The formation of a workplace wellness committee is a major step to building a healthy workplace. Careful consideration will ensure a committee that can:

• Provide wellness leadership and direction
• Promote communication between employees and management
• Recruit staff volunteers and build support for initiatives
• Identify needs and concerns, and
• Oversee the planning, implementation and evaluation of health promotion programs. 

Committee Members:

Whether recruiting for a new committee or adding members to an existing committee, the wellness team should have broad representation from all employee occupational groups, departments, employee age groups and gender, and reflect the overall make-up of the organization. This will support buy-in from employees for the process and ensure different perspectives are understood.

Participation on the committee should be voluntary. Group members should be committed, able to take on the extra responsibility (with recognition from management for time required) and be enthusiastic about wellness in the workplace. This committee will be the driving force behind your wellness initiatives.

Typical committees range in size from five to 10 individuals. If other staff members are interested in becoming involved, encourage them to join subcommittees once your action plan has been developed. Subcommittees can be involved in the implementation of specific wellness activities. Spread work between members and rotate them every few years.

Wellness Committee Chair:
It is very important to have a committed person lead the wellness committee. As part of his/her duties the chair will:

• Ensure that the committee creates & adheres to a Terms of Reference
• Draft the agenda for meetings
• Ensure minutes are recorded & distributed to management & members
• Ensure that every member has an opportunity to speak &  be heard
• Guide individual members to work toward a common goal, and
• Resolve conflict & misunderstandings that pertain to the wellness program.

Meetings:
The committee, when developing a Terms of Reference, will determine when and how often it needs to meet. Committees often meet more during the set-up stages of a wellness program. An agenda should be circulated prior to a meeting and minutes of all meetings should be taken.

 

For more information on how to manage your workplace wellness program, please download the “Building a Healthy Workplace Guide”.