A wellness champion is someone who is a model participant in your wellness program. They don’t have to be the fittest employee at your company, but they do need to be invested in their own well-being. They also need to be someone who’s in good standing at your company; a person whom other people enjoy.
It’s helpful to find wellness champions in your program because they can be an extension of your employee recruitment strategy. They can also help to boost engagement by being involved in and excited about the wellness activities you sponsor.
If you’re lucky enough to find any wellness champions where you work, take advantage of the awesome opportunity you have to integrate them with your wellness program! These employees can be a great support system for their coworkers. If they’re willing, they can also provide some useful positive peer pressure for the healthy behaviors you’re trying to promote.
So how do you find wellness champions where you work?
At every company, the wellness champions might be hiding out somewhere different. Take some time to get to know your employees and listen to what they think of your wellness program. Once you know who you’re dealing with, consider these tell-tale signs that you’ve found a wellness champion.
They regularly attend your wellness events. It’s not like pulling teeth to get them to show up. They come to events, and they truly want to be there.
They go above and beyond when it comes to program requirements. Rather than quitting at the minimum necessary, they do what they need to to get the most of the program.
They ask questions. And not just any questions…good questions. They also make good suggestions. They’re overall ready and willing to provide feedback about what’s going on.
They spend time among their coworkers. A good wellness champion should know a lot of their coworkers personally and be well-respected in the office.
They are making progress. Again, wellness champions don’t have to be the fittest employees in your office, or the people with the healthiest bagged lunch. As long as they’re making progress towards a healthy goal, they can get the job done. In fact, not being the fittest person in the room might even make them a bit more relatable.
They have a positive attitude. We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again. Positivity is key when it comes to creating a culture of wellness where you work. Find wellness champions who contribute to the positive work environment you’ve created.
Finding wellness champions among your employees can be a huge strength. They’re the people who can take your employee wellness program to the next level by encouraging their peers to jump on the path towards a healthier life.
Take the time to get to know your employees, and keep an eye out for the wellness champions that are tucked away somewhere.
How do you use wellness champions in your employee wellness program?
