Wellness Coordinators: Apply Amazon’s Leadership Principles In Your Worksite Wellness Program Today

A principle is a comprehensive and fundamental doctrine, assumption, law, or fact of nature. You want to be a principle-centric leader, right? Amazon states that its leadership principles are applied every day when discussing ideas for new projects, deciding on customer solutions or conducting job interviews. But how might these 14 leadership principles apply to your leadership of your workplace wellness program? Let’s examine each individual principle.

Principle #1: Customer obsession

As a Worksite Wellness Program Coordinator, you will also serve clients. Your customers are the organization as a separate entity and the employees of the organization. Like Amazon, you should be obsessed with your customers.

Principle #2: Ownership

You are the owner of your worksite wellness program. The health and well-being of companies and employees are your responsibility. You need to think in both the short and long term, and determine program value from both perspectives.

Principle #3: Invent and simplify

The cookie-cutter approach doesn’t work with Worksite Wellness. Each program must be unique to the employer and the needs and desires of its managers and employees. While your programming and interventions must be based on an enterprise-wide assessment, they must also be innovative and inventive. While health, wellness, well-being and behavior change are complex issues, you should always be looking for ways to simplify your program and programming.

Principle #4: Are right, a lot

Based on good instinct and sound judgment in program design and execution, the programs and interventions you offer should be correct in many cases. Your programming should be diverse and encompass more than just your personal beliefs.

Principle #5: Hire and develop the best

Employee health and well-being strategies should play a key role in your company’s career development and employee training and development initiatives. If you use vendors for any aspect of your program, only settle for the exceptional vendor. Remember that each provider and their services represent your program.

Principle #6: Insist on the highest standards

Even if workplace wellness doesn’t currently have standards, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have your own personal, professional standards. Setting high standards for yourself will result in you offering a quality program.

Principle #7: Think big

Set a bold direction for your program. It should include a direction that leads to results for both the organization and the people. Don’t be afraid to think differently from the crowd. Think critically about what you read and hear as you seek ways to better serve the organization and employees.

Principle No. 8: Action Orientation

Speed ​​is important in business, so keep up with your organization’s response to change. Don’t be afraid to experiment with next-gen programming while relying on evidence-based and accepted best-practice programming and interventions.

Principle #9: Frugality

Unfortunately, most employers still view workplace health programs as an expense rather than an investment. Be frugal and smart with the budget you are given. Maximize the use of existing physical and financial resources. Be imaginative, self-sufficient and inventive.

Principle #10: Learn and be curious

The areas of wellness and business are huge. Be a lifelong learner. Always learn and try to improve. Be curious about new trends and try to explore them and how they affect you, your organization and your program. Make sure you read and learn outside of your area of ​​expertise and your current level of expertise.

Principle #11: Earn trust

Listen carefully, speak openly and treat others with respect. But you yourself in positions where management and employees can get to know you, like you and trust you. Compare yourself and your program regularly with the best.

Principle #12: Dive deep

Make sure your program addresses the breadth of the wellness dimension. Be the all-rounder when planning, implementing and evaluating your program. Ask questions and challenges when the anecdotes and metrics don’t match.

Principle #13: Have backbone; Don’t agree and commit

Have the backbone to respectfully challenge decisions and conventional wisdom when you disagree. Too many wellness program practices are put in place because everyone else is doing them, not because they know they really work and will work in your case. Be clear and persistent in your beliefs, but be sure to listen openly and consider alternative viewpoints. Commit to be and deliver the best.

Principle #14: Deliver results

Far too many workplace wellness programs today are not delivering results. Be results, not activity, focused and motivated. Monitor, measure and evaluate. Be clear and show the value your program offers. Know and communicate your results.

As a workplace wellness coordinator, you can certainly embrace these Amazon guiding principles, and you would do well to do so.

Thanks to William McPeck