Everything you need to build your own wellness champions team at your organization.
Part of having a successful wellness program at the workplace is having people who can champion the program. Every organization has individuals who are already passionate about living a healthy lifestyle and who like to share that passion with others. These people can be a great asset to your program.
They can serve as spokespeople for the program, participate in wellness program events, and provide insight into the unique needs of their colleagues. In this article, learn more about what wellness champions can do for your company and how you can organize your own wellness champion team.
What are wellness champions?
“Wellness champions” or “wellness ambassadors” as they are often called, are a group of volunteers who work with the wellness program coordinator(s) to help promote the wellness program, improve workplace culture, offer input on program activities, and serve as healthy role models for others.
Champions do this not by being gym enthusiasts or judging others’ food choices, but instead by demonstrating a healthy work/life balance and treating their co-workers with compassion and empathy.
Anyone at your organization who is interested in participating in the wellness program and who wants to help inspire positive change in the workplace can be a champion, regardless of their current health status. Ideally, champions should represent people from various roles and departments/locations within your company.
Ways Champions Can Help
Champions are the “boots on the ground” for your program. They are people who work every day with the other employees your wellness program serves. No one knows better if employees feel valued, safe, and trusted in the work environment than the workers themselves. For that reason, champions can offer key insight into the barriers that might be holding back employee wellness and provide ideas for how you can better support your team’s wellness, both mentally and physically.
For program promotion, relying strictly on emails can often be inadequate, especially if your organization is large or has multiple locations. Dedicated champions can help bridge this communication gap by spreading the word about program activities and events. When individuals have questions about your program, they may find it easier to speak with the champion in their department than seek out someone in HR.
7 ways champions can help your wellness/employee engagement program
- Offer vision for the program
- Provide feedback on program initiatives
- Be a role model for balance & mental wellbeing
- Help guide others to the right wellbeing resources
- Participate in & promote activities and events
- Serve as go-to people for others to seek help with their MC account
- Deliver key program updates at meetings, work huddles etc.
How to Organize Your Champions
Seek Leadership Support & Permission
- Talk to your managers and executive team to explain what the champions’ roles will be
- Create a “job description” to share what will be expected of the champions and why they’re important
- Set expectations: champions will need time in their workday to fulfill their new responsibilities
Spread the Word
- Put out emails and flyers to let people know that you are looking for volunteers
- Describe the type of candidate you’re looking for
- Make an announcement at an all-staff meeting if possible
Host a Kick-off Meeting
- Introduce the mission, goals & objectives
- Optional: brand your wellness champion team with a fun name
- Discuss company values as they relate to the wellness program
- Review responsibilities and expectations
- Create a plan and assign tasks
- Provide information on the next meeting time and date
Optional: Schedule a call for champions to meet with your Engagement Specialist at Motion Connected.
- Take a platform tour and gain a better understanding of all the features
- Q&A with your dedicated Engagement Specialist
- Discuss custom challenges
Keep Communication Open
- Keep champions informed of any program updates or changes
- Schedule regular meetings on at least a quarterly basis
- Provide tools such as flyers, talking points, and email templates for champions to use in their role
- Train champions on how to answer FAQs about your wellness program
Equipping Your Champions
As mentioned before, wellness champions will become positive role models and informal leaders within your organization. You might consider further equipping your champions to be great leaders by providing yearly or semi-annual trainings just for them.
Possible training topics include:
- Wellness with a Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion lens
- Health Equity
- Worksite Wellness Basics
- Communication
- Empathy
- Mental health at the workplace