Employee Health and Wellness Without Overstepping
Carrots and sticks are a relatively old tactic in employee health and wellness programs. They are tried and true because they work. Carrots tend to prove to work better than sticks, but whether you choose to reward improved behavior and program engagement or provide (usually financial) disincentives for a lack of participation, these detractors and rewards work well to boost participation and results from employee healthy and wellness programs.
However, in analyzing effective tactics for employee health and wellness programs, we often overlook the most basic component of an employee health and wellness program. To be frank, it can feel intrusive for employees to have employers involved in their healthcare. Especially when dealing with sensitive topics like high cholesterol and weight loss, it can be intrusive for some employees to have employers involved, even if they are providing health care and insurance. In a recent study from the
Kaiser Family Foundation survey, 62% of employees felt it was inappropriate for employers to require workers to pay more for their health insurance premiums if they don’t participate in wellness programs. Additionally 74% said companies shouldn’t charge higher premiums if employees don’t achieve predetermined health goals. These two statistics bring employers back to basics and really require organizations to evaluate how they approach employee health and wellness programs. Will carrots or sticks work best for your company? Should employee health and wellness be a (strong) suggestion or a requirement for affordable coverage?
Read more from the Wall Street Journal.
3 Tips to Improve Your Employee Wellness Program
Employee wellness programs are a great way to create a culture of fitness while controlling healthcare costs. Employee wellness programs make employees healthier, more productive, and generally happier. It can be as simple as endorphins. For employers, wellness programs help build organizational culture, peer-to-peer relationships and a grateful, healthy staff. Here are three areas to focus on to help build your employee wellness program into your organization.
Employee Financial Health Programs On The Rise
We have talked a lot about employee health and wellness programs on this blog in the past, but according to a recent
USA Today article, there is a new type of employee health program gaining popularity among employers. Employee financial health is a new priority for employers and it is having a real impact on employee productivity. The main premise for employee financial education is that if there is no financial stress in employees' lives, they can be at the peak of productivity. Three main goals for employee financial health initiatives are:
Health Care Facilities Focusing on Food with Brands Like SUBWAY
Photo courtesy of QSR Magazine, "Just What the Doctor Ordered" article
Wearable Devices in Your Corporate Wellness Program
Wearable devices are becoming a growing trend in the fitness community and now for employers looking to track their corporate wellness programs. Wearable technology provides a unique opportunity for both employees and corporate wellness program administrators to track participants' progress in real time. Here are a few ways incorporating these "wearables" into your corporate wellness programs can boost its effectiveness.
