Most employees who are confined to their desks for most of their working day are at high risk of falling into a sedentary lifestyle. Most people who work in the office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. only exercise actively during their commute. Even when working from home, there is a risk of being inactive, especially when you have the option to schedule virtual meetings that keep you tied to your seat.
Typically, office workers sit for around 5 to 9 hours a day. According to a 2020 Korean J-Fam-Med study, sitting is about two months per year. Prolonged sitting can impact muscles, reducing their ability to metabolize fats and sugars effectively. It potentially increases cholesterol levels and the risk of diabetes. This sedentary lifestyle also particularly affects important muscles such as legs, glutes, hips and back.
Lower back pain is increasing among office workers of all ages, largely due to the increasing number of sedentary jobs. The combination of prolonged sitting and poor lifestyle habits can have detrimental effects on the body over time. Employers should be aware of this, as back pain is one of the most common reasons for absences from work.
This article serves as a guide to incentivizing wellness programs.
The need for incentive programs for employee well-being
Companies are now introducing wellness programs for their employees to address physical inactivity and health issues. The aim of these initiatives is to encourage and support employees in consistently maintaining healthy habits. Employee wellness programs aim to capture employees’ views on dietary choices and uncover misconceptions, myths, barriers and unhealthy eating habits. These initiatives go beyond food choices to promote healthier lifestyles in the corporate world and also combat physical inactivity.
Wellness incentives are critical to encouraging healthy habits among employees and are often combined with wellness campaigns to increase engagement. A wellness incentive, whether internal or external, serves motivation and can take the form of rewards and recognition.
Increase employee engagement and well-being with a comprehensive corporate wellness program that goes beyond the usual
The Importance of Wellness Program Incentives
The goal of the wellness program is to encourage employees to adopt and maintain healthy habits. While internal motivation is ideal, some may struggle with unhealthy habits and need support. Employees are unlikely to eagerly enroll in a wellness program immediately after HR introduces it. This is where incentives and rewards come into play.
One practical approach is to offer small incentives to randomly selected employees who complete different parts of the wellness program. Not every employee receives an incentive. Instead, they are given the opportunity to participate in a random selection. Employees qualify for this selection by achieving a personal health goal, participating in a workshop or taking on a challenge. The prospect of making a profit is gratifying and often enough to motivate most employees.
The effectiveness of providing incentives decreases if they are not properly targeted and tracked. Therefore, managing an efficient wellness incentive program is crucial for positive outcomes.
Plan an effective wellness incentive program
Here is a step-by-step guide to help you plan an effective wellness incentive program:
- Identify the behaviors you want to encourage.
- Choose appropriate incentives sensibly without putting a strain on the wellness budget
- Understand employee motivations for the incentives.
- Choose a lean and straightforward incentive method.
- Encourage open communication throughout the process.
- Prioritize the selection of health-focused incentives.
Important types of incentives
Below are the different categories of incentives based primarily on budget:
- Cost incentives: These are tangible rewards whose costs vary depending on the quality and quantity of the materials. You can set a budget per employee or just for winners in a year. Cost incentives can be divided into three levels:
- Low-Cost Incentives: Examples include water bottles, caps, yoga mats, bags, headphones, etc.
- Mid-range incentives: Options like gym membership, wearables, shoes, health equipment, etc.
- Costly Incentives: Luxury goods such as vacations, a paid day off, laptops, cell phones, etc.
- Free Incentives: These are intangible rewards that can be implemented without additional effort. Some examples are:
- Providing paid office breaks to exercise or meditate.
- Offers flexible working hours.
- Allows you to choose a weekly home office schedule.
- Progress-based incentives: These incentives aim to actively involve employees. For example, you could apply this system to a 6-week weight loss challenge and reward participants who meet specific weekly goals.
- Participation-based incentives: In this form, employees receive rewards for participating in wellness workshops or events such as seminars, either through a points system or through certificates. This incentive is popular because it encourages teamwork and a lack of competition.
- Results-based incentives: Employees receive this incentive when they achieve a wellness goal. Although it is less inclusive and excludes participants who do not complete a challenge, it reduces competition between participants.
Wellness program incentive ideas for your workplace
Here are some practical wellness incentive ideas:
Paid vacation
The everyday life of a regular employee is full of professional and personal responsibilities. There is little time for yourself. Juggling long working hours, meeting deadlines, managing family matters and attending to other needs often has a negative impact on well-being. This can lead to potential health problems. A worthwhile way to address this work-life imbalance is to give your employees paid vacation. For example, if an employee meets their performance or health goals in a given year, offering additional days off can be a valuable incentive.
Health incentives
In addition to various incentives, employees are particularly happy about companies that offer health insurance. It stands out as a top incentive that has a significant impact on employee engagement. Traditional health insurance incentive programs typically focus on reimbursement for healthcare costs.
These incentives can include rewards for achievements such as weight loss or maintaining a tobacco-free lifestyle. However, modern health incentives go beyond essential medical services and sometimes offer discounts for both employees and their family members when participating in preventive examinations or health assessments.
Fitness incentives
Fitness incentives motivate employees to improve their physical well-being. It is particularly beneficial for office workers who lead a predominantly sedentary lifestyle. These incentives promote increased physical activity. Sometimes on-site meditation or gym is not possible due to limited office space. In this case, providing a gym membership is an excellent alternative.
Online and offline resources can effectively contribute to employee health. Memberships to healthy food joints, online wellness platforms like HealthifyMe, and meditation apps increase the effectiveness of wellness programs.
Professional incentives
It is not necessary to motivate employees solely through health-related rewards. For engaged and committed employees who are aligned with the organization’s goals, valuable incentives can contribute to their professional development. Increase high-performing employees’ participation in your wellness program by offering rewards that advance their careers, such as: B. Coaching, education and other work-related benefits.
Transit incentives
Offer financial support or discounts on public transport tickets to make commuting by bus, train or subway more economical for your employees. Also, offer perks like reserved parking for carpool participants.
Personal incentives
These incentives are tailored to the individual needs of each employee. For example, it’s a great idea to congratulate employees on a wellness achievement or milestone with gift cards. Using gift cards allows for more flexibility and a personal touch, especially when you can tailor them to specific brands or amenities that employees already like.
The last word
For effective wellness programs, it is important to carefully plan incentives while taking employee needs and motivations into account. Efficiently managing such programs ensures positive outcomes and a healthier, more engaged workforce. These incentives can take different forms and address different aspects of well-being. From progress-based incentives that target specific health goals to participation-based incentives that encourage teamwork, companies have a range of options to choose from.
Understanding employees and their personal needs is crucial. The more you align incentives with actual desires, the more influential the program will be in attracting high enrollment. This principle also applies when selecting a corporate wellness provider for your company.
Research sources
Sedentary lifestyle: Overview of updated evidence on potential health risks