Worksite Wellness

Surveys

Implementing an employee survey initiates a dialogue with employees on issues of importance to them and to the organization. Surveys are valuable tools for effectively targeting wellness programs; they introduce employees to worksite wellness, solicit their involvement and approval, and play a huge part in helping to launch a successful wellness program. Use our surveys as a starting point for polling your employees which could could provide you with beneficial data for program planning. Feel free to adapt and revise the questions to best fit your needs.

Employee Interest Survey

Ask employees what they’re interested in, and what needs they have. People are more willing to participate and support wellness efforts if they are involved in the decision-making process. Review the sample employee survey provided below.

Successful wellness programs are designed to meet the needs and interests of the employees.* The information you need to get from a survey depends on the scope of your program. If you plan to do a survey, keep the following hints in mind:

  • Ask mostly closed form questions, especially if you will be sending the survey to a large number of employees. Closed form questions provide specific choices and are easy to tabulate.
  • Invite comments, suggestions and recommendations, or ask open-ended questions at the end of the survey. Open-ended items are more difficult to summarize.
  • Include a brief explanatory cover letter with the survey signed by the company president. Make sure to include a statement about confidentiality and anonymity.
  • Ask a group of representative employees to review the survey before it is distributed. Find out if the questions will be understood by employees and won’t be objected to.
  • Include demographic information at the beginning or end of the survey (gender, age, shift, site, department, etc.).

When considering who should get the survey, a simple rule is if you have fewer than 500 employees, everyone should receive one. The public relations benefit of everyone receiving a survey can be significant. If you have more than 500 employees, a sample of the workforce population will suffice. A sample saves on costs and time.

Getting support from management is crucial to the success of the program. The higher the response, the more valid and reliable the results. A minimum response of 40 to 50 percent is good.

Workplace Assessment Survey

Effective health and wellness programs contribute to healthy workplace climates. A healthy workplace climate is one which encourages teamwork, cooperation, and empowerment of the individual.*

Effective health and wellness programs recognize the importance of building a supportive cultural environment. The workplace culture includes shared values and beliefs about what is important. It includes social standards of expected and accepted behavior called “cultural norms.” The long-term success of any wellness program is dependent on the company’s commitment to wellness.

Some signs of a healthy organization are:

  • employees communicate openly;
  • leaders support diversity and opinion;
  • employees have fun;
  • policies support wellness;
  • employees are encouraged to grow;
  • employees work together as a team;
  • employees’ skills and talents are matched to their job;
  • flexible work schedules are available;
  • employers consider employees as their most valuable asset.

Review the survey below:

* Hope Health. Health Promotion Guide. (2004): Internet, http://www.hopehealth.com/resources.asp, June 3, 2005 (Adapted)

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