So you've heard all about the benefits of a wellness program at work, how it can help employees not only stay healthier, but feel happier and less stressed, and therefore use less sick days and be more productive. But if your company doesn't have one, is it possible to start one up? Well, everything is possible, so maybe it's more realistic to ask how hard is it to start one up? What's all involved? And if you're going to go to all the effort, how can you make sure your work will pay off and the plan will be a success?

There's a book called Move It. Lose It. Live Healthy: Achieve a Healthier Workplace One Employee at a Time that is full of ideas on this very subject, but for a quick fix right now the author shares these five tips for starting your own wellness program at work:

• Include everybody. You don't want to focus on just obese people, or just those who are already fit. Focus on the general principles of good health, like nutritious foods and regular exercise, so everybody can be involved.
• Pitch your idea to the employees face to face, and be honest about the financial benefits to the company and therefore to them (in addition to the obvious physical ones).
• Offer incentives. This is pretty self-explanatory. Be it cash, discounts, lower insurance rates, whatever -- incentives work.
• Encourage group activity, and group support systems, to get people motivated (they can join together) and keep them in the program (they'll have more fun if they're doing it with friends).
• Play the family card. Encouraging people to get healthy and participate in your plan by citing their family and children as motivation can be a powerful tool.

The important thing is that you're excited about it, and that you get it started. And once you do get it going, make sure you lead by example and become an excited member of your own plan.