Senior leadership and management support is the foundation of building and sustaining a successful WHP program.
1
In fact, this has been shown to contribute more to program success than the content itself.
2i This goes beyond simple endorsement of programs and involves active and visible participation
3
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Management support determines the strategic direction for the WHP program in the following areas:
Figure UT2.1. Key Areas of Management Support 4
Initiation
The starting point for any WHP program is to determine the level of support and commitment of senior leadership. The desire for a WHP program may stem from an employee, committee, or ideally senior leadership itself. Whilst Australian business leaders are increasing recognising that
‘healthy employees equal healthy organisations’, the concept may still need to be ‘sold’ to senior leaders and management.
1 World Economic Forum (2008) Working Towards Wellness: The Business Rationale , [online], Available: http://www.weforum.org/pdf/Wellness/Bus_Rationale.pdf
, [2009. October 16]
2 O’Donnell, M. (2001) Health Promotion in the Workplace (3 rd ed), Albany, NY: Delmar.
3 Health, Work and Wellbeing U.K. (2008) ‘Building the Case for Wellness’ [online], Available: http://www.workingforhealth.gov.uk/documents/dwp-wellness-report-public.pdf
www.workingforhealth.gov.uk
[2009,
October 16]
4 Singapore Health Promotion Board (2003) Workplace Health Promotion Program: Pre-Planning Series , [online],
Available: http://www.hpb.gov.sg/hpb/default.asp?pg_id=981 [2009, October 16]

A compelling business case is usually required to demonstrate the bottom-line impact to the organisation. However, often it is not the potential return-on-investment that drives a WHP program, but alignment with key business objectives.
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Hence, to survive and be successful, a WHP program must contribute to the mission, long-term goals and short-term priorities of the organisation.
5 Webster, J. (2001) ‘Strategy, not return on investment, drives health promotion at applied materials’, American Journal of Health Promotion , 373-375.

A variety of strategies can be used to substantiate the value of WHP programs. Prior to initiating a discussion with senior leadership, the following information may prove helpful. However, detailed information relating to these areas is usually derived from a comprehensive needs assessment, undertaken as part of the development of a workplace health and wellbeing program.
1.
Determine the key drivers for the Program within your organisation, for example:
 Managing an ageing workforce
 Being an ‘employer of choice’
 Corporate social responsibility
 Reducing absenteeism
 Attracting and retaining quality staff
 Reducing injury rates and workers compensation costs and/or
 Increasing staff engagement
2.
Review industry and non-industry trends (e.g. number of peer organisations that have adopted programs).
3.
Conduct a workplace audit to determine key priority areas for the program (e.g. environmental or cultural factors).
4.
Review existing organisational data (e.g. injury trends) and associated costs (e.g. workers compensation).
5.
Review existing resources (e.g. onsite expertise) and facilities.
6.
Identify key stakeholders and seek their support (e.g. senior ‘champion’, OHS Manager).
7.
Conduct a brief employee survey to determine interest.
Presenting the Value of a WHP Program to Senior Management
The most effective way to secure leadership support is to submit a brief proposal to the CEO (or senior executive member) justifying the business case. This should be followed up with a brief faceto-face discussion. This enables the coordinator to answer any queries, broaden the CEO’s knowledge regarding the benefits of WHP, and ideally, secure commitment for initiative commencement. However, the process of securing leadership support is not necessarily a simple or timely process, and it may take several months to achieve.

The proposal to senior leadership should include:
1.
An Overview of WHP and the concept for the proposed Workplace Health and Wellbeing
Program
2.
A Program rationale including:
 Background
 Key industry and organisational drivers for a WHP program
 Alignment of the WHP program with organisational strategy
 Benefits for employees and the organisation
 Review of available evidence (e.g. OHS trends)
 Successful case studies.
3.
A Proposed framework including program objectives, structure, core components, personnel, facilities, technology, budgetary requirements and funding sources.
4.
Expected program outcomes, including short term (e.g. increase in job satisfaction) and medium-long term (e.g. improvement in health outcomes), and key enablers / challenges.
The business case should include examples of benefits to both employees and employers as outlined in the following:
For employees, the benefits of participating in WHP programs include (but are not limited to) :4,
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 Improved health awareness and knowledge
 Improved physical and mental wellbeing and resilience
 Increased energy and vitality
 Increased work enjoyment and fulfilment
 Improved concentration and productivity
 Improved team relationships
For employers, the benefits of providing WHP programs include (but not limited to):
 Improved productivity
 Increased creativity and innovation
 Improved employee engagement
 Improved staff morale
 Reduced sickness-related absenteeism
6 European Network of Workplace Health Promotion (2004) ‘Making the Case for Workplace Health Promotion – analysis of the effects of WHP’, [online], http://www.enwhp.org/fileadmin/downloads/report_business_case_01.pdf
[2009, October 16]
7 NZWell@Work (2009) ‘Workplace Wellness – A Literature Review for NZWell@Work’, [online], Available: http://www.nzwellatwork.co.nz/pdf/wrkplc-wellness-lit-rev-feb09.pdf
[2009, October 16]
8 Health, Work and Wellbeing U.K. (2008) ‘Building the Case for Wellness’ [online], Available:
Available: http://www.workingforhealth.gov.uk/documents/dwp-wellness-report-public.pdf
www.workingforhealth.gov.uk
[2009,
October 16]

 Reduced presenteeism (health-related work impairment)
 Increased attraction and retention of staff
 Reduced workplace injury and workers compensation costs
 Improved employee relations
 Improved corporate image
 Managing an ageing workforce

Other Strategies to Gain Senior Leadership Support
Barriers to leadership support such as limited resources or competing business priorities will exist, but can be overcome in a number of ways. These include:
 Undertaking a pilot WHP program with senior leadership and/or management to generate enthusiasm and support, before rolling out a broader program.
 Circulating literature (e.g. magazine articles) to key stakeholders and inviting them to relevant events (e.g. workplace health forums).
 Featuring expert guest speakers or successful case studies at leadership/management forums.
 Emphasising that ‘healthy employees equal healthy organisations’, and that WHP programs represent a ‘win-win’ for employees and the organisation.
 Cultivating leadership’s natural desire to excel by focusing on being an innovator and leader in this area.
 Emphasising the important role of WHP in maintaining employee resilience and productivity during challenging times (e.g. downsizing, mergers).
Primary Roles for Senior Leadership
Once senior leadership support for a WHP program has been secured, there are ten primary roles that they must embrace :
9 10 11
1.
Creating the vision (e.g. mission statement)
2.
Connecting the vision to organisational values, strategy, practice and policy
3.
Gaining budget and resource commitment (e.g. staffing, programming, space and time)
4.
Educating and engaging senior management (the ‘gatekeepers’ to employee participation)
5.
Sharing the vision and rationale with employees (e.g. written correspondence, staff forums)
6.
Reinforcing to managers and employees that workplace health is a ‘shared responsibility’.
7.
Serving as a role model (i.e. walk the talk!) through active participation and involvement
(e.g. planning).
8.
Accountability and responsibility (e.g. setting key performance indicators for management)
9.
Rewarding success (e.g. incentives, public recognition)
10.
Maintaining effective communication with management and employees regarding program progress and outcomes.
9 Allen, J. & Hunnicut, D. (2001) ‘Fostering Wellness Leadership: A New Model’, Special Report: WELCOA.
10 Edington, Dee (2009) Zero Trends: Health as a Serious Economic Strategy, Presentation for the 28th Annual Wellness onference, University of Michigan Health Management Research Centre, [online], Available: http://www.hmrc.umich.edu/news/WW28.html
[2009, October 16]
11 Hillier, D., Fewell, F., Cann, W., & Shephard, V. (2005), ‘Wellness at work: enhancing the quality of our working lives’,
International Review of Psychiatry, 17(5): 419-431.