Starting a Company Health and Wellness Program Organization Plan, part 1

A business plan is a roadmap for success. Use the guidelines below to develop a realistic business plan and budget for your Employee Wellness Programs.

What is a business plan?
• A plan for success
• A document that convincingly demonstrates that your Company Health and Wellness Program will help the company to achieve its goals.

Questions to ask when developing a Company Health and Wellness Program business plan
• Why do you need to do the Employee Wellness Program?
• What are you going to do?
• Where are you going to do it?
• Who is the target audience?
• How are you going to do it?
• Who is going to implement the Employee Wellness Program?
• How much will the Company Health and Wellness Program cost Upper Management?
• What is Upper Management going to get out of the Employee Wellness Program? Why should Upper Management invest in the Employee Wellness Program?

Company Health and Wellness Program business Plan Components
• Title and duration of the Company Health and Wellness Program
• Points of contact
• Background information (description of need; bibliography/literature review; how the Company Health and Wellness Program will help achieve the company’s goals)
• Company Health and Wellness Program description
• Goals and objectives
• Implementation site
• Target population
• Work plan
• Partnerships and collaborations
• Timelines and milestones
• Budget and resource requirements (dollars and staff members)

Gaining the support of leadership
• Clearly link the Company Health and Wellness Program goals and objectives to the organization’s strategic plan.
• Focus on the desired outcomes.
• Use the right language for the right audience. By way of example, Upper Management is interested in decreased clinic visits, increased provider productivity, management of the health of the population. However, Upper Management is interested in increased readiness, decreased lost duty/training time, and decreased disability and FECA claims.
A well thought-out Company Health and Wellness Program business plan will help you gain leadership support, help you get and keep resources needed to implement the Employee Wellness Program, and keep the Company Health and Wellness Program on track towards meaningful outcomes.