Workplace Wellness Committee: From Ideas To Action

When discussing workplace wellness, we mean creating a healthy work environment for the workforce. To do that, companies often form a wellness committee to ensure overall employee wellbeing.

Now, what is a wellness committee?

A wellness committee is a group of members working towards fostering a healthy workforce. Their approach is to implement wellness programs and oversee the entire process, ensuring the end goal is achieved.

A wellness committee's primary function is to promote an office wellness culture. This committee advises you on implementing and administering your wellness program.

In this article, we will learn more about wellness committees, how to form one, and their possible positive outcomes.

What are the Benefits of a Wellness Committee?

As we know, wellness programs aim to boost employee wellness, reduce health risks, and motivate the workforce to adopt healthier lifestyles. The committee instills a sense of ownership in employees about the wellness program.

Thus, forming a wellness committee brings its share of benefits for employers and employees.

• Smooth implementation: If a committee is assigned to review the wellness program implementation process, there's little room for error. In fact, this is one of the primary reasons for creating the committee. The members will be given a set of tasks and be accountable for them, so there are chances of the programs functioning smoothly.

• Improved health: The main job of a wellness committee is to initiate practical wellness activities that are engaging enough to involve the entire workforce. With a well-defined objective, the members will take that task seriously.

Thus, with a well-curated wellness program, more employees will participate, building a healthier workforce. This further leads to reduced healthcare costs and fewer sick days.

• Employee retention: Employees will feel a sense of loyalty towards the organization, knowing the latter's dedication towards employee wellbeing. The initiative of forming an official wellness committee will show how much employers prioritize the health of their workforce. This will boost their respect for the company, which will help increase employee retention.

• Employee engagement: A wellness committee is the pillar for building an employee wellness program. Committee members can assist with the work required for a strong program and participate in it. This will boost program participation, which will increase when committee members participate.

Additionally, they inform employees about available health programming, activities, and challenges. They can also help you determine necessary wellness program incentives for your staff.

• Positive work culture: With a committee in place, a healthy work environment is in view. Wellness programs are in full swing and engaged and motivated employees foster wellbeing at work. This leads to establishing a supportive and positive workplace scenario.

As mentioned, the main goal of a wellness committee is to have a streamlined process regarding the implementation of wellness programs. The committee can achieve that objective by turning the workplace into a place that boosts employee fitness motivation and allows employees to follow healthy habits and make healthier life choices.

The programs should be designed to benefit both the company and its workforce. From an individual approach, the programs can include activities like asking employees to take the stairs to work instead of elevators or adopting mindful eating—little things that can motivate them to be fit.

From an organizational perspective, turning the office premises into a no-smoking zone or offering healthy food options in the cafeteria can result in behavioral change.

These committees provide leadership and oversight to help the wellness program’s effectiveness. A wellness committee can significantly influence the success or failure of any employee wellness program.

A group that plans every process step is at the heart of successful wellness programs. Here, we provide detailed guidance for forming the most significant wellness committee possible.

A wellness committee can organize its own wellness events, such as signing up for a 5K or 10-mile marathon or hosting a healthy potluck. They can also develop advertising materials for the wellness program and inform people about upcoming events during team meetings.

How to set up a Health and Wellness Committee?

Knowing the functions of the health and wellness committee is important before building your team. Now that we've covered the fundamentals, it's reasonable to presume you're ready to proceed with the setup.

1. Decide on the Structure of the Committee

This is the most essential part of the setup process. Creating a committee first requires one to think about the number of people there will be on the team. Secondly, decide on the subsets, meaning separate sub-teams can possess different functions.

For instance, one team can handle the promotion and motivate employees to engage in wellness activities. The other team can handle the planning and strategy parts. They will mostly focus on creating the entire program workflow. Another team can manage the execution and ensure it is done smoothly.

Lastly, the committee can have a team of experts for troubleshooting purposes. Employees with any issues regarding the programs or, in general, can go to them and ask for solutions.

2. Recruit the Team Members

Members of the wellness committee should be selected from different office teams. Doing this will represent the entire employee population without any bias. The members should have the following qualifications to be a part of the committee:

• Health and wellness enthusiast: A committee member should be moderate to active and enthusiastic about promoting healthy living and wellness. The person should be well-equipped with wellness knowledge and its various elements.

• Leadership skills: A wellness committee member should be able to lead initiatives, organize and distribute work to other members, and propel the team ahead.

• Communication skills: A member should be influential and possess the qualities to drive motivation and participation. They should be able to communicate efficiently with employees and encourage them to be healthy and fit.

• Organizational abilities: A wellness committee member should be able to plan, organize, and carry out wellness events and activities. They should also be responsible, reliable, and able to manage programs while ensuring smooth execution and implementation.

• Decision-making: The committee members must be patient and accept criticism if the programs do not pan out well. They must also be critical thinkers and able to address challenges as they arise and deal with them strategically.

3. Decide on the Number of Workers on the Team

One needs to develop a fixed number of employees to be on the committee. The figure should be uniform to prevent chaos. For instance, if there are 4 sub-teams in the committee, each team can have 2 members, making the overall committee 8. That should be enough, as the more people, the more chances of differences and disagreements.

However, if the organization had over 1000 employees, considering the size of the company, it would require more members on the committee. Under such circumstances, the participation number would be higher, which might make it challenging for the committee to manage.

4. Establish the Rules and Guidelines

Establish clear rules and guidelines for the wellness committee to work productively. Holding weekly meetings to plan and strategize upcoming wellness programs or making a quarterly wellness plan can pave the way toward an organized approach.

The meeting schedule can vary depending on the size of the company. Each meeting should include a written agenda, minutes, and supporting documentation.

The members should be assigned responsibilities they are most likely to handle. The committee should also have a proper mission and vision behind its creation.

It should craft a mission statement stating the purpose and objective of the committee for all the members to know. Create " ground rules" to foster an environment where committee members feel valued, safe, and empowered.

That vision can help guide the committee's long-term planning, decision-making, and implementation of the wellness program.

5. Create a Proper Budget

One crucial duty of a wellness committee is to set up a proper budget structure. The planning must include the kind of wellness programs to implement and the resources needed for them.

The members should analyze the expenses required for hosting the programs and every activity associated with them. Considering this, they should prepare a wellness calendar and budget accordingly.

6. Hold a Committee Kick-off Meeting

Also known as the launch meeting, the company leadership should host it and bring all the members together to establish the committee structure. The employer and human resources department should communicate their expectations to the committee.

Similarly, the members must set forth the committee goals and convey them to the management. They should further explain their implementation, engagement strategy, and plans to sustain the wellness committee. All the members should also cite their reasons for joining the committee.

Once everything is set, the last part will be publicly announcing the wellness committee and its objectives. The workforce should be informed about the members and their roles on the committee.

HRs can make the announcement through emails and workshops. Employees should be made aware of this to actively participate in wellness initiatives.

It's safe to presume that you, as a leader, are already busy developing a strategy on your own. Request that your new committee members generate preliminary suggestions for improving workplace wellness.

An employee survey could be a great starting point for your new team. After all, how can you improve your workforce's health and wellbeing if you don't know the existing difficulties and statistics?

11 Ways a Workplace Wellness Committee Can Assist Programs in Succeeding

The most essential function of the members is to show their support for the wellness program. They can show their support by participating and being enthusiastic. Here are a few more ways:

1. Attend and participate in all meetings of the wellness committee.

2. Assist with the selection of the year's behavior campaigns.

3. Assist in deciding what incentives to include with each wellness promotion.

4. Promote wellness campaigns and initiatives with enthusiasm.

5. Take part in the wellness program.

6. Make yourself available and approachable. This is so that employees can address wellbeing-related questions with you.

7. Before the kick-off and promotions, ensure that promotional posters are posted at your workplace.

8. Ensure that campaign materials are distributed at your workplace (books, magnets, water bottles, etc.).

9. Provide positive feedback and success stories to your wellness coordinator and team.

10. Complete the checklist to change and work to enhance the workplace environment.

11. Add your thoughts and experiences to debates about wellness programs.

Members of the wellness committee must understand their responsibilities. Be sure that committee members understand their responsibilities.

Urge them to report employee input on the wellness program to ensure it meets your firm's needs.

Conclusion

A workplace wellness committee can be important in encouraging employee wellbeing. The committee can develop a workplace culture that helps employees achieve overall wellbeing by introducing activities focusing on physical, financial, and mental health.

The committee can succeed by offering various activities, tools, and education. Activities include hosting challenges, open communication, and fostering a friendly work atmosphere.

The wellness committee can help increase productivity, reduce absenteeism, and promote employee retention by passionately and effortfully impacting employees' health and well-being.

FAQ

What is the purpose of a Workplace Wellness Committee?

A workplace wellness committee aims to promote the wellbeing of employees in an organization. They take wellness initiatives and ensure active employee participation to boost healthier lifestyles.

How can a Workplace Wellness Committee assess the success of its initiatives?

A wellness committee can assess the success of its initiatives through employee feedback surveys, participation rates through tracking, retention rates, biometric screenings, and performance metrics.

How Many Employees Should Serve on Your Committee?

The number depends on the organization's size and initiatives' scope. However, it is highly recommended that employees belonging to different departments of the company be included in the committee.

Who Should Serve on Your Worksite Wellness Committee?

Employees who can contribute the required expertise, perspectives, and skills to the committee are the ones who deserve to serve on your wellness committee.

How Should You Recruit Wellness Committee Members?

• Hold a meeting with your employees
• Explain the purpose and vision of the wellness committee
• Seek volunteers who are willing to be a part of the committee
• Examine their leadership and management skills
• Provide training and support to them