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A representative Corporate Wellness Program Committee is a cornerstone of a successful Corporate Wellness Program, regardless of the size of the corporation.

Membership of your Corporate Wellness Program Committee

Aim for a committee of a manageable size (no more than 15 members, depending on your corporation’s size). Your Corporate Wellness Program Committee should represent all employee groups (e.g., full-time and part-time employees, managers and front-line staff, salary and hourly staff members, union representation, Human Resources, marketing or communications, legal, and occupational health/safety).

Here are some additional considerations:

• Corporate Wellness Program Committee members can be selected by leadership or can be selected from among volunteers.
• Determine in advance how long Corporate Wellness Program Committee members will support and how new members will be selected. Balance the need for continuity with the need to bring fresh ideas and energy to your corporation’s Corporate Wellness Program.
• It’s not necessary, or even desirable, to have your healthiest employees on the Corporate Wellness Program Committee. Ideal Corporate Wellness Program Committee members are those who best can represent their peers, motivate others and support the implementation of the Corporate Wellness Program.
• Consider providing an incentive or recognition to Corporate Wellness Program Committee members. It legitimizes their positions and encourages participation. Some corporations that have implemented stipends have generated enough employee interest that the selection of Corporate Wellness Program Committee membership becomes a competitive process. The Corporate Wellness Program Committee responsibilities become a formal component of the member’s job accountabilities.

Role of your Corporate Wellness Program Committee

In some corporations the Corporate Wellness Program Committee is responsible for the implementation of the Corporate Wellness Program. In other corporations, the Corporate Wellness Program Committee plays an advisory role. In either case, the group members can be asked to:

• Attend regular meetings of the Corporate Wellness Program Committee.
• Help establish a vision and name for the corporation’s Corporate Wellness Program.
• Represent their peers by sharing ideas, needs, concerns and feedback from their work areas and colleagues about proposed Corporate Wellness Program Procedures, policies, and programs.
• Offer feedback on the possible barriers to proposed Corporate Wellness Program Procedures and offer suggestions for addressing those barriers (e.g., how does a proposed policy fit with the schedules of employees?).
• Suggest effective Corporate Wellness Program communication Procedures and solutions to challenges. For example, what is the best way to communicate with employees who work the third shift? How will employees react to a proposed message from leadership?
• Be a voice of support for a culture of health, carrying the message from the Corporate Wellness Program Committee to their work areas and colleagues.

Functioning of your Corporate Wellness Program Committee

Meet. Schedule regular Corporate Wellness Program Committee meetings on paid work time. Your Corporate Wellness Program Committee may want to meet frequently at first, then slightly less often as your health improvement strategy is more established. If your Corporate Wellness Program Committee is new, it might be useful to ask members to provide information about themselves and their interests.

Communicate. Set up regular channels of communication with Corporate Wellness Program Committee members so they are up to date and engaged. An email list is often the easiest way to do this. Encourage communication to flow both ways: from Corporate Wellness Program coordinator to members and from members to coordinator.

Check-in. At least once a year, assess how effectively the Corporate Wellness Program Committee is functioning. Is the Corporate Wellness Program Committee serving its original purpose? Ask committee members for their feedback. Do they feel like their work is making a difference? Do they feel like their input is valued and taken into account when planning and implementing initiatives? Do they understand their expected Corporate Wellness Program roles and responsibilities? Are there members who want to rotate off of the committee? How will new members be selected?