Starting in a small way...

It is sometimes hard to get approval for a comprehensive program right away.

Here are some suggestions for starting in a small way and building as you go.

• Begin with one pilot site. Document your achievement at one site and use the figures to repeat expansion to other sites.



• Begin with screening and follow-up. You can add classes, other activities, and organizational change as the need becomes clear.



• Target high risk employees for follow-up. You will be able to show more change in this group and make a strong case for additional funding.



• Use free or low cost community resources. Local public health departments, nursing schools, voluntary health agencies, the American Heart Association, and the American Red Cross may be able to offer their services. Be sure that their staff has been properly trained.

And here are some things you should NOT do:

• Don't phase the program in risk by risk. It is more efficient to screen for all risks at once than to check for one risk at several different times. More important, it is more effective, as well as more efficient, to counsel employees about the risks than it is to discuss one risk at a time.



• Don't skip follow-up. Don't offer screening or health improvement classes without follow-up monitoring and counseling. You will not be able to show any effect in health risks, interest in the program will drop, and you will have a hard time getting the support you need to continue (much less improve) your program.

Sources: The Wellness Outreach at Work Program: A Step-by-Step Guide, John C. Erfurt, Andrea Foote, Max A. Heirich, Bruce M. Brock, National Institutes of Health National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH Publication No. 95-304