Wellness Forum

Step 3: Policy Design

Before you begin designing wellness policies or programs, it’s important to have specific goals identified and objectives developed for each of the goals. These should come from the assessments and should be created with input from management and staff. One of the best ways to gain employee input is to develop a wellness team .  

Worksite wellness policies can create widespread behavior change among employees. This is because policies change the work environment. These changes can result in employees adjusting their eating and physical activity habits. Developing worksite wellness policies is therefore a great way to ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to health and wellness.

Once you have identified your objectives in Step 2, it’s time to develop worksite wellness policies that will help you reach these objectives. Consider whether existing policies need to be changed or whether new ones need to be developed. Use the following examples to give you ideas of 1) the different policy components you can develop and 2) how to use these components to develop a written policy:

• Policy 1: Healthy Food (Components | Written)
• Policy 2: Health Awareness (Components | Written)
• Policy 3: Physical Activity (Components | Written)
• Policy 4: Smoke-Free Workplace (Components | Written)

Special Note: When developing policies, be sure to include how the policies will be evaluated in your operating plan.