In general, the "What's the Return on Employee Wellness Programs?" study from Harvard in 2010 laid out 6 pillars for an effective employee wellness program.
- Multilevel Leadership
Creating a culture of health takes passionate, persistent, and persuasive leadership at all levels - from the C-suite to middle managers to the people who have "wellness" in their job descriptions. - Alignment
A wellness program should be a natural extension of a firm's identity and aspirations. Don't forget that a cultural shift takes time. - Scope, Relevance, and Quality
Wellness programs must be comprehensive, engaging and just plain excellent. Otherwise, employees won't participate. - Accessibility
Aim to make low- or no-cost services a priority. True on-site integration is essential because convenience matters. - Partnerships
Active, ongoing collaboration with internal and external partners, including vendors, can provide a program with some of its essential components and many of its desirable enhancements. - Communications
Wellness is not just a mission-it's a message. How you deliver it can make all the difference. Sensitivity, creativity and media diversity are the cornerstones.