Can a small company support corporate wellness? Absolutely! In fact, in some ways it’s easier to develop a healthful workplace in a small company than in a large business.
Limited resources, namely in small businesses, can prevent an company from setting up a wellness program. Reasons can include –
• lack of budget resources;
• lack of staff;
• lack of senior-level support;
• little knowledge of the wellness concept and;
• concern about making wellness available to all staff.
According to the Health Promotion Councils of America, some small company owners may have the wrong idea of what is involved in having a wellness program.
Some employers are not sure a wellness program would really work and others feel that trying to change personal lifestyle behaviours is intruding and “none of their business”.
Perhaps they don’t understand that it does not need to be expensive and that they don’t need special staff. They could not realize that some staff would like to see some healthy changes and would help make things happen in their worksite.
It can be Done
A lot of small businesses have found ways to have a health promotion program that works for them. They keep the cost and effort to a minimum and still have results that are positive for everyone.
In 2006, Graham Lowe wrote a report on the best places to work in Calgary. He said that healthy worksites often have a “positive worksite culture”. In a worksite with a positive culture, people feel appreciated, valued, and trusted.
Dr. Lowe says it is easier for a small workplace to have a positive workplace culture than for a large workplace. A lot of personnel prefer to work for a small organization, he says, because it provides more opportunities to work closely with others and create a sense of community.
In his report, Dr. Lowe says the most successful businesses with fewer than 100 workers have –
• great staff member benefits;
• policies that promote a balance between work and personal life;
• flexible schedules;
• competitive salaries;
• great leadership with an emphasis on teamwork;
• environmentally responsible organization policies;
• procedures for seeking employee input; and
• A focus on placing employees’ personal wellness ahead of the personal gain of organization leaders.
All or most of these elements are also components of a good health promotion program.
Tips and Ideas
There are many ways to include wellness in a small corporation. You do not necessarily need a wellness expert or a fancy gym.
What you do need is support from senior level management and a committee of a few committed people . Here are some ideas that your worksite can consider.
Communications and Promotion
• Send out a regular “wellness” newsletter in hard copy or online. Or send out a simple message like the weekly Healthy U Hot Tip.
• Use promotions that are already designed like Healthful Worksite Week.
Active Living and Healthful Eating
• Be sure to encourage staff to sign up for the Stairway to Health stair climbing competition.
• Get pedometers for employees and track their steps.
• Rent a nearby school or community gym and offer exercise classes.
• Hire a local fitness instructor to give courses or lead stretch breaks. Costs could be shared with personnel.
• Install secure bike parking.
• Serve healthful alternatives at company meetings and lunches.
Policy and Organizational Programs
• Hire an ergonomics expert to assess workstations.
• Develop policies to support work-life balance (for example, mandatory vacations, flextime, limits to work and e-mail on personal time).
• Provide a wellness subsidy for a selection of health and leadership activities and courses.
• Make available financial incentives to be healthy.
• Offer wellness incentives as rewards and recognition for a job well done.
• Conduct an organizational health audit (NQI Healthy Worksite Week).
• Become a partner with the community (for example, daycare, health clubs, festivals, parks, restaurants).
• Spread the workload. Be certain to set up a wellness committee.
Small organizations may not have a lot of time, money, or human resources (HR) available for a wellness program. But they often have a gigantic advantage over big companies-a positive worksite culture.
That is a great foundation for a wellness program. When staff members are satisfied, enjoy their work environment, they’re more productive, and tend to be healthier. With a little creativity and passion, small businesses can create successful wellness programs.
Get support from management, form a committee of two or more and discover the possibilities!
