Well Workplace Awards FAQ

The Makeup Behind the Well Workplace Award

The Well Workplace Process takes Wellness Alliance members on a journey from evaluation and education to validation and designation. Members are guided through the Well Workplace Checklist to evaluate their organization’s wellness culture and then receive an introduction to our 7 Benchmarks framework, based on research and expertise, for building and sustaining successful employee wellness programs. Through our logic model and with access to education from a multitude of experts in the field, members are empowered to discover what their organization needs to implement a successful wellness strategy focusing on whole employee wellness

The Well Workplace Award User Guide is available to make the Well Workplace Award process easier for employers to complete and to improve the consistency of the responses across organizations.

Well Workplace Award FAQs

Do I have to be a Wellness Alliance member to apply for the Well Workplace Award?

To apply for the Well Workplace Award, you must be a Wellness Alliance member organization. This means you must have at least one representative from your organization or your client’s organization with an active Wellness Alliance membership. That person is the only one that will be able to start an application and submit the completed application. 

To become a member, please visit our Benefits of Membership page.

Can I apply on behalf of a client organization?

The Well Workplace Award functionality makes it very easy to collaborate with your client organizations on the application process. However, your client’s organization  must have an active Wellness Alliance membership to be designated as a Well Workplace.

If the client organization is not an active member, they can join the Wellness Alliance for instant access. If you work with multiple client organizations who need memberships, please reach out to our Membership Team at [email protected]. We can provide you with group package options that would allow us to help you best support your clients.

What are the requirements to apply for the Well Workplace Award?
The Well Workplace Award follows the 7 Benchmarks framework. We  recommend completing the Well Workplace Checklist and becoming familiar with each of the benchmarks by taking the 7 Benchmarks Course, and using the toolkits and resources. 
How long does it take to complete the Well Workplace Award application? 

The time required to complete the Well Workplace Award application will vary by organization. Applicants are encouraged to plan ahead, as gathering the necessary information and documentation may take some time and often involves collaborating with others across departments. Refer to the Well Workplace Award User Guide for more details. 

The Well Workplace Checklist is designed to help organizations assess their initiatives and prepare for the Award application process. 

Because supporting documentation is required for the Well Workplace Award, involving the right team members early can help make the application process smoother. You can collaborate easily by using the shared link feature.

The application includes approximately 150 questions. You can start and stop at any time, and some organizations may find it takes longer than expected to complete.

When is the deadline to apply for the Well Workplace Award?

The Well Workplace Award opens for applications up to two times a year. You can only submit your application during these open windows, and all applications are scored after the submission period closes.
How long is the Well Workplace Award designation valid? 

The organization’s Well Workplace Award is valid for three calendar years. For example, an application submitted and designated in 2024 will cover 2024, 2025, and 2026.

When should my organization reapply for the Well Workplace Award?

Although your application is valid for three years, you’re welcome to reapply at any time. If you’d like to maintain your Well Workplace Award designation and reapply for a new award based on your current designation’s expiration, you can use this example timeline as a guide:

Submission Window 1 refers to the first part of the year, and Submission Window 2 refers to the second part of the year. Winners who received their award in Submission Window 1 of 2024 should plan to reapply during Submission Window 1 of 2027, while those who received their award in Submission Window 2 of 2024 should plan to reapply during Submission Window 2 of 2027.

For example, if an applicant applies for an award in Submission Window 1 of 2024, they may state that they are a designated Well Workplace in 2024, 2025, and 2026. In Submission Window 1 of 2027, they would submit a renewal application; during this period, they are considered to be in the process of renewing their designation. If the renewal is successful, they would continue as a Well Workplace in 2027, 2028, and 2029, maintaining continuous status with no gap in designation.

 

Will my responses be saved?

The application automatically saves your responses. Although your responses automatically save, you are highly encouraged to copy all your responses into a separate document for your own reference and future use. Your responses cannot be exported.

What if I miss the deadline for submission?

Any submissions we receive after a deadline will be scored in the next submission window.

Will I receive a copy of my responses upon completion of the Well Workplace Award application? 

You will not be provided with a copy of your responses, and they cannot be exported. While the Well Workplace Checklist is a helpful tool to prepare for the Award application, it does not include the essay questions or supporting documentation required for submission.

We highly encourage applicants to copy and save their responses and supporting materials in a separate document for easy reference and future use.

Once we submit our application, when can we expect to hear back with our designation? 

Applications are scored only after the submission window has closed. The length of the scoring window can vary depending on the number of applications received. Applicants can generally expect to receive their Award results within six weeks of the submission window closing.

I submitted my application by mistake and haven’t finished it yet. Can I reopen it to complete it?

If you’re unable to access your application, or if it was submitted before it was complete, please contact us at [email protected] for assistance.

Can we view all the application questions prior to beginning the Award process?

The Well Workplace Checklist is the best way to prepare for the Well Workplace Award application. You can also visit the Awards and Recognition section of our website to access the Well Workplace Award User Guide, which explains the Award process and what to expect.

What happens if my membership expires during the application window?

The Well Workplace Award is available to members only. If your membership expires during the application window, you will lose access to the application. Renewing your membership will allow you to continue the Award application process.

How is the information in the application used?
Information in your application is used to help the scoring team evaluate how your organization aligns with the 7 Benchmarks. The Well Workplace Award has four levels—Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. On occasion, organizations may be highlighted for their wellness successes after receiving an award, but this is done only with explicit consent. Application information may also be used in aggregate reporting.

Who is the application information shared with?

We take privacy and security seriously. Your application is reviewed only by Wellness Alliance staff responsible for scoring, and safeguards are in place to protect your information. When completing your application, we recommend avoiding confidential details—like exact budget figures—and using general descriptions instead (e.g., ‘5% of our budget is allocated to [XYZ initiative]).

“WELCOA continues to provide valuable resources that support my wellness consulting practice. I use the Well Workplace Checklist and Well Workplace Award with clients as part of our strategic planning process. The evolution of both has been extremely helpful in shifting the conversation from “how do we implement wellness programs” to “how do we support the organization’s key business objectives by creating more meaningful employee experiences.”

– Michelle Spehr

Related Posts