Manage Corporate Wellness Plan data electronically.

• Storing Corporate Wellness Plan outcomes data electronically is the best way to manage that information.
• An electronic system will enable you to review and analyze the data more efficiently.
• Scan old surveys and other Corporate Wellness Plan information that exist only on paper into .pdf format for permanent storage.

Find the Corporate Wellness Plan system that works best for you.
• Some individuals are more comfortable with spreadsheet applications; others rather work with database applications.
• You will be more likely to use a Corporate Wellness Plan that you are familiar and/or comfortable with.
• Standardize data collection and organization. Keep data columns/fields in the same order for all Corporate Wellness Programs.

Keep the Corporate Wellness Plan as simple as possible.

• You do not have to be a Wellness Programming wizard or use complicated data entry interfaces in order to manage Corporate Wellness Plan outcomes data.
• A simple spreadsheet is an excellent way to keep your data organized.

Store all Corporate Wellness Plan data numerically.

• Using numbers (instead of words) will make the data much easier to enter and analyze. By way of example: use “1” for yes; “0” for no OR “1” for male; “2” for female.
• Number survey responses that contain strings of words. By way of example: instead of entering the responses: “patient education videos”, “news,” or “no TV,” number the responses so you only have to enter “1,” “2,” or “3.”

Label all Corporate Wellness Plan data clearly.

• Make sure all the data columns, rows, or fields are labeled. The data is worthless if you don’t know what data is in which column.
• The spreadsheet/database should include an explanation for column, row, field, and data abbreviations and a key for numbered responses.

Use consistent Corporate Wellness Plan data units.

• Make sure all data entered into a given column is expressed with the same unit of measure. By way of example, enter all heights as total inches, not as a combination of feet and inches.
Putting your data in order by using a simple system that works for you will enable you to track participant accomplishments. Keeping your data organized also makes it easier to communicate Corporate Wellness Plan impact to leadership and make Corporate Wellness Plan improvements as needed.

Corporate Wellness Plan data is information that is collected about your Corporate Wellness Program. All Corporate Wellness Programs should include data as an integral part of the Corporate Wellness Plan plan.

Why should you care about Corporate Wellness Plan data?

Information tells the Wellness story. Information is the tangible evidence of a Wellness Program’s impact.

Building data into Corporate Wellness Programs

Why bother with Corporate Wellness Plan Data?

You need Corporate Wellness Plan data to:
• Assess whether or not your Corporate Wellness Plan is working.
• Answer the ‘so what?’ about the need for a Corporate Wellness Program.
• Offer information to Upper Management about the impact of the Corporate Wellness Program.
• Write a budget justification so you can secure Corporate Wellness Plan resources.
• Use Corporate Wellness Plan resources efficiently and market your Corporate Wellness Plan more effectively.

Where to begin collecting Corporate Wellness Plan data:
• MAKE A PLAN to collect the data: decide what, when, and how data will be collected.
• Determine what data is ALREADY BEING COLLECTED.
o By way of example: use dairy sales data in the dining facility to measure the impact of a milk marketing/dairy month campaign.
• Start collecting JUST A FEW small pieces of information. Be creative!
o By way of example: BMI, APFT scores (before & after), tobacco quit rates

IT’S NEVER TO LATE TO START collecting Corporate Wellness Plan data.

Innovative Corporate Wellness Plan data strategies
• Use local college/graduate students to help collect, input, and analyze Corporate Wellness Plan data.
• If your corporation has an internship program, get to know the Internship Director. Make use of intern resources – including having the Director and/or interns begin the data collection plan for your Corporate Wellness Program.
• Use data to let upper management know about the Corporate Wellness Programs affect on the workers.

Present this information at their monthly/quarterly meetings.
• Use creative follow-up strategies to get data. Telephone calls can be effective, but also consider email, mailed surveys with return postage provided, and going to the units in person to collect the information.
• Make data collection ‘fun’ for Corporate Wellness Plan participants.
o By way of example: use a team approach – the team with the ‘best’ overall results gets some sort of award or recognition.
• ALWAYS relate the impact of your Corporate Wellness Plan to readiness.