Worksite Wellness Programs

What is Worksite Wellness Program data?

Worksite Wellness Program data is information that is collected about your Worksite Wellness Program. All Worksite Wellness Programs should include data as an integral part of the Worksite Wellness Program plan.

Why should you care about Worksite Wellness Program data?

Data tells the Wellness story. Data is the tangible evidence of a Wellness Program’s impact.

Building data into Worksite Wellness Programs

Why bother with Worksite Wellness Program Data?

You need Worksite Wellness Program data to:
• Evaluate whether or not your Worksite Wellness Program is working.
• Answer the ‘so what?’ about the need for a Worksite Wellness Program.
• Offer information to Upper Management about the impact of the Worksite Wellness Program.
• Write a budget justification so you can secure Worksite Wellness Program resources.
• Use Worksite Wellness Program resources efficiently and market your Worksite Wellness Program more effectively.

Where to begin collecting Worksite Wellness Program data:

• MAKE A PLAN to collect the data: decide what, when, and how information will be collected.
• Determine what information is ALREADY BEING COLLECTED.
o For example: use dairy sales information in the dining center to measure the impact of a milk marketing/dairy month campaign.
• Begin collecting JUST A FEW small pieces of information. Be creative!
o For example: BMI, APFT scores (before & after), tobacco quit rates

IT’S NEVER TO LATE TO START collecting Worksite Wellness Program data.

Innovative Worksite Wellness Program data strategies

• Use local college/graduate students to help collect, input, and analyze Worksite Wellness Program information.
• If your employer has an internship program, get to know the Internship Director. Take advantage of intern resources – including having the Director and/or interns implement the data collection plan for your Worksite Wellness Program.
• Use information to let senior management know about the Worksite Wellness Programs affect on the staff members.

Present this information at their monthly/quarterly meetings.
• Use creative follow-up strategies to get information. Phone calls can be effective, but also consider email, mailed surveys with return postage provided, and going to the units in person to collect the information.
• Make data collection ‘fun’ for Worksite Wellness Program participants.
o For example: use a team approach – the team with the ‘best’ overall results gets some sort of award or recognition.
• ALWAYS relate the impact of your Worksite Wellness Program to readiness.