We hear about wellness everyday but so much of it means different things to different people. In addition, many companies put in programs that are not catered to the particular needs of individuals. The trans-theoretical model explains this clearly by defining the different stages of change that people go through:
- Precontemplation (Not Ready)- not intending to take action in the foreseeable future, and can be unaware that their behavior is problematic
- Contemplation (Getting Ready) – beginning to recognize that their behavior is problematic, and start to look at the pros and cons of their continued actions
- Preparation (Ready) – intending to take action in the immediate future, and may begin taking small steps toward behavior change
- Action – has made specific overt modifications in modifying the problem behavior or in acquiring new healthy behaviors
- Maintenance – has been able to sustain action for at least six months and are working to prevent relapse
- Termination – Individuals have zero temptation and they are sure they will not return to their old unhealthy habit as a way of coping
What companies need to realize is that change is hard enough and that one-size-fits-all just isn’t going to work and can be a waste of money. The Cooper Companies has created a series of programs based on the different needs of their employee demographics. This theme was based on making wellness personal.
So how are you making wellness personal in your company? Is it standardized or is it customized? Is it out-of-the-box programming or is it based on out-of-the-box thinking?
Alan Wang is the President of UBF and serves as the lead consultant. He has delivered the UBF solution set throughout the world and is highly regarded for his areas of expertise. You can follow him on Twitter @UBFconsulting.