As they say: “timing is everything.” Use the guidelines below to guide the timing of Corporate Wellness Program activities and data collection.
Timing: Corporate Wellness Program Start-up
• Look at the optimal time to start a new Corporate Wellness Program. Take into account preferences of the target population and other factors that could affect enrollment and participation.
• By way of example, coordinating the start of an adult weight management initiative with the start of school in August or September may be a good tie-in with a “fresh start.”
• On the other hand, starting an adult weight management initiative In January may not be a great idea because of the constraints that weather may put on exercising outdoors.
• Make use of other timing cycles at your installation. Planning a marketing blitz just after the PCS turnover has been completed is a good way to let new personnel know what Corporate Wellness Program options are available.
Timing: Corporate Wellness Program Participant Support
• Look at how frequently Corporate Wellness Program sessions should be offered to provide the best support and education for members and the best opportunity for success.
• Get feedback from members regarding what session frequencies work best for them.
• Look at the timing for other support mechanisms like email encouragement. What timing of those messages will benefit members most: Weekly? Bi-monthly? Monthly?
Timing: Corporate Wellness Program Data Collection
• Collecting information is an excellent way to track participant progress and also to identify potential problems within a Corporate Wellness Program. So, give some thought to the frequency and timing of data collection.
• Select metrics that can realistically change during the Corporate Wellness Program implementation time period. By way of example, BMI and weight may not change very much during a 10-week Corporate Wellness Program; however, step counts are more likely to noticeably change.
• Some information, such as participant responsiveness to out-of-class assignments (like food journals) and other interim data (like step counts) will provide important information needed to “adjust fire” as needed and make Corporate Wellness Program changes if something is not working.
• Be flexible regarding data collection frequency. Instead of requiring that members complete an physical fitness log every day, for example, consider asking for a “snapshot” summary from two or three days during the week. You will still get information to review, but members will have an easier time complying with the assignment.
Timing: Corporate Wellness Program Follow-up
• Because the we are such a mobile population, it’s best to plan some sort of post-Corporate Wellness Program follow-up data collection within two to four months after the Corporate Wellness Program ends.
• You can always try to collect additional follow-up data at 6 or 12 months after Corporate Wellness Program completion. However, if you collect the information sooner, you’ll at least have collected some short term Corporate Wellness Program impact information before members are lost to follow-up.