Health & Wellness Initiatives - A Win-Win Approach
Q. What are the typical steps involved in designing a corporate wellness program?
A. Typically from a consulting perspective, we have four phases - first part is 'Discovery Phase' where the available data and information is analyzed to create evidence-based approach by using the employer data and analyzing it from health and business standpoint. We start by looking at current initiatives in an organization whether in-house or through external vendors or community programs. By analyzing all possible sources of information, we do a current state as-is analysis and then identify the things most important to an organization going forward to improve the health of itsemployee population. Again, the key there is not doing what the company next door does, but looking at what it is that your organization needs. It is not any different from making conscious business decision to buy a new equipment or new product line or acquire a new business. There has to be concentrated focus to collect the data and build a business case to why the initiative will help the firm. The second phase is 'Develop and Design'. This phase takes up all the information collected in the discovery phase and then utilized it to plan from a strategy and tactical plan standpoint. At this stage, the business case is presented to the senior leadership and the strategic direction and the tactics that will follow both from individual and organization standpoint to actually make a difference are decided. Then we move on to the 'Deliberate Stage' where we find the right vendor partner to deliver the program or identify the right people internally to deliver this program. This stage includes steps like identifying the right kind of models to drive the tactical plan, planning the communication and marketing strategy. The last stage is to look at 'Evaluating the Program' to ensure there are results in the right direction and identify the things that need to be tweaked to achieve high results. We found that by using data and getting focused on two or three behaviors, we are able to see positive focused results.
Q. What do you think are the top constraints/challenges faced while implementing these programs?
A. While data is always an issue, we are very fortunate to have a very strong database across the country on the health of a population. Many times the business case is a very important stage because there will always be people who will question the connection of health of an individual to the health of an organization, and yes there will be skeptics who will say 'the health of my employees is my agenda and I don't need an external person's help in it'. There are these smaller issues but there are no major barriers. There will always be a certain part of the employee population who will not participate in these initiatives and that is unfortunate for them, but that is a chance an organization needs to take. The other aspect is looking at how to incorporate healthy practices in the workplace. People today don't have a lot of time so it would be ideal if organizations can create a culture of work environment where healthy habits such as taking the stairs or eating healthy or de-stressing are all a part of the work environment. All these things if included in a workday tend to eliminate any type of barriers because now it becomes a part of the daily job.
Q. What has been the appeal of these wellness programs across the varied workforce demographics i.e. traditionalists, baby boomers, Gen X, Y & Z?
A. There is this perception that younger workforce is healthier but recent health surveys have proved otherwise. The younger people are coming into the workforce with issues like obesity, high blood pressure, hearth diseases, diabetes and so forth. Such issues now start at very young ages primarily due to child obesity and inactivity. Whereas traditionalists and baby boomers entered the workforce healthy but developed these issues as they aged. So it will actually be wrong to say that a younger workforce is equivalent to a healthier workforce. The way organizations deliver the program needs to be very different between generations. For example, a technology company primarily has average employee age as 32 but also about looking at what the organization can do from a culture and work environment perspective to support the behavior change but the majority of the population is in 20s. So the approach to getting people to pay attention to their health will need to be different. Baby boomers would want to do things that keep them young so they would participate in these programs more enthusiastically. However, they are not technology-savvy as younger people, so organizations will have to build in special environment to keep these people engaged. While the health issues are the same even with younger people coming in, but how these programs are delivered to keep their attention will be very different.
Q. Have you observed any specific industry where the adoption rate of these initiatives has been higher in comparison to other sectors?
A. 10 years ago, I would have been able to tell you there are specific industries in the US, but today it spreads across every industry. Organizations across each sector are interested in creating a healthy population. Specifically in the US, it started with the manufacturing environment which was also due to the safety practices. But increasingly, these programs are spreading across all industries. In developing countries, organizations have just started to discuss these initiatives and these will definitely pick up.
Q. Is there any difference in setting up these programs in developed vs. developing countries?
A. Developing countries are actually at an interesting stage right now. Historically, they only had to combat public health issues like diseases on a national level. But now with globalization and increasing penetration of technology, lifestyle issues have also become predominant. It is obviously challenging but there is an opportunity to be able to create an impact as well. I think adopting such initiatives is a win-win approach. It helps the individual as well as impacts the organization in a positive and productive way.
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