Health Fairs

Worksite Health and Wellness Programs – Employee Engagement Strategies

Worksite Health and Wellness Programs without employee engagement are of little use to a company. How do you get staff members to enroll in Worksite Health and Wellness Programs – and stay engaged in the programs?

The handouts for these programs discuss the benefits to staff members and companies. Worksite Health and Wellness Program statistics show that there are tangible benefits to a company for offering such programs. Worksite Health and Wellness Programs actually do save lives by getting workers to take their health seriously, increase productivity, decrease absenteeism and more.

However, St. Louis, Missouri-based Maritz Inc., the world’s largest incentive company, has applied their own invigorating twist to health management by offering gift rewards to staff members who participate in Worksite Health and Wellness Programs. The wellness incentive reward program is Maritz’s own Exclusively Yours® plan. Health management participants earn points, which can be then redeemed for merchandise, electronics, restaurant vouchers and travel, much like a frequent-flier program.

Enrollment incentive rewards in Worksite Health and Wellness Programs?

Undoubtably businesses that don’t work in the incentive rewards industry will be tempted to cry foul about using such a rich carrot to incentivize health program enrollments. Not every company can throw that kind of money at health management resources – and not every company has the built-in savings as a business that specializes in offering incentive reward programs.

For certain rich incentive rewards like Maritz’s will break through the glaze that appears over many staff members’ eyes when they’re encouraged to do something new, different or difficult. For many staff members uncomfortable with health management and physical activity, “new, different and difficult” would apply to Worksite Health and Wellness Programs. So where does that leave companies who are unwilling or unable to offer incentive rewards for health management program enrollment?

Successful Worksite Health and Wellness Programs motivate staff members – before and after signup

Worksite Health and Wellness Program administrators should keep the long-term view in mind when trying to get staff members to take that imperative first step. Even the best incentive rewards can fail in the face of faltering organization, badly-designed Worksite Health and Wellness Programs and wavering support. Make sure to run good Wellness surveys before you build your Worksite Health and Wellness Programs so worker input and needs are being met by your Worksite Health and Wellness Programs. The goal is positive outcomes, not high enrollment numbers.

Worksite Health and Wellness Programs cannot survive managerial apathy. If executive and managerial participation is widespread and heartfelt, staff members will follow their leadership. The potential rewards and Wellness benefits are clearly worth reaping, for both your organization and your co-workers.