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Effective wellness programs are designed to meet the needs and interests of the staff members. Ask staff members what they are interested in, and what needs they have. People are more willing to take part and support wellness efforts if they are involved in the decision-making process. When beginning a survey, keep the following hints in mind:

• Ask mostly closed form questions, especially if you will be sending the survey to a sizable number of staff members. Closed form questions provide specific choices and are easy to tabulate.
• Invite comments, ideas and recommendations, or ask open-ended questions at the end of the survey. Open-ended items are more difficult to summarize.
• Include a brief explanatory cover letter with the survey with the signature of the organization president. Make sure to include a statement about confidentiality and anonymity.
• Ask a group of representative staff members to review the survey before it is distributed. Find out if the questions will be understood by staff members and won’t be objected to.
• Include demographic information at the beginning, or end of the survey (gender, age, shift, site, department, etc.).
• Conduct a random drawing for a valued incentive item for all those who returned the survey. This might improve the response rate.

One rule to consider concerning surveys is if you have fewer than 500 staff members, everyone ought to receive one. The benefit of everyone receiving a survey can be valuable. If you have over 500 staff members, a sample of the work population from each department will suffice. The higher the response, the more valid and reliable the results. A minimum response of 40 percent to 50 percent is considered valuable.

Create and offer “free” health information resources as part of the overriding workplace wellness plan. Reliable information is available free, or at very low cost, through a myriad of resource areas. Ideas and resources will be suggested here. Also review the Resource and Website listings at the end of this guide for more ideas and resources.

Wellness Bulletin Board Ideas

Most workplaces have at least one employee bulletin board located in a central area. Obtain permission to use part of that bulletin board as the “Wellness Corner”, or obtain upper management approval to establish a bulletin board dedicated to wellness. Wellness bulletin board recommendations include:

• White 8 1/2” x 11” handouts will be ignored. Use color or nonstandard size and shape when possible.
• Change your bulletin boards frequently. If they remain the same too long, they become “white noise.”
• Play “Dialing for Dollars” to increase bulletin board attention. Make a random phone call and ask an employee to name the health fact of the day as listed on the health bulletin board. Award nominal prizes to winners. Use an “activities calendar” with targeted advertisements, football schedules, recipes, etc. that will advocate keeping the calendar updated and utilized.

Wellness Library

Create a wellness program library in a central area that has easy employee access. Resources and ideas for the wellness library might include:

• A local health resources guide with referral lists to help staff members hook up with resources if onsite resources can’t be provided. Keep referral lists in a 3-ring binder and update monthly.
• A brief, periodic wellness newsletter or update flyer distributed to staff members via their paycheck or department meetings.
• A variety of consumer books, magazines, videos, and articles related to great health. Solicit employee donations of current titles and recyclable items. Urge staff members to checkout materials for loan. Update resources regularly.
• Healthy resources are available at local libraries. Publicize those resources within your onsite wellness library.
• Health magazines can be kept in the employee break area.
• Create a consumer health information bin that is updated with articles and pertinent information regarding consumerism and healthcare. Check the resource listings at the end of this guide for more ideas.
• Free handouts materials can be obtained from local non-profit agencies (American Red Cross, Heart Association, Cancer Society, Lung Association), and made available in employee areas. See website listings and other resources in the back of this guide for more ideas regarding free health resources.

New Year’s Resolution Bulletin Board

• Have staff members voluntarily write down their health-related New Year’s resolutions on 3” x 5” index cards with their names on the back.
• Post the cards in the form of a collage on the wellness bulletin board.
• Leave the cards up for about two weeks, and then store them in a secure wellness file.
• Post the cards near the end of February to remind staff members of their goals and objectives and self-commitments.
• Take the cards down again after another week and again store in a secure file.
• Mail the cards back to the people along with wellness program promotions or other information announcements at the end of March.
• During the year, continue to provide wellness opportunities, support groups, or related activities.