Whether you are thinking about implementing a wellness initiative or your organization already has a program in place, it’s never too late to develop a wellness committee to bolster the engagement of your employees. A workplace wellness committee serves a number of purposes: the committee communicates and supports the program internally, helps foster excitement among employees, and provides a link between employees and management for feedback, ideas and concerns.
To create a team that will be effective and become stewards for your program, adhere to the following best practices when developing your committee:
Choose employees from all areas of your company (accounting, operations, customer service, etc.) and every job level from administrative to C-level. If your employees are geographically dispersed, select at least one team member from each location. This will allow you to capture different perspectives, as well as input and ideas from a cross-section of your organization.
Select employees who are outgoing and have good communication skills. Committee members should be comfortable talking with co-workers about different programs and be knowledgeable about what your organization is offering.
Recruit employees who are respected and trusted by their coworkers, as well as dependable and reliable. It is also helpful if members have a personal interest in health and well-being.
Make sure your committee is the right size. If it’s too small, you may not be able to reach everyone in your organization. If it’s too large, it can hinder progress and make it more difficult to get things done.
Schedule meetings on a regular basis. As long as meetings are held consistently and with advance notice, you can determine what works best for your organization, a 30-minute monthly meeting, an hour long bi-monthly meeting, or a different format. Each meeting should include a formal agenda along with minutes and supporting documents.
Consider establishing ground rules to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable and supported. Rules can include being prompt and courteous as well as the right to vote on the ideas that get implemented. It’s also important to establish confidentiality so that committee members can express employee concerns without divulging names.
Once your committee is formed and ready to move forward, plan a kickoff meeting, ideally lead by someone in senior management. This will show your team that health and well-being are important to your management team and that the committees’ efforts are valued.
Need more information on developing a wellness committee to champion your corporate wellness program? Wellness Workdays has worked with a number of clients to create effective, successful wellness committees. Contact us to find out how we can help your organization.