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Stuart Gentle Publisher at Onrec

New ACTion Assessment and Planning Tool Helps Companies Launch Worksite Wellness Programs

New ACTion Assessment and Planning Tool Helps Companies Launch Worksite Wellness Programs, Avoid Common Pitfalls

Six-step pre-planning tool from ACI Specialty Benefits helps companies take wellness programs from idea to successful reality

Most companiesí wellness programs are doomed from the start, largely due to a lack of pre-planning. ACI Specialty Benefits is using a revolutionary approach to wellness with ACTion ñ a six-step assessment and preparedness tool that identifies an organizationís readiness level and equips it to avoid the common obstacles that prevent such programs from becoming a successful reality.

ìSo many efforts to implement wellness program fail before even getting off the ground,î says Dr. Ann D. Clark, founder and CEO of ACI Specialty Benefits. ìI always hear ëWhat about the ROI?í or ëHow do we know this will work for us?í but what people are really saying is, ëI donít know if weíre ready for wellness.íî

A recent National Worksite Health Promotion Survey reports that five obstacles impede successful implementations of worksite wellness programs: Lack of employee interest; insufficient staff resources; inadequate funds; failure to engage high-risk employees; and the inability to elicit the support of upper management.

ìPreplanning is the focus of ACTion,î Dr. Clark adds. ìACI is excited to help organizations define their wellness goals, create a customized plan to reach those goals, and ultimately implement a fool-proof wellness plan tailored to the values of the target population and workplace culture.î

With six simple yet effective steps ñ Awareness, Contemplation, Testing, Initiation, Outcome, and Next step ñ ACTion creates a climate for change, a desire for change and a measurable, sustainable willingness to change. The first three steps assess leadershipís buy-in, the organizationís history of change behavior, corporate culture and values, with key metrics to measure program efficacy. The final three steps then focus on program specifics and internal branding, marketing and promotion for the program.

Moving forward with a timeline, outlined goals, and expected outcomes is key, says Dr. Clark. ìWith all of these components in place, a corporation will attain a long-standing and successful wellness program.î

ìChange is a process, not an event,î says Danelle Pereira, ACIís Wellness Director. The ACTion system is based on a model of change originally developed by renowned behavioral scientist Prochaska. This model has been the basis for developing effective interventions to promote health behavior change. It has been successfully applied to a wide range of problem behaviors including smoking cessation, exercise, alcohol abuse and stress management, among others. ACI Specialty Benefitsí model of change at an organizational level insures wellness interventions match the specific needs of an organization.