If you weren’t restricted by time or money, there’s almost no end to the number of individuals you could help in enhancing their health. Time and money are both limited… but maybe not as much as you think.
Show Me the Money
Go get it. Sure, your budget has been pared and you have fewer staff than you did 3 years ago. But check your annual report. Is the organization making money? If so, there’s a good chance you can get some of it to reinvest in employee well-being. You may not be able to add it directly to your budget, but by partnering with other departments, community organizations, your health plan, local foundations, nonprofit groups, and individual work units, you can do a lot with a little.
Remember: You Decide How to Use Your Time
It’s not likely you’ll have less to do. How you use your time is one of the few things you can control (more or less). As you review 2017 activities and programs, ask if there’s a way any could be accomplished with little or none of your time. Are you really the person who needs to do it?
Don’t Be Limited by the Past
Historic trends give clues, but they also set boundaries. If you didn’t know participation numbers from past years, how would you forecast the next year? You’d look at your market and project how well you can fill needs based on resources at your disposal.
Of the 3 constraints — money, time, history — the one that holds most of us back is history. We fall into the 5% trap: shooting for just 5% growth year to year. But if you let yourself be bound by past participation, you’ll never strive for exceptional goals.
As you’re executing your annual plan — whether alone, with your boss, or as a team — post these 3 reminders:
- Go get the money
- Control your time wisely
- Break free of past limitations.
We’re betting participation in your well-being program will grow faster than it has in years if you keep these in mind.
Dean Witherspoon
Chief collaborator, nudger, tinkerer; leads the most inventive team creating well-being and sustainable living programs. Reach out if you’d like to talk about employee well-being, emotional fitness, or eco-friendly living.
