What is this about?

This edition of Connections newsletter provides an 8-page document with recommendations for how employee wellness programs can better protect their employees and family members from a future pandemic threat.  It is based heavily on lessons learned from the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

The document is a tool from the newly updated WellCert Level 2 CWPM certification course designed to help identify more proactive actions that workplace wellness practitioners can take to help their employees contend with a future pandemic threat.  It also is intended to help us appropriately capitalize on the enhanced health awareness and concern that often accompanies all the attention and fear that a pandemic generates.

This home-grown set of detailed programming recommendations are divided into actions that can be taken now (i.e. “Before” the next pandemic) versus when the pandemic is gaining momentum (i.e., “During” the next pandemic) versus when the pandemic is burning out or receding (i.e., “After” the next pandemic).

Why is this important?

This document is important because it provides detailed recommendations for how employer wellness programs can better protect employees and family members from the next pandemic threat.  It also has direct application to the currently receding COVID-19 pandemic. It also provides practical advice on how to better integrate ongoing wellness program activity with pandemic-related interventions and protective measures.

What can you do with this document?

• First, this document answers the general question…”How should we address a future pandemic in our employee wellness program?
• Next, skim the document for the major recommendations before, during and after the next pandemic.
• Next, determine which of the three states (“Before:, “During” or “After”) you are in currently.
• Next, examine the specific recommendations for the state you are in currently and decide which of these you plan to implement.
• Next, lay out in your program work plan how you plan to implement the recommended actions.
• Next, implement them.
• Finally, periodically examine or evaluate how prepared your work force is to deal with a future pandemic.

In summary, this document contains a detailed set of recommendations on how a future pandemic can be addressed within an employee wellness program and how to better protect your organization’s work force from its health and well-being threat.