Today we offer more low-cost tips for encouraging participation in wellness programs, and we’ll introduce a new turn-key wellness program from BLR.
Beyond the actual physical activities, most wellness programs need a little incentive to encourage participation and especially to keep people participating after the initial excitement has worn off. Here are some tips from the New York State Physical Activity Coalition:
1. Provide incentives like T-shirts, caps, aprons, or paid time off.
2. Hold contests or other fun worksite competitions:
• “Wellness Project of the Month”
• “Set Your Goal” competition
• Employee/management and interdepartmental challenges
• Health trivia game on computer with prizes to the winners.
3. Announce and publicize a monthly health theme.
4. Conduct recognition activities for employees making efforts at healthier lifestyles:
Bulletin board announcements
Personally signed letters from the CEO congratulating employees on their healthy behaviors.
Publicity for success stories or the healthy employee of the month.
Recognition for the coordinators of wellness activities.
5. Provide bulletin boards for health information exchange and for people to write milestones they have achieved in health (i.e., New Year’s resolution, miles walked, pounds lost).
6. Provide child care so that parents can participate in wellness activities.
7. Have the company health practitioner set a time (weekly, monthly) to check blood pressure, body fat, and weight.
Corporate Wellness programs show great ROIs. And as one expert noted, there’s little downside—even small improvements make a difference. Check out BLR’s comprehensive Workplace Wellness program—guidebook, newsletters, PowerPoints updated quarterly—at no cost or risk. Read more
8. Provide one-on-one counseling for high-risk employees and people with disabilities by establishing wellness mentoring programs. (Editor’s note: Take care with this one so you don’t run afoul of discrimination laws.)
9. Develop a team for brainstorming ideas and to help with wellness activities.
10. Conduct a survey to assess what topics employees want to pursue.
11. At all meetings:
• Start with a stretch, and take a relaxation break in the middle.
• Conduct a wellness activity.
• Recognize an employee birthday or other special event.
12. Rotate departmental responsibility for wellness activities.
13. Utilize college interns to assist with developing and running wellness projects and events.
A New “3-Dimension” Tool to Build Your Wellness Program
Inspired to jumpstart your wellness program? Here’s how.
Well-structured and well-run wellness programs often show ROIs of over 300 percent, numbers that make the C-suite smile. But the key words are well-structured and well-run, because poorly designed programs just spin their wheels—no health benefit and no positive ROI either.
What are the keys to success?
- Careful planning and structure
- Ongoing attention
- Keeping it fresh
With this in mind, our editors have prepared a new and unique 3-part program that has something for everyone—the people who authorize the program, the people who run it, and the people who participate. BLR’s all new Total Workplace Wellness Program includes these key elements:
Part 1—Wellness Guide. This 350+-page guide shows you how to set up your program–from convincing management to implementing a workable plan to maintaining its effectiveness over time. It includes a vast collection of ready-to-use forms, handouts, and checklists that both structure your program and provide the metrics to prove its effectiveness to management’s satisfaction.
Check out BLR’s comprehensive Total Workplace Wellness Program at no cost or risk. Get the details.
Part 2–Quarterly manager’s newsletter. Clearly written, practical, up to the minute info—he latest in wellness news, case studies of successful programs, and practical tips from the field on running an effective program.
Part 3–Interactive Employee PowerPoints®. Employees stay engaged with these interactive training aids. Each focuses on a key wellness topic such as Managing Stress, Healthy Aging, and many more.
PLUS, along with your quarterly newsletter, you also receive quarterly updates for both the guidebook and the PowerPoint training sessions—so there’s no trouble keeping your program humming with fresh ideas and proven suggestions.
If you’d like to examine the Total Workplace Wellness Program on a no-cost, no-obligation basis for 30 days, we can arrange for you to do so. Let us know and we’ll be happy to set it up.