In and around the wellness industry, people's heads are spinning. There's a constant flow of information and different findings as to the successes and failures of various wellness programs. So it's no wonder employers feel lost as they look for a partner to the foundation of their workplace wellness initiatives.

With hundreds of wellness companies out there, how can they even begin to decide who they should entrust the health of their employees to? Do you ask for recommendations from other companies? Rely on the word of your broker? Google wellness programs and see what shows up?

While each of these has some level of merit, each also contains some level of risk. These approaches are unlikely to work to identify what you’re searching for because… you likely don't know what you’re searching for. For this reason, let's examine seven questions you must understand of yourself and your organization so you can decide what wellness programs to offer and who to work with.

1) What is your state of wellness maturation?

You might be looking to start a wellness program for the first time, looking to change providers or just looking for something fresh and new. Understanding where you are in starting this process is an important first step in figuring out where you’ll end it.

2) What are your goals?

There's a big difference between reducing medical trend and increasing employee morale as the primary objectives of a wellness program. These only represent two of many reasons a company will implement a program. These goals aren't mutually exclusive, but if you have more than one, be sure to understand which are most important. Rank them (yes, actually write them down) before making any decisions, and be sure to have input from all decision makers.

3) What motivational tactics do you plan on employing?

The question of incentive use and what will be the determining factor in earning incentives is likely to be one of the most polarizing questions that you will face. The answer to this should align seamlessly with your organizational culture and goals. Be sure to have a consensus on this or your program is destined to fail.

4) What's your priority?

Unless you have an unlimited budget, you likely will have to prioritize either low risk maintenance (keeping your healthy employees from getting sick) or high risk intervention (engaging your unhealthy employees with high touch, high cost programs). You’ll want to have some portion of your program that reaches each, but if pressed, which is a higher priority? Having baseline biometric screening, health risk assessment and/or claims data can make this decision easier.

5) What message will you convey to your employees?

The answer to this question likely will align closely with your program goals. If cost containment is the most important goal for your organization, a similar message needs to be communicated to the employee base. The employees should know beyond “what” the wellness program is, “why” it is being implemented and “how” this supports the strategic corporate objectives.

What are you looking for in a partner?

This question can be answered in many different ways, but it's not something that can be easily prescribed by anyone outside of the organization. In many cases this comes down to a feel. It may come down to a decision of whether you choose a partner with innovative technology or a strong research background. It can feel like comparing apples to oranges, but it's important to know what will drive your decision.

Do you have a supportive foundation?

There are several published research studies that provide components of a supportive environment for wellness programs. These components can go a long way in determining the level of success achieved by your program. Included in this list are components such as written goals, a comprehensive communication strategy and measurement and evaluation of programs. It's worth evaluating these components to determine whether effort should be split to achieve some of these benchmarks.

You might notice this list is devoid of some very basic buying questions: What program components and modalities are we looking for? What is our budget? Will this program work for our employee demographics? These are clearly very important considerations, but represent a more classic and obvious approach.

Try considering the questions above before asking any of these questions and you are likely to find out far more about yourself, your needs and subsequently, find a far more compatible partner.

Instant Insights /

Questions to ask before choosing a wellness partner

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