It’s no secret that social media is transforming the way people communicate in the workplace. Today more companies are realizing the value of engaging their employees online and are using tools, like forums, blogs and social networks, to enable their staff to converse, collaborate and connect.

There is no doubt about it that some of the most successful worksite wellness programs are supported by a network of enthusiastic employees at the grassroots level. Most organizations call them "Wellness Champions" and they are the drivers for building a culture of wellness and encouraging participation in a company’s wellness program.

As a newbie to the world of corporate wellness, you may be scratching your head. Like any industry, it is filled with jargon and acronyms. But don’t let terminology prevent you from achieving success. Review all the definitions below that you'll need to be a health promotion rock star.

You know Health Risk Assessments (HRA) can lay a solid foundation for making lifestyle changes. You're a believer in the power of HRAs to evaluate employees' modifiable risk factors. And you've been reading up and know that they have one of the best return on investments – with one report finding that HRAs returned $6.04 for every $1 spent. 

We all know how important a wellness portal is to a corporate wellness program, but what does it really take to have an excellent portal that drives visitors, increases engagement and supports healthy behavior change?

To be successful in the world of corporate wellness, there are certain essential characteristics that one must possess to improve employees' well-being, plan programs, maintain a positive attitude, encourage healthy behaviors, and build strategy.

90 percent of young adults use their smartphone first thing in the morning, often before they get out of bed, according to the Cisco Connected World Technology Report. The third annual report surveyed 3,600 young people ages 18-30 from 18 countries on their tech habits using electronic devices.

Starting a worksite wellness program has its challenges. Worksite wellness programs succeed for just as many reasons as they fail. It's up to you to make it happen, and it's not as hard as you may think. Simple steps make all the difference, especially when it comes to successful wellness programs.

The end of the year is upon us, and now is the perfect time to reflect on what went well with your employee wellness program in 2012, what didn’t go so well, and what the goals will be for next year. Even if you aren't preparing for a formal evaluation of your employee wellness program, it can help to assess your success at the end of each year as a way to pause and look back at where you've come from and where you'd like to go.