Health and Safety in the Workplace

Strong and visible leadership support for the Workplace Health Promotion Program promotes health and is vital to securing necessary Workplace Health Promotion Program resources (staff, time, and money) and implementing recommended changes.

1. Identify a Workplace Health Promotion Program champion

In a small corporation, there may be a single leader who is the clear choice to champion the Workplace Health Promotion Program. In a larger corporation, look for an executive with the authority to sway others in the uppermost levels of the organization regarding the Workplace Health Promotion Program. The Workplace Health Promotion Program champion need not be the fittest member of leadership. Rather, look for a Workplace Health Promotion Program leader with the disposition to be a visible and vocal supporter of workplace policies that encourage healthy behaviors. Organizations with multiple sites can consider whether it would be useful to have an executive Workplace Health Promotion Program champion at each site.

2. Find existing Workplace Health Promotion Program allies

There may already be a number of individuals within your corporation who recognize the value of a Workplace Health Promotion Program. Think about who those individuals are in your corporation; consider areas such as occupational safety, union representatives, risk management, medical officers, and human resources when looking for a Workplace Health Promotion Program ally. Capture their stated support for the Workplace Health Promotion Program. Workplace 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 workplace that will help to build a culture of wellness.

3. Build a business case for the Workplace Health Promotion Program

There is a reason that more and more companies are finding a way to promote employee health via a Workplace Health Promotion Program and policies: A Workplace 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 health care costs than staff members with less healthy behaviors.2,3 As a result it would be foolish not to have a Workplace Health Promotion Program.

4. When developing a Workplace Health Promotion Program use what you know about leadership styles and the decision-making process within your corporation

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

• What are the current pressures and priorities facing executives? How could a Workplace 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 Workplace Health Promotion Program information are likely to sway decisions? Do they want data and Workplace Health Promotion Program statistics specific to your corporation, 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 Workplace 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 corporation? Informal committee meetings? Formal or informal meetings between executives? Plan accordingly and you improve the odds that the Workplace Health Promotion Program will become a reality.

5. Maintain Workplace Health Promotion Program support once you have it

Once you have appropriate Workplace 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 Workplace Health Promotion Program progress reports.

Source Information:
1 Bunn, JOEM, 2006, 48:10.
2 Foldes, Bland, An et al. Modifiable Health Risks and Short-Term Health Care Costs. BC/BS of Minnesota internal research, submitted for publication.
3 Anderson, 2000, American Journal of Health Promotion, 15:1.