WELCOA's Seven Benchmarks

For the past 20 years, the Wellness Council of America has dedicated its efforts to studying and promoting the efforts of America’s Healthiest Companies. During this period, WELCOA developed its patented Well Workplace process. At the core of the Well Workplace model, we have identified seven key benchmarks of success. Specifically, these seven benchmarks are inherent in companies that have built results-oriented workplace wellness programs.

WELCOA’s Seven Benchmarks

WELCOA's Seven Benchmarks of results-oriented workplace wellness programs include:

1. Capturing Senior Level Support
2. Creating Cohesive Wellness Teams
3. Collecting Data To Drive Health Efforts
4. Crafting An Operating Plan
5. Choosing Appropriate Interventions
6. Creating A Supportive Environment
7. Consistently Evaluating Outcomes

Capturing Senior Level Support
From our experience, Senior level support is essential to the process of developing best-in-class programs. Indeed, we know of very few programs that have contained costs and improved employee health that don’t have strong senior level support.

Creating Cohesive Wellness Teams
Once senior level support has been captured, the next task is to create a cohesive wellness team. Teams are essential to building great wellness programs because they help to distribute the responsibility for wellness throughout the organization.

Collecting Data to Drive Health Efforts
The team’s first and primary responsibility is not to start offering programs, but rather to step back and gather important data. The data will be collected using corporate culture audits, health risk appraisals, and knowledge and interest surveys. This data is extremely important because it will reveal the specific areas of health needs and interests within the organization.

Crafting an Operating Plan
With essential forms of data having been collected, the task is now to develop an operating plan for health and wellness within the organization. This operating plan will serve as the roadmap and will guide the company’s efforts and investments in workplace wellness.

Choosing Appropriate Interventions
With the first four benchmarks completed, it is now appropriate to begin choosing and implementing the appropriate health and productivity interventions. These interventions will most likely include tobacco cessation, physical activity, weight management, self-care, and stress management. But, they also may include things like fatigue management and ergonomics—depending on what the company’s data reveals.

Creating a Supportive Environment
Once the appropriate health promoting interventions are up and running, it’s time to create a supportive environment. Indeed, by having a supportive environment, organizations can be confident that employees will be supported in their efforts to lead healthier lives. Environmental interventions may take the form of policies, physical modifications, and rewards and incentives.

Consistently Evaluating Outcomes
The seventh and final benchmark in the Well Workplace model is carefully evaluating outcomes. It is within this benchmark that companies will religiously keep score when it comes to their wellness program. Evaluation targets include things like participation, participant satisfaction, behavior modification, and cost containment.