Wellness programs have come a long way since the go-to fitness challenges of yesteryear. But if there is one thing Christine MacDonald has learned in her 10 years as a benefits advisor, the key to success is not so much about the “what” as it is the “why” and the “how.”
MacDonald, Chair of Benefits Alliance’s mental health committee and Partner and Right Path Advisor at Selectpath Benefits & Financial in Halifax, Nova Scotia, shares more about these two building blocks for success—and the lasting benefits for employers.
Big-picture inspiration
When employers tell Christine MacDonald they want to set up a wellness program, her first question is: Why?
The “why” must always be the jumping-off point for defining what the plan is expected to accomplish, stresses MacDonald. In her experience, programs without clearly defined goals are destined to fail.
“How does a wellness plan line up with your corporate objectives? Are you concerned about productivity, absenteeism, presenteeism? Maybe they’ve had increases in short- or long-term disability. The issues point to areas we can help with,” MacDonald explains. “Productivity is probably the one we hear about most right now. Keeping people engaged in their roles, but healthy in their roles, is the number one thing.”
When the connection is made between wellness and corporate objectives, leadership becomes more engaged and the cultural shift from “checking boxes” to a permanent wellness practice begins.
Put another way, employers come to realize that a single lunch-and-learn event on a wellness topic is not enough for lasting change—including improved productivity. Or that while a flower arrangement is a thoughtful way to send condolences, grief may persist long after an employee returns to work.
She urges leadership to encourage an environment in which “it’s just normal to talk about their own mental wellness, and people are comfortable bringing these topics up. The businesses that demonstrate leadership in this area talk about wellness in every meeting.”
Wellness champions
Volunteer wellness committees, led by a senior staff member equipped with a reasonable budget, answer the question of “how” to successfully plan and implement a wellness strategy. While committee members aren’t personally involved in the execution, they ensure that the components—and how they are communicated—will resonate most with employees. Monthly meetings are usually enough, notes MacDonald, and it’s important that members represent multiple departments and can meet during work hours.
As for execution, the committee’s leader works closely with their benefits advisor, who can bring in local experts and other resources—including those available at no or low cost, says MacDonald. “There are lots of tools out there. Let’s get employees trained on how to have these conversations in a way that’s supportive.”
A growing trend in the arena of the “how” is to provide mental health training to equip managers and leaders to recognize when people may be struggling, and to have the conversations that may be life-changing—and possibly lifesaving. The Mental Health FirstAid program, available through the Mental Health Commission of Canada, is reasonably priced and has earned high marks from plan sponsors, notes MacDonald, adding that many employee and family assistance programs offer this training as an option.
“You need those mental health champions,” she says. “Someone in the organization who people know they can approach about anything without worrying about being judged.”
Reaping the rewards
When the why and the how are solidly in place, the “what” of wellness programs naturally unfolds, often leading to new directions that can have a profound impact.
For example, more employers are calling MacDonald about suicide-response measures and suicide prevention. Supports for addiction recovery—for the employee or a family member—are seeing more interest. And across the workforce, leaders increasingly recognize the value of organized, fun group activities and workplace recognition programs to help counter feelings of isolation, loneliness, anxiety, or grief.
Women’s health (hormone health, fertility or adoption supports and menopause counseling) is another emerging area of focus for wellness programs.
Employers who go all in with a wellness strategy are reaping benefits of higher retention rates, reduced absenteeism and greater productivity. The return on investment is between $1.50 and $3.00 for every dollar spent, says MacDonald.
“They have basically zero turnover, and lots of resumés waiting to be reviewed. When leadership takes wellness seriously, it is not hard to understand why the investment becomes an easier decision when the proof shows up every year,” concludes MacDonald.