Insights from the FitBit Captivate conference.
There is no silver bullet for increasing engagement in wellness programs. However, successful programs with higher than average participation have common elements.
5 Elements of Successful Wellness Programs:
1/ Offer choice so that you meet people where they are at on their journey for better health.
Working out should simply be time for everyone to do something physical and enjoyable. Offering choice is the easiest way to meet people where they are at on their journey to better health. Many corporate wellness programs make it easier for employees to move throughout the day by implementing walking meetings, standing desks and treadmill desks. Personal trainers, including Harley Pasternak now believe that people can get lean in life just by standing more and walking at least 10,000 steps/day which is about 5 miles/day.
2/ Lean is not enough. People also need to be strong and flexible.
Some companies are encouraging employees to workout at their desks or wherever they feel like it because just 5 minutes of resistance training each day improves health over time. Others are offering on-site classes, access to company gyms or contributing to workout related expenses by adding a fitness benefit.
3/ Make the healthy choice the default choice.
Subtle changes in what you offer and how you offer it can have a big impact on choice and waistlines without causing mutiny. Target makes the healthy choice the easy choice [aka default choice] by giving employees an extra discount on healthy food and workout clothing purchased from their stores. Other companies such as IDEO are finding success simply by putting the water on the top shelf and soda on the bottom shelf in company fridges. Employees are now drinking more water than soda.
4/ Reflect your cultural values in your program.
Think about what your company does, who your company serves and what the company values for ways to link your wellness program to the core mission. Target successfully aligned their business with their social mission to reinforce their cultural values of wellness in the communities where their employees live and work.
5/ Engage people who can inspire healthy changes and support the program.
Dayton, Ohio RTP [Fat Bus Drivers] took a risk by adding a health coach and it paid off over time by reducing healthcare costs. The “secret” to their success is that they truly care for their people and it’s reflected in everything they do from privacy to celebrating milestones. Having a boss that has walked a day in your shoes probably helps too.
Mark Donaghy, CEO of RTP shared at the recent FitBit Captivate conference that he started as a bus driver and to this day still identifies as being a bus driver. Can you imagine having a boss that not only relates to where you are now but also shows you the path to a more successful life? That’s powerful.
Reward Healthy Behaviors
Share the healthcare savings with employees who participate and meet their goals. The Dayton Ohio RTP program rewarded employees who participated with enough money to cover the increase in premiums each year. Doing so reinforced the fact that healthy behavior lowers healthcare costs for all.
Successful wellness programs do more than lower healthcare costs. Publicly traded companies with wellness programs are outperforming their competitors with better recruitment, retention and productivity.
