Employee Health Promotion Program: Securing Upper Management Support

Strong and visible upper management support for the Employee Health Promotion Program promotes health and is vital to securing needed Employee Health Promotion Program resources (staff, time, and money) and implementing recommended changes.

1. Identify an Employee Health Promotion Program champion

In a small organization, there may be a single leader who is the clear choice to champion the Employee Health Promotion Program. In a larger organization, look for an executive with the authority to influence others in the highest levels of the organization regarding the Employee Health Promotion Program.

The Employee Health Promotion Program champion need not be the fittest member of upper management. Rather, look for an Employee Health Promotion Program leader with the disposition to be a visible and vocal supporter of worksite 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 organization who recognize the value of an Employee Health Promotion Program. Think about who those individuals are in your organization; consider areas such as occupational safety, union representatives, risk management, medical officers, and human resources when looking for an Employee Health Promotion Program ally.

Secure 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 worksite 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 an Employee Health Promotion Program and policies: an Employee Health Promotion Program makes good business sense. workers with healthy behaviors, on average, are more productive when at work (higher presenteeism)1 and incur lower healthcare costs than workers with less healthy behaviors.2,3 As a result it would be foolish not to have an Employee Health Promotion Program.

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

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

What are the current priorities and pressures facing executives? How could an 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 organization, 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 reliable 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 organization? 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 creating a culture that promotes health. Ask upper management how frequently they want to receive Employee Health Promotion Program progress reports.4

Source Information:

1 Bunn, JOEM, 2006, 48:10.

2 Foldes, Bland, An et al. Modifiable Health Risks and Short-Term Health Care Costs. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota internal research, submitted for publication.

3 Anderson, 2000, American Journal of Health Promotion, 15:1.

4 http://www.WellnessProposals.com website