Workplace wellness initiatives and programming are on the rise globally and the choices and opportunities are endless. Results are also critical and employers must become more strategic and mindful when comes to selecting what types of incentives they are offering their employees. Some questions to consider: Are they effective? Are they strategic and do they align with health and wellness goals for both the individual and the company? What are appropriate ways to award employees for participating in wellness programs?

Improving employee and dependents health is powerful and can impact any company’s bottom line.  And we don’t just mean financials from healthcare costs as it can impact employee recruitment and retention, boost morale and productivity plus receive external accolades, thus enhancing brand and reputation.

So what drives employee participation? What motivates employees to jump off the couch and onto the bandwagon in order to take steps to create a healthier lifestyle? Some say it is the rewards and incentives. So if the goal of a wellness plan is to produce meaningful and proud results it is important to make them count and a little incentive may go a long way. Let’s look at both extrinsic and intrinsic methods.

* Extrinsic incentives refer to tangible rewards, such as prizes. Cash, iPods, gym memberships, gift certificates to healthy grocery stores and restaurants, sports bottles, or pedometers. Financial rewards in the form of a gift card, health insurance premium reductions, smaller deductibles, or flexible spending accounts are other methods employers have used to encourage employee engagement. Who doesn’t like to get recognized for a job well done?

* Intrinsic incentives consist of intangible items that result after completing a goal. Examples of intrinsic rewards include: A sense of self-love and appreciation for accomplishing your goal, encouragement from a health coach, moral support from your walking group, or recognition in your company newsletter.

In order to be truly effective in the workplace, employers need to consider how boosting both extrinsic and intrinsic incentives may lead to a greater overall sense of involvement…thereby leading to a more productive work force and positive work environment. A few things to consider:

Are your incentives tied to outcomes? Are employees simply filling out health assessments or participating in biometric screening just to get the reward?  Or are they provided with incentives and knowledge to inspire them to improve future outcome and results?

TIP – Prior to biometric testing, build momentum with fun and informative communications so that employees are already building knowledge and awareness of what results mean and tips on how they can get better results before the testing even takes place.  Drop in some pre-biometric testing incentives like a drawing for some personal training sessions, fun gym bag packed with goodies including jump rope….

There’s a catch – to be entered participants must send in an answer to fun fitness/wellness related question. You will be amazed with the great information you get that will help you build your Wellness Program. Make your question count!

Post testing reinforcement – Keep up the custom communications and momentum and tie in your incentives to opportunities to improve Wellness goals and more importantly to the continued momentum of better health.

TIP – So go ahead and offer participants a creative choice of rewards to select from. Remember no one size fits all and it does not have to be expensive to have people clamoring to select a reward.  Your former college athletes may select a jump rope, a new-be to the gym may select a cool fitness sack, a wanna-be-fit may select a local spin class, and someone intent on weight loss may select a newly released book on nutrition.

There’s a catch – hand in your second fun fitness/wellness related question. Once again, make your question count to help you build a worthwhile program everyone wants to participate in!

Continue the momentum – Don’t forget to keep tracking everything you do including incentives people are opting for as that will be a valuable guide in increasing participation for challenges, fitness and wellness educational opportunities and challenges.  According to TourDeFIT.com CEO; Maria Mazursky, “Just as fads, trends and tastes change by the minute, so do our fitness and wellness needs. As such it is crucial for both wellness programming and incentives to be innovative and dynamic year round while remaining strategic to meet wellness goals.”

TIP – If you have a weight loss challenge, instead of a generic gift certificate or cash…try a 6 Pack of fitness and nutrition classes from local gyms or studios or a grand prize winner getting awarded Weekend Wellness…the opportunities are endless. If you are investing in Workplace Wellness rewards…make it count.

As a leader in custom workplace wellness programming TourDeFIT.com® understands that an effective wellness campaign requires strategic alignment across each wellness initiative and that includes incentives that continue to educate, encourage and motivate employees and their dependents to participate in wellness programs moreover, develop healthier eating and fitness habits for life.  This strategy creates a path towards lower healthcare costs and an increase productivity and energy in the workplace.

The TourDeFIT.com® team has spent years building a portfolio of vetted and best in class fitness and wellness providers to save HR departments time to focus on other pressing needs. Like open table for restaurants, employee and dependent can click to sign up for all of their company wellness activities and rewards plus the ability to book from 1000’s fitness classes, races, spa services, nutritionists, boot camps weight-loss programs, virtual classes and apps, products and apparel, and much more. This innovative portal allows work places to truly customize incentives, communications and programming to meet the needs of employees and their families to instill Wellness for life.  American Fitness Magazine states that ” TourDeFIT.com® gives employees the tools they need to effectively and effortless manage their wellness programs. TourDeFIT.com® gives fitness-seeking individuals a searchable, comprehensive online fitness and wellness reservation system.”

Make your rewards and incentives scorecard count!

Our mission is to inspire health and wellbeing worldwide. For additional strategic Wellness incentives ideas, custom surveys and communications, innovative programming and real time tracking and reports; contact your TourDeFIT.com® Wellness Concierge [email protected]