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As workplace wellness programs continue to grow, many of the successful programs find a surprising place to focus: They make it personal. In other words, executives show their leadership and get involved.

And this isn't always easy, reports Human Resource Executive Online. Some executives may support wellness in the workplace, but may feel uncomfortable getting personally involved.

Some tips the post notes can include holding walking meetings or ensuring that healthy foods are offered at meetings.

Cathy Kenworthy, CEO of Interactive Health, says she has “never seen a wellness program that enjoyed strong executive support in which that support is not rooted somewhere in a powerful personal dimension: something that happened to that person or their loved one or another executive.”

“I think there are just so many ways that people can tell their story,” says Kenworthy. “There is always a path that can be comfortable.”

The post continues: “And in some cases, leaders are even willing to put themselves in less-than-comfortable situations for the sake of spreading the wellness message. Allen Buechel, the county executive for Fond du Lac County, Wis., was even willing to make a video of himself doing a Buddy Holly imitation in support of the county government's wellness program. It was worth it — for reasons both selfish and altruistic, he says.”

Says Buechel: “Better health positively affects absenteeism and productivity — that's the selfish side of it,” says Buechel. “The other side is, this really helps employees in their personal lives — they're going to live longer, healthier and happier lives. It's not just the bottom line.”

“The county government, which has approximately 800 employees and is a client of Interactive Health, was named to the firm's list of the ‘Healthiest Companies in America' last year for the fourth time in a row.”

And in keeping with Kenworthy's note that the personal stories matter, the post notes that “Buechel has talked with employees about his own struggles with diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, which eventually led him to undergo bariatric weight-loss surgery a couple of years ago.”

“For Buechel, being an advocate for wellness means more than simply talking about numbers. It's important to find a way of framing the subject in a manner that resonates with employees.”