Description

This assignment will assess your knowledge with the following objectives:

• To demonstrate the strategic value of a Comprehensive Workplace Wellness Program
• To make a realistic plan of initiatives and rationale
• To present these in a compelling way to obtain commitment and decision making from senior management.

Rationale

This exercise will evaluate the following course learning outcomes:

• Evaluate Strategic Business driversto develop a business case for Workplace Health Promotion Programs.
• Evaluate marketing and communication strategies to ensure effective promotion of Workplace Health program

Directions

Your task

Use the following scenario to produce a business case for the implementation of a Comprehensive Workplace Wellness program that will benefit the organization. Your report is for the CEO.

Scenario

You are the Human Resources professional at Huron-Tech Company - a fast-paced, outcomes-orientated high-tech company. The company has 200 employees and is a young diverse workforce. Most of the employees are software engineers or contact service employees that spend much of their day at their computers.

You have been tasked with identifying how to reduce employee claims (8 work-related repetitive strain injuries, with an average cost of $20,000 each) and address the increasing drug and benefit costs. The direct cost of absenteeism is $200,000 per year.

The recent employee survey indicated that employees are feeling very overwhelmed with the workload, which is affecting personal lifestyle, and employee engagement scores were low. The EAP report is showing increased utilization. The benefits plan is a standard one with very little flexibility. The company has an onsite fitness facility that is not well-used due to limited programs. The company currently provides free lunches (at a cost of $5 per employee to the company) from a local vendor and has some employee-run sports teams.

The company is experiencing difficulty recruiting good candidates and are losing key employees to a newer start-up company. One of the CEO's strategic goals is to become an employer of choice in the region and is open to new ideas to achieve this goal.

Business Case Format

The business case is to be a persuasive document that follows a business case template format. Your task is to create a business case for a healthy workplace program using the following format.

• Title and subtitle
• Author and address
• Date

1. Executive Summary

• Brief description of the problem or opportunity
• Brief description of the organization's goal and strategy
• Brief description of the project's Management of Value (MOV) and how it ties to the organizational goal and strategy
• Brief description of each option or alternative analyzed
• Brief explanation of which alternative is being recommended and why

1. Background and Introduction

Background on the business. Identify the problem/opportunity, the scope, benefits and any limitations. It's important to identify "the issue" or the most important concern/opportunity that the organization faces.

• Background on the business
• Current situation
• Description of the problem or opportunity, scope, benefits and any limitations.
  • It's important to identify "the issue" or the most important concern/opportunity that the organization faces.
• Project's measurable organizational value
• How achieving the project's MOV will support the organization's goal and strategy
• Objectives of writing this business case
  • How would you account for organizational demographics and company readiness?
  • What data or metrics would you include?

1. Program Overview and Recommended Actions

Recommended Solutions/Alternatives for the transformation.

• What are the top directives/solutions and why?
  • Give rationale tied to organizational needs, culture, demographics, metrics etc.
• Goals and objectives of the transformation
  • What are the alternative options/solutions?
• Organizational/Operational Impact
  • What resources are required?
  • What is the funding support required?
• Program Milestones/timeline

1. Goals and Objectives of the Transformation

• What are the alternative options/solutions?
  • Methodology of how alternatives will be analyzed including data collection methods

1. Organizational/Operational Impact

• What resources are required?

1. Program Milestones/Timeline

• The timeline lists the major deliverables and includes a brief project description plus accountabilities for each activity.

1. Risks assessment

• Success metrics - What metrics will you use to measure program effectiveness and success?

1. Value Proposition and Estimated value

• What would be the appropriate cost/benefit analysis for the solutions you are implementing. Return on investment/Value on Investment.
• Include a presentation of results that compares each alternative
  • Metrics
  • Sensitivity analysis
  • Risks
  • Assumptions
  • Proposed recommendation

You can also refer back to theChecklist to Build your Business Case in Week 3as you write this business case.

Estimates

You are not expected to know exact numbers for costs etc. but the estimates should be realistic.

The written presentation is clear and professional in presentation. This includes using titles and white space to break up the text, numbering and titling of any diagrams/exhibits, proper margins, correct spelling, denotation of units, pagination, etc.

Focus areas

Note you will be evaluated on the quality of your work rather than the number of program initiatives you identify. However, you should ensure your program considers aspects from all 4 influencers of a Healthy Workplace model:

• Lifestyle and personal health resources
• Physical work environment
• Psychosocial
• Enterprise community involvement