Health Wellness Newsletters

Before launching your Workplace Physical Activity Program, summarize the information you have accumulated and plan your next steps.

At this point, you have

o  gained support from senior management for the Workplace Physical Activity Program

o  formed an employee committee

o  evaluated what is possible in your workplace

o  found out what staff members want and need in a Workplace Physical Activity Program.

Based on this information, you’re now ready to create your action plan to raise physical activity at your workplace.

With the employee committee, take the following steps.

o  Combine the results of the employee survey with the worksite environmental assessment, and report to senior management and workers.

o  Prioritize the possibilities at each of the “levels” (individual, social, organizational, community, policy) in the worksite listed in “Keys to Success”. for  instance, suppose a large group of staff show an interest in bicycling to work.

Since these individuals  may want to shower and change after their commute each day, you may give showers and changing facilities priority in your workplace. Bicycle racks could also be important for making employees’ bikes secure during the workday.

o  Consult the list of practical suggestions found this website.

o  Develop a mission statement (one which aligns with your company’s overall mission statement) to define your purpose and help guide your process. Establishing objectives and objectives will help you achieveyour mission statement.

o  Put together a plan or blueprint addressing what you’ve learned. Make health promotion program and activity recommendations with timelines, identify resources and assign responsibilities. Revisit the list of tasks outlined in “Step 2 -  Forming an Employee Committee.” Seek executive management approval to move ahead.

o  Once your initiative is in place, it’s imperative that you promote it to employees. Organizing a launch is a good way to do this. A formal launch also demonstrates upper-level management commitment. If employees don’t know about the initiative, they cannot take advantage of it!

o  Decide what you need to track to show that you have reached your objectives. Measure these factors before you start. This way, when you evaluate later, you’ll know when there has been a change.