Gap analysis as a tool for Workplace Health Promotion Program improvement
A gap analysis is an assessment tool that enables a employer to compare its current capabilities and performance with industry benchmarks and expectations for performance. A gap analysis is used to identify areas that have room for improvement.
Gap analysis can also be used for your Workplace Health Promotion Program to determine where the program stands now and how the Workplace Health Promotion Program can better follow evidence-based recommendations.
To start a gap analysis, ask these simple questions about your Workplace Health Promotion Program:
• What is the current state of the Workplace Health Promotion Program?
• How does the Workplace Health Promotion Program measure up to evidence-based practices? (i.e., the desired state)
The gap is the difference between the current and desired states.
After the gap has been identified, the next step is to determine the action steps that are needed to close the gap. These actions answer the question: “How can the Workplace Health Promotion Program move forward towards the desired state?”
Sometimes the gaps that need to be filled can be addressed through Workplace Health Promotion Program changes; other gaps might require policy changes. However, using a gap analysis will help you identify areas for Workplace Health Promotion Program improvement and the actions needed to make progress towards those goals.
