Tips for Wellness Programs on a Budget

Following on from our recent interview with Katrina Walton, How Healthy are your Workplace Wellness Programs? Katrina outlines 8 tips for wellness programs when you’re operating with a tight budget.

1. Look for low hanging fruit

Get some runs on the board. Are there any opportunities for quick wins?
Or is there the potential to combine and package what is already available
with some new initiatives thrown in?

2. Engage your wellness partners

Existing or prospective wellness partners can provide a wealth of expertise,
resources, support and practical assistance.

3. Seek funding and/or sponsorship opportunities

There are a growing number of funding and sponsorship opportunities
available to support your wellness journey.

4. Share responsibility

Both employers and employees must take responsibility for health in
the workplace. It’s a two-way street. Have a mix of employer funded and
employee contribution options.

5. Seek research and/or practical support from universities

Could you do with an extra set of hands or expertise for an upcoming
project? Become friendly with your local university and explore practicum
and joint research projects.

6. Think outside the box

I’ve delivered many wellness strategies over the years that have started (and
sometimes continued!) with a shoestring budget. This requires flexible,
creative and innovative ‘out of the box’ thinking.

7. Make healthy choices the easy choices

Supporting flexible working arrangements, implementing a smoke-free
policy, providing healthy snack options in your vending machines, or
hosting walking or standing meetings as a way of discouraging sedentary
behaviour.

8. Stay focused

Quality not quantity. Don’t stretch your wellness efforts too thin (and
potentially jeopardise your own wellbeing in the process!), and concentrate
on initiatives which will provide the best value-on-investment.