Wellness Program Goals and Objectives: The Secret to Success

“Taking a whole person focus inside our organizations leads to greater productivity, engagement, retention, and business results. Bringing more humanity to the workplace is about acknowledging that we are much more than just the work we do, but rather human beings who are worthy of being seen for who we are as well.” - Christie Mann, CEO & Co-Founder UpLevel Productions, MA, CPCC, PCC

Employee wellness programs go beyond creating a workplace fitness group or screening for health risks. These initiatives assist in the development of a safe and healthy work environment that fosters employee success.

Healthy employees are likelier to maintain sound habits and be more productive and effective at work. And these programs can engage every employee and make them work towards their health goals. New elements can be added as the program evolves.

Here, we'll discuss the basics of establishing a wellness program and emphasize the need for clear goals.

Benefits of Having Well-Defined Wellness Program Goals and Objectives

Employers can encourage healthy lifestyles among their workers by offering employee wellness programs. The area of wellness programs encompasses a variety of efforts.

In addition to promoting productivity, these programs improve employees’ physical and mental health.

Basically, workplace wellness programs give workers the skills, resources, tools, and encouragement they need to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Programs for workplace wellness that offer access to various opportunities are most effective. Also, companies need to offer more than just physical wellness programs to engage their employees' well-being.

Lastly, effective programs adjust based on worker proficiency. The degree of difficulty should change according to the abilities and situations of each employee.

These are a few of the main advantages of wellness initiatives for employees:

Better employee health

Encouraging employees to exercise and eat healthily can help lower their risks of illness. As a result of the decrease in health risks, employees can save on healthcare costs annually.

Increased productivity and employee engagement

Well-being initiatives boost productivity by improving employees' physical and mental well-being. They reduce health risks and promote professional development. They improve employee engagement, strengthen relationships between teams, and boost motivation.

According to a survey carried out by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, 68% of companies with well-executed wellness programs have observed a boost in employee satisfaction and involvement.

Employee retention and less absenteeism

Taking care of workers' health can contribute to a reduction in absenteeism. Employees in good health are less likely to fall sick or take time off for stress at work.

Programs for employee well-being can help your business retain talent as well. Employees might often compare companies based on health benefits and a stimulating work environment. Thus, wellness programs might help your employees stay loyal to you.

Improved morale and job satisfaction

Employees may feel valued when they see their employers' compassion and gratitude through wellness initiatives. This feeling of worth contributes to a positive work atmosphere by raising employee morale. Workers who believe their welfare is a top concern are happier and more content with their positions.

According to Aflac research, 70% of workers who participated in the business wellness program reported feeling more satisfied with their jobs than those who did not.

Enhanced workplace culture

Wellness plans increase productivity and engagement and make positive work cultures possible. For an organization to succeed, it must foster stronger bonds and foster a welcoming atmosphere.

According to data from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 73% of businesses with wellness initiatives claimed the initiatives favorably affect workplace culture.

How do you set SMART Wellness Program Goals and Objectives?

SMART goals are a goal-setting system that guarantees objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

With this methodology, wellness programs become more effective since goals are set and achieved in a structured, transparent manner.

Defining objectives is the first stage in developing a program, campaign, or goal-setting process.

Here's how to create goals and objectives for a SMART wellness program:

Be specific: Clearly define what you want to achieve with your wellness program. You might want to set a six-month goal of increasing employee participation in physical activity by 20%.

Be measurable: Establish benchmarks that you can use to track your progress. For example, you could track the number of employees participating in physical activity each month.

Be achievable: Set goals that are realistic and achievable. Consider your resources and constraints when setting your goals.

Be relevant: Ensure your goals align with your company's overall mission and values.

Be time-bound: Set deadlines for achieving your goals. This will help you stay on track and motivated.

Involve your employees

It is important that you consider your employees’ opinions while setting your goals. You should take feedback from the whole company on an employee wellness program. If not, it would be challenging for your company to maintain the health program and reap its rewards.

To find out what matters to your staff, pose the following queries:

What does your company need? You can't choose to overwork your staff if your aim is to boost revenue. This has a negative impact on health outcomes and can also lower productivity. Your employees invest time in carrying out your plans, so your company's objectives should align with their goals.

What are workers saying? Pay great attention to what workers say on the job site in emails, reviews, and meetings. Analyze your comments to see if any complaints or recurring issues have a trend.

Have you built a connection with your employees? Many employers fail to do this, but it's crucial to communicate with everyone in the company. Doing this lets you discover how your employees feel about your company and whether you treat them respectfully. Use platforms like Slack, Zoom, and Trello to interact with remote employees.

What has previously worked for you? Have you recently worked on a successful project? How long was it successful, and why?

Consider the efforts you have previously undertaken and executed well, then include these elements into your current program. Can you change anything to improve it the next time something doesn't work out?

Examples of Employee Wellness Program Goals and Objectives

There are tons of examples of these wellness programs' goals. Some of these are:

1. Reducing health care costs

Goals that fall into the SMART framework and assist an organization in lowering healthcare expenses could be:

• Arranging monthly fitness competitions and rewards with a minimum of 50% of staff participation.
• Lowering the percentage of smokers among employees by X% annually.
• Supply staff with nutritious brain food in the lunchroom twice a week or give remote workers gift cards to healthful restaurants.
• Setting up immunization clinics at your place of employment.

Read: How Worksite Wellness Helps In Reducing Employee Healthcare Costs

2. Boosting engagement and productivity

SMART-compliant goals that support an organization in achieving its objective of raising worker productivity and engagement could include the following:

• Setting up peer-to-peer learning groups to talk about problems and come up with answers.
• Providing workers with a learning stipend.
• One low-cost, high-value staff development initiative is workplace mentoring.

3. Boosting workplace morale

SMART-compliant goals that support an organization in achieving its objective of raising employee morale could be:

• Introducing mental health mentoring to increase knowledge of various disorders and available treatments.
• Including professional counseling in the benefits package for employees' health and well-being.
• Organizing a competition for fitness among teams or divisions inside the company.
• Providing monetary incentives to staff members, such as health insurance, pension plans, or choices for repaying student loans.

4. Bringing in new workers

Goals that fall within the SMART framework and assist an organization in attracting new hires could be:

• Establishing a gym there.
• Encouraging using other modes of travel by offering staff bus or cab service.
• Arrange for your staff to participate in laser tag or a local mini-golf game as part of health outings.

5. Increasing retention rate

SMART-compliant goals that support an organization in achieving its objective of raising retention rates could be:

• Enrolling X% of staff members in a mentorship program to lower employee turnover.
• Find out more about the reasons for their departure and speak with the departing employees.

6. Reduce absenteeism

Goals that fall under the SMART framework and assist an organization in lowering absenteeism could be:

• Permitting staff members to work three days a week in the office or remotely.
• Asking staff members for suggestions on how to improve the workplace environment. Some ideas include adding more natural light and artwork or plants. You can create a simple, aesthetically pleasing space.
• You can create a simple, aesthetically pleasing space.
• Organizing health screening clinics to assist staff in the early detection of health concerns.

Workers who are frequently or always burned out don't give their all at work. Actually, they have a 2x higher likelihood of looking for work elsewhere.

How do you Measure the Success of Wellness Program Goals and Objectives?

1. Employee participation:

Metric: Count the number of employees actively engaging in wellness activities.
Example: If 80% of employees join a step challenge, it indicates high participation and potential success.

2. Health screenings:

Metric: Track changes in biometric measures like blood pressure or cholesterol.
Example: A 10% reduction in average cholesterol levels signifies positive health outcomes.

Read: A Detailed Guide On Employee Health Screening

3. Absenteeism rates:

Metric: Monitor the number of days employees miss due to illness.
Example: A 15% decrease in sick days suggests improved overall health and program impact.

4. Employee satisfaction surveys:

Metric: Gather feedback through surveys on the wellness program's impact.
Example: The program is likely successful if 90% of employees report increased satisfaction.

Read: Employee Satisfaction Survey : 50 Effective Questions To Ace It In 2023

5. Productivity metrics:

Metric: Measure changes in productivity, such as project completion rates.
Example: A 20% increase in project completion might indicate improved focus and energy.

Challenges of Setting and Achieving Wellness Program Goals and Objectives

1. Lack of engagement

Challenge: As an employer, you might not receive a 100% participation rate from your employees.
Tip: Involve employees in the program design. Offer incentives and personalized programs. Use the communication channel your workforce prefers.

2. Insufficient resources

Challenge: Due to budget restraints, some of your goals won’t be able to meet.
Tip: Presenting possible cost reductions will help you make a compelling business case for Wellbeing initiatives. Give resources to projects with a track record of success.

3. No clear communication

Challenge: Employees and management might not have a clear understanding of each other’s ideas and views.
Tip: Use various communication methods. Ensure your ideas and objectives are clear and understandable to the employees. Get input from your employees to improve your communication ways.

4. Lack of leadership support

Challenge: Without clear and resolute backing from management, employers might not give high priority to these Wellness initiatives.
Tip: Show how wellness initiatives affect morale, retention, and productivity. Encourage senior leadership to participate and demonstrate their support actively.

Read: Reimagining The Role of Leadership in Employee Wellness

5. Resistance to change

Challenge: Both employees and employers might be resistant to making changes to routines or habits. They might see these health initiatives as interruptions rather than advancements.
Tip: Communicate the benefits of wellness programs, involving employees in decision-making. Provide staff with knowledge to ease concerns about change.

Conclusion

Wellness initiatives are advantageous and essential for companies to thrive in the contemporary labor market. That's not all, though. Wellness initiatives draw in more than simply new employees.

Organizations that prioritize their staff's financial, emotional, and physical health will immediately reap the rewards. This is only possible if they establish realistic expectations and follow through with their plan.

FAQ

Q.1 What are the key differences between wellness program goals and objectives?

Answer: Wellness goals describe the overall outcome of a wellness program, such as improved employee well-being. On the other hand, objectives are specific, measurable steps taken to achieve those goals. This includes increasing employee participation in fitness activities by a certain percentage.

Q.2 How can organizations ensure the success of their wellness program goals?

Answer: Success can be achieved by setting realistic goals. It can also be achieved by involving employees and giving them support and resources. Additionally, regularly reviewing and adjusting goals based on feedback and results is important. Communication and employee involvement are crucial elements for success.

Q.3 What are common challenges in establishing wellness program goals and objectives?

Answer: Challenges may include resistance to change, lack of employee awareness or engagement, and limited budgets and resources. It also includes difficulty measuring the impact of wellness initiatives.

Overcoming these challenges requires effective communication, leadership support, and a data-driven approach. This will help to track progress and demonstrate the value of the program.