What Are the Duties of a Chief Wellness Officer?
A holistic approach to wellness is the heart of what a CWO does. To assess the level of employee wellness, the CWO uses a biopsychosocial approach, meaning a framework that includes mind, body, and environment. Broad and inclusive assessments are done both with individuals and with the company as a whole.
As part of each assessment, the CWO looks at the three main components of wellness:
- Mental: Aspects include ommunication skills, how well individuals set and achieve goals, and their self-perception. Are their basic psychological needs being met?
- Physical: Eating habits, exercise, sleep and other lifestyle choices contribute to physical wellness.
- Environmental: How does the environment impact wellness? This includes balancing home and family with work, as well as the quality of relationships within the company.
A skilled CWO works with individuals as well as the the executive board to create an effective wellness plan, which can be measured for adoption and efficiacy. Since the workplace is a large environmental factor that impacts employee wellness, leaders must be committed to a culture that supports the wellbeing of the staff. A CWO can own this role and spearhead wellness initiatives while tracking ROI.
Ready to Hire a Fractional Chief Wellness Officer?
If you’re ready to see a noticeable improvement in workplace wellness throughout your company, hiring a fractional CWO makes sense. Contact Pollack Peacebuilding Systems today to set up a consultation and get more information on how our Fractional CWO services can be created based on the unique needs of your company.
How Can Your Company Benefit from a Fractional CWO?
When a company recognizes the benefits of a Chief Wellness Officer, the next decision is whether to hire an individual on a full-time or a fractional (part-time) basis. Some benefits of a fractional CWO include:
- Budgetary. Many companies are reluctant to hire a full-time CWO because of budgetary concerns. Hiring a CWO on a fractional basis is a great way to keep a handle on costs.
- Extensive Experience. A fractional CWO has often worked with many different companies. They bring this experience to your company and offer a fresh perspective, often seeing things that those who have been part of the company on a long-term basis may not notice.
- Relieving Other Leaders. Companies without an in-house CWO may expect senior leaders to take on employee wellness with their other responsibilities. A fractional CWO takes employee health and happiness off their plate, which means leaders can focus on their own roles, leading to increased productivity among those in leadership.
- Happier Staff. Demonstrating to staff that their wellness concerns matter to senior leaders creates a work environment that supports loyalty to the company and commitment to their jobs. When employees know their wellness priorities matter to their employer, they’re less likely to feel the need to look for opportunities elsewhere. Interpersonal relationships with coworkers improve. Individuals don’t feel as burnt out or stressed, and that means there are less conflicts in the workplace.
- Reputation. With a happier staff and reduced turnover, your company’s reputation with the public may improve. Your organization will be recognized as a great place to work. In organizations that don’t demonstrate to the staff that their health is a priority, disgruntled employees may leave bad reviews on sites like Glassdoor, which may be seen by potential employees and convince them not to approach your company.
What about ROI? An important benefit of a fractional CWO is that for every dollar spent on employee wellness, companies typically get double the return on money spent. With improved mental and physical health, sick days may not be taken as often and there’s likely to be less time spent in conflicts between staff members. An improved standing with the public can lead to a growing customer base and opportunities to recruit top talent.
