Company Wellness Programs: Incentive and Rewards

Company Wellness Programs - Staff Engagement Strategies

Company Wellness Programs without staff engagement are of little use to a corporation. How do you get employees to enroll in Company Wellness Programs - and stay engaged in the programs?

The brochures for these programs discuss the benefits to employees and businesses. Company Wellness Program statistics show that there are tangible benefits to a corporation for offering such programs. Company 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 corporation, has applied their own invigorating twist to health management by providing gift rewards to employees who participate in Company Wellness Programs. The wellness 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 rewards in Company Wellness Programs?

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

For certain rich rewards like Maritz’s will break through the glaze that appears over many employees’ eyes when they’re encouraged to do something new, different or challenging. For many employees uncomfortable with health management and exercise, “new, different and challenging” would apply to Company Wellness Programs. So where does that leave businesses who are unwilling or unable to provide rewards for health management program enrollment?

Successful Company Wellness Programs motivate employees - before and after signup

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

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