Health and Wellness Leads : Workplace Physical Activity Programs: Committees and Opportunities

Workplace Physical Activity Programs: Forming an Employee Committee

Although backing from the top is essential to a thriving initiative, backing from other employees is also significant.

Once you get the go-ahead from senior staff, identify others who are interested in the project and form a Employee Wellness Program Committee to help determine the next steps. Depending on the size of your workplace and the amount of employee time management is willing to contribute, this Employee Wellness Program Committee may be advisory or may plan and carry out the plan.

The Corporate Wellness Program Committee could include employees from human resources, occupational health and safety and finance. It’s also a good idea to involve employee from other areas who have an interest in promoting physical exercise. Terms of reference will define the boundaries of the project. By way of example, it’s important for the Corporate Wellness Program Committee to have clearly defined and understood tasks. Possible tasks include the following:

• Assessing your workplace environment
• Carrying out an employee interest survey.
• Creating a mission statement and objectives and goals.
• Writing a physical activity or wellness policy declaring the organization’s responsibility to physical activity.
• Brainstorming program ideas.
• Promoting, communicating and marketing the program.
• Coordinating specific activities.
• Deciding how the program will be evaluated.
• Continually assessing what is or isn’t working and adjusting the plan.

Prior to making plans to promote physical activity during work, it’s important to learn what is “doable” in your workplace.

You do not want to raise employee expectations by offering something that’s impossible due to funding or space limits. By way of example, it’s not realistic to suggest putting in a fitness center if there’s no room for it. Be open, however, to creative ways around limitations.

Workplace Physical Activity Programs: Finding out What’s Possible in Your Workplace

Check with recreation departments or fitness facilities for diagrams of the local walking trails or underground pedways. Great walking trails may be right around the block from your workplace.

Below are some questions to help you evaluate your workplace:

• What facilities or opportunities does your work space have that make it easier to be physically active during the workday? For example, do you have stairs, bike racks, showers, space for a fitness facility, factory walking lanes?
• What nearby facilities or opportunities might staff members use to be more physically active during work? Are you close to sidewalks, walking trails, community centres, bike lanes for active commuting and/or exercise facilities?
• What resources are available?
• Can the program access funds, personnel, space, equipment, facilities?
• What is the structure of your employer? By way of example, consider employee size, working hours, number of sites, unusual shifts, length of lunch breaks and ability to use flex time.