WHP effort for SMEs
How much time and organizational effort does it take to introduce workplace health promotion (WHP) measures?
To get started with structured workplace health promotion (WHP) in an SME with 10–100 employees, a few hours of setup and then 1–2 hours per week are enough. EasyWHP supports analysis, action planning and reporting — no full-time HR position is needed.
WHP effort over time (SME, 10–100 employees)
| Phase | Task | Time Investment | Who Does It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup (one-time) | Assess WHP maturity level, set up the survey, choose the first measure | a few hours | Management or HR |
| Ongoing | Review metrics, coordinate measures, answer questions | 1–2 hours per week | Health guide or HR |
| Quarterly check | Measure impact, adjust measures | a few hours | Management or HR with an EasyWHP report |
| Year-end close | Annual report, documents for the conversation with the health insurance fund, records for the tax adviser | a few hours | HR + tax advisor |
Phase 1: How much effort does setup take?
A few hours, one-time: setup is the largest block of time — with a guided tool such as EasyWHP it stays manageable. In practice, it breaks down into:
- Assess your WHP maturity (about 7 min. — shows the biggest lever)
- Set up and launch the employee survey
- Select and communicate the first measure from the WHPCompass measure catalog
- Appoint health guides (optional, increasingly advisable as the company grows)
- Approach a health insurance fund about project funding under Section 20b SGB V (German law; no entitlement — the fund decides project by project)
Phase 2: How much time does ongoing operation take?
About 1–2 hours per week: after setup, the effort drops noticeably. EasyWHP supports data collection, impact measurement and documentation.
Anyone who appoints an internal health guide (e.g., a motivated team member) can delegate this workload away from management. The guide coordinates measures and serves as the point of contact — no prior WHP expertise required. The ongoing coordination work is limited to:
- Check the dashboard in EasyWHP: which key figures have changed?
- Ensure participation in ongoing measures (reminders, communication)
- Answer questions from employees
- Activate a new measure from the catalog as needed
When do I need external support?
For smaller companies, an internal health guide with EasyWHP as the management system is usually enough. External consultants or a workplace health manager add particular value when:
- Conspicuous absenteeism (well above the German national average of 5.66% in 2025, BMG statistics KM1) or psychological strain has been identified
- Complex risk assessments (shift work, physically demanding tasks) need to be created
- A collective bargaining agreement or works council demands a structured WHP concept
- A larger project funding request to a health insurance fund is planned
What does the first WHP year typically look like?
In practice, a realistic course for the first year looks like this:
- Month 1: setup, maturity check, launch the survey
- Month 2: evaluate survey results, start the first measure
- Months 3–11: ongoing operation (1–2 hours per week)
- Month 12: annual report, documents for the health insurance fund, records for the tax adviser
- In total: besides setup, around 1–2 hours per week — spread across the year
Related measures & topics
Key takeaways
- Setup: a few hours, one time.
- Ongoing effort: 1–2 hours per week — even without your own HR department.
- An internal health guide is often enough in smaller companies.
- First year: besides setup, around 1–2 hours per week.
- EasyWHP supports analysis, documentation and reporting.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need my own HR department or a dedicated WHP officer?+
No. In smaller companies, an internal health guide (e.g. a committed employee) with EasyWHP as the management system is often enough. After setup, the time required is 1–2 hours per week — manageable even without prior knowledge of workplace health management.
How long until I see the first results?+
You will see first results (participation, survey response, feedback on measures) after a few weeks. Whether absenteeism and well-being change only becomes clear when you compare over at least twelve months, because seasonal fluctuations distort shorter comparisons.
Can I run WHP as a side project, or does it need its own dedicated project?+
Workplace health management can be run as a side project — with a digital management system such as EasyWHP. Without a tool, coordination effort quickly builds up. With EasyWHP it stays at a realistic 1–2 hours per week.
How much work time does a health guide cost me?+
An internal health guide regularly needs time for coordination and communication. It is common not to create a separate position but to set aside a fixed share of working time — as a guide, 1–2 hours per week.
Start workplace health promotion — step by step
EasyWHP guides you through setup, the survey and your first measure — and documents the process for the conversation with your health insurance fund and for your tax adviser.