Rising costs and changing policies are leaving much more than a trail of frustrated employers and Business Managers. People are becoming more aware of their health, lifestyle, and options—changing their routines to include healthier options in hopes of avoiding expensive doctor visits and medical bills.
Organizations are also starting to increase their support for healthier living. Wellness programs are nothing new, but now many are incorporating new ideas to get their employees motivated. Your school can do this, too. However, before new programs can begin, a clear vision of what you want to achieve should be documented. For example, if your school’s goal is to reduce the overall faculty reported stress level by 10%, you might want to start with something like this: “To improve the overall well-being of our school, as well as our faculty and staff’s lives, stress reducing activities will be introduced and made available to all ABC School employees beginning (insert date here.) This program will positively influence student experiences, faculty morale, and health care savings.”
Once you have a clear mission of what your school’s wellness program intends, include your faculty and staff in the process of setting goals and selecting activities, and set reasonable deadlines leading up to the main objective that can be easily met. These will help increase support and spirit for the program. And, remember, goals are more likely to be met when they are supported by both management and employees.
Implementing employee wellness programs, as well as refreshing existing ones, takes careful planning. With everything else on your plate, revisiting your school’s wellness program may seem like a last priority. It’s important to keep in mind the positive benefits programs like these can have on your entire campus. A healthier faculty equates to less absenteeism, more energy in the classroom, engaged students, positive morale, and reduced healthcare costs.
ISM offers information about Employee Wellness Programs for private-independent schools as part of our Trust Insurance program at no cost. For more information about the ISM Trust and wellness programs, click here.
