Employee Wellness Programs, Positive Results from America's Top Universities
The days of sneaking to the break room to meet those afternoon cookie cravings may be long gone. Employee wellness programs have no doubt grown in popularity and some of America's top universities, like Cornell, Stanford, Oklahoma State, and The University of Alabama are no exception. Seven universities in all were surveyed for their employee wellness programs and chosen based on their strong, established employee wellness programs in the
NIRSA report,
Employee Wellness Programs: Collegiate Recreation Trends Research.
The Motivation: The study showed that four primary concerns motivated the establishment of their employee wellness programs: health insurance costs, restructuring, employee productivity, and general improvement of health.
The Components: Similar components were found in many of the universities stemmed from common goals like increasing participation, fostering lifestyle changes, smoking cessation and education. Components included everything from health risk screenings and assessments, wellness workshops, wellness websites and newsletters, release time, physical activity, to smoking cessation efforts and incentives.
Implementation and Engagement: While resource allocation varied across all campuses, most campus-based employee wellness programs were not directly integrated into benefits packages, even though funding sources may be linked. Populations that were targeted also varied across schools; some campuses focused on those least likely to participate, like staff from facilities, while others focused on deans and department heads. Depending on the scope of the program, marketing efforts were also implemented at some schools. To increase participation in all wellness programs, incentive structures were put into place in virtually all schools, with anything from high cash rewards at the end of the year, to gift card rewards for drawing winners and successful program completion. Overall, the results from the universities surveyed was generally positive. Both Stanford and Cornell characterized their employee wellness programs as "a way of life," and all of the schools cited the data they've taken from surveys and assessments as a basis for measuring employee wellness program success. Positive results were also shown in key areas; in return on investment, health outcomes, job performance, effects on campus, and program sustainability. Time to start looking closer at your employee wellness program? The findings from these universities can be applied to any corporate wellness program for any organization. Take a closer look at the full NIRSA report
here.
Employee Engagement Reaches New High
According to a study released last week, employee engagement has reached levels that it has not experienced since 2009. 68% of employees are now engaged based on the survey of 400,000 employees at nearly 5,000 various organizations. The average increase over the last 3 years has been about .43%. If this rate continues, employee engagement could be back to 2007 levels, which was 70.6%. Throughout the past 7 years the same top three items have had the greatest impact on employee engagement:
Modernizing Employee Incentive Plans for a Fair and Productive Workplace
In today’s competitive business environment, financial incentives are more than just a perk; they’ve become essential for motivating employees, driving productivity, and aligning individual goals with company success. But for an incentive plan to truly work, it must be perceived as fair and meaningful by all employees, not just top executives. When workers at lower levels feel their contributions aren’t valued, even a well-funded incentive program can fail to engage them.
The key to success is trust. Employees must trust that incentive plans are transparent, equitable, and tied directly to their performance. If the plan lacks these qualities, it can lead to dissatisfaction, no matter how much money is on the table.
Linking Incentives to Performance
The effectiveness of an incentive program depends on its alignment with performance. Financial incentives work best when employees can directly influence their outcomes. Without this connection, the incentive is less motivational and may even breed frustration. To drive success, companies must design incentives that are linked to measurable and attainable goals.
Moreover, the structure of incentive plans should evolve with organizational goals. If a business focuses on innovation, creativity, or customer satisfaction, its incentive program should reward those behaviors.
Tailoring Incentives to Achieve Organizational Goals
Research by Hay Group outlines several strategies that organizations can use to design incentive programs that drive specific outcomes:
- Supporting competitive strategies (e.g., quality, customer focus): Financial incentives remain a powerful tool for rewarding employees who prioritize customer satisfaction and quality.
- Encouraging flexibility and creativity: Tying financial rewards to innovation, team achievements, and problem-solving can foster a culture of flexibility and collaboration.
- Rewarding short-term objectives: Cash bonuses linked to short-term goals like efficiency or meeting quarterly targets can be motivating, but they should be paired with long-term growth opportunities.
- Ensuring continuous performance: Salary progression and competitive benefits—such as health insurance and retirement savings—can provide stability and motivate employees to perform consistently.
- Improving skills and fostering innovation: Investing in learning and development programs helps employees grow and innovate, benefiting both individuals and the company as a whole.
- Recognition and non-cash rewards: Many employees value public recognition and non-monetary awards, which can create a deeper emotional connection with the company.
Gift Cards: A Modern Solution for Employee Incentives
A modern incentive system should be flexible enough to accommodate both financial and non-financial rewards, and that’s where solutions like Engage2Reward™ Gift Card Ordering Platform come into play. Offering a wide array of customizable gift card options, the Engage2Reward Platform is the perfect solution for distributing meaningful incentives that align with company goals and employee preferences.
For example, research shows that 68% of employees prefer to choose their own gift, rather than having their employer make the decision for them. This is where the Engage2Reward™ Choice Card shines. The Engage2Reward Choice Card allows recipients to allocate the value of their gift card across more than 250 eGift cards from top brands, providing a flexible and personalized reward experience. Employees appreciate this level of autonomy, and it ensures they get something they truly value—whether it’s a retail product, experience, or service.
In addition to offering flexibility, the Engage2Reward Platform also streamlines the logistics of incentive distribution. The platform features:
- Customizable gift card options: Tailor gift card delivery with your company’s branding or personalized messages for a truly unique employee experience.
- Instant digital delivery: Digital gift cards can be sent at the click of a button, making last-minute rewards easy to manage.
- Comprehensive tracking and reporting: With the Engage2Reward Platform, companies can easily track which employees have received their rewards and monitor redemption rates, ensuring full transparency and effectiveness.
Motivation Across All Levels of the Organization
While financial incentives are important, non-cash rewards like recognition programs and personalized experiences often carry more emotional value for employees. For front-line and junior staff, non-monetary rewards, like a simple acknowledgment for a job well done, can provide more motivation than a cash bonus alone. However, for executives and senior management, financial incentives tied to both personal performance and company results remain crucial.
Companies can also take it one step further by implementing all-employee profit-sharing plans. This approach aligns everyone’s goals with the overall success of the company, creating a sense of shared responsibility and purpose. When the company thrives, so do its employees, which reinforces a positive, team-oriented culture.
Building Trust Through a Fair and Transparent Incentive System
A successful incentive plan fosters trust and engagement across all levels of the organization. To achieve this, companies should:
- Clearly communicate how performance directly impacts incentives.
- Regularly review and adjust incentive programs to ensure they remain relevant and fair.
- Use transparency to foster trust, with clearly defined criteria for rewards.
When combined with non-cash rewards and personalized recognition, financial incentives can be a powerful motivator. Platforms like Engage2Reward offer the flexibility to create tailored reward programs that are meaningful to employees, while also supporting the overall goals of the business.
To get started on building a modern, fair, and effective incentive program, register with the Engage2Reward Platform today. Empower your workforce, drive performance, and start rewarding employees in ways that truly resonate.
Invest in Employee Training
The title pretty much covers it for this one, so if you have to stop here (which we at GiftCard Partners DON'T recommend) you've gotten (part of) the point. For most organizations, employees are the biggest and greatest asset. Invest in them! Employees matter, and employee training produces ROI like any other investment. Here are three ways to invest in your employees.
Free Employee Perks That Mean Everything
Employee perks are a great way to provide non-cash rewards and incentives to your employees. Providing a little something extra to employees beyond their workload helps build team dynamics and create a positive company culture. Here are four employee perks that won't touch your budget but will go a long way in building your team.
