotion Program statistics specific to your corporation, or are state or national data sufficient? Are your leaders more influenced by internal factors or by what competitors are doing?
• Who would your leaders see as a reliable messenger for this Corporate Health Promotion Program information? Does someone from the risk management area carry more clout than someone from the human resources area?
• How do decisions really get made in your corporation? Informal committee meetings? Formal or informal meetings between executives? Plan accordingly and you improve the odds that the Corporate Health Promotion Program will become a reality.

5. Maintain Corporate Health Promotion Program support once you have it

Once you have appropriate Corporate Health Promotion Program support, ensure that you keep it by regularly updating your leaders on the health of the employees and progress toward establishing a culture that encourages health. Ask upper management how frequently they want to receive Corporate Health Promotion Program progress reports.

Source Information:
1 Bunn, JOEM, 2006, 48:10.
2 Foldes, Bland, An et al. Modifiable Health Risks and Short-Term Health Care Costs. BC/BS of Minnesota internal research, submitted for publication.
3 Anderson, 2000, American Journal of Health Promotion, 15:1.