Health Links (HL): Why is the health and wellness of your employees important to you?

Colorado HealthOP (CHO): Wellbeing of employees in an integral component of having a productive, happy, and thriving workforce. We know that healthy employees are ultimately better able to provide better service for our members.

HL: What does your workplace wellness program look like?

CHO: Our wellness program includes many components, but some of our employees’ favorites are our standing desks, treadmill work station, running and walking clubs, wellness reimbursement program, and point system. We are constantly looking for new programs to add by asking for employee feedback.

HL: How will you/do you know your program is successful?

CHO: Our program success is determined by employee participation and success stories. We always want to ensure that our wellness program is offering what employees want and strive to make it as flexible as employee needs. Ultimately, we want to make sure employees see Colorado HealthOP as an advocate and driving force for their wellness goals.

HL: What obstacles did you have to overcome to get your program started? How did you overcome them? 

CHO: One of the largest obstacles was simply where to start. As a startup organization, starting a worksite wellness program seemed like a gargantuan task. But, by identifying some small winnable battles to tackle from the get go, our program has started to take shape. We have also seen our program change as our company has grown and allowing that flexibility has been very important.

HL: Do you incorporate safety along with your wellness program? If so, what does this look like?

CHO: In an office setting, employees at Colorado HealthOP don’t often encounter many workplace hazards. That being said, we do have basic safety measures in place. All of our employees also have stand up desks, which helps mitigate risks that come from being sedentary all day, and encourage employees to take breaks during the day to stretch and refresh.

HL: What tip/advice would you give to a business that is considering starting a workplace wellness program?

CHO: Get internal input through a wellness committee or whatever it may be. If employees feel like they’ve had a hand in creating the program, they’ll be more likely to participate. And even after you’ve started, make sure the communication door is always open for more input. Worksite wellness isn’t  one size fits all, so make sure your program fits your company and its culture.