Before you launch activities to prevent and manage diabetes as part of a new or existing worksite wellness program consider the following.

Identify the characteristics, needs, and interests of your employee group, including:

• Current health status, such as cholesterol levels, body mass index, blood pressure
• Current levels of physical activity
• Current eating habits
• Current diabetes or prediabetes diagnoses
• Other risk factors that could affect the health of an employee such as stress level

Understand the unique features of your workplace:

• Existing support for people with or at risk for diabetes
• Community support that can supplement the program outside of the work environment such as local fitness centers like the YMCA
• Health Plan provisions
• Current company policies

Identify worksite wellness program barriers:

• Wellness program costs - for the company and employees
• Times, locations, incentives, and other logistics issues

Gather data using the following strategies:

• Conduct a health risk assessment or employee health survey
• Review claims data
• Review benefits coverage
• Calculate what diabetes costs your business