Employee Health Promotion Program: Gaining Leadership Support

Strong and visible leadership support for the Employee Health Promotion Program encourages health and is essential to securing necessary Employee Health Promotion Program resources (staff, time, and money) and implementing recommended changes.

1. Identify a Employee Health Promotion Program champion

In a small business, there may be a single leader who is the clear choice to champion the Employee Health Promotion Program. In a larger business, look for an executive with the authority to influence others in the uppermost levels of the organization regarding the Employee Health Promotion Program. The Employee Health Promotion Program champion need not be the fittest member of leadership. Rather, look for a Employee 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 Employee Health Promotion Program champion at each site.

2. Find existing Employee Health Promotion Program allies

There may already be a number of individuals within your business who recognize the value of a Employee Health Promotion Program. Think about who those individuals are in your business; consider areas such as occupational safety, union representatives, risk management, medical officers, and human resources when looking for a Employee Health Promotion Program ally. Obtain their stated support for the Employee Health Promotion Program. Employee 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 wellness.

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

There is a reason that more and more businesses are finding a way to promote employee health via a Employee Health Promotion Program and policies: A Employee 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 health care costs than workers with less healthy behaviors.2,3 As a result it would be foolish not to have a Employee Health Promotion Program.

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

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

• What are the current pressures and priorities facing executives? How could a Employee Health Promotion Program and a healthier workforce support those priorities?
• How do the leaders prefer to receive data: written documents? verbal presentations?
• What kinds of Employee Health Promotion Program information are likely to influence decisions? Do they want data and Employee Health Promotion Program statistics specific to your business, or are state or national data sufficient? Are the leaders more influenced by internal factors or by what competitors are doing?
• Who would the leaders see as a credible messenger for this Employee 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 business? Informal committee meetings? Formal or informal meetings between executives? Plan accordingly and you improve the odds that the Employee Health Promotion Program will become a reality.

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

Once you have appropriate Employee Health Promotion Program support, ensure that you maintain it by regularly updating the leaders on employee health and progress toward beginning a culture that encourages health. Ask upper management how often they want to receive Employee 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.