If you’re wondering how to increase employee participation in wellness programs, you’re not alone. Though 85% of large employers introduced wellness programs in 2015, only about 40% of the employees that knew of the programs participated in them.
Many companies are investing heavily in wellness programs, but they aren’t seeing great results. Often times, employees feel disconnected from their company’s wellness programs, leading to low participation rates.
Is your company experiencing a similar trend? Tackle it head on with a comprehensive wellness program with a consistent message. The program should tap into what motivates employees and what is relevant to their needs. Give your wellness program a makeover with these 4 simple tips!
A Consistent Message Across the Organization
To efficiently spread the word about your new wellness program, maintain a consistent message across all departments. When everyone in your company knows about the program’s goals and purposes, you’re more likely to see interest in wellness and preventative care increase.
Developing a Culture of Wellness
A great way to send the message that health is important to your company is to cultivate a culture of wellness within your organization. Make talking about health and participating in wellness activities normal. Casual even. You can do this by incentivizing wellness activities and making them readily available to your employees through on-site amenities or subsidized memberships.
You can also assign wellness ambassadors that become role models for all employees! They could share tips, suggest new activities and talk about their lifestyle via corporate communication tools.
Engagement Through Encouragement
A major reason why employees don’t engage with wellness programs in the long run is because they feel defeated after the first few tries. Encourage all employees to participate and give their best effort. To combat discouragement, pair employees with others who can motivate and inspire them!
When daily work revolves around deadline-driven projects, an encouraging wellness program provides a much-needed break from the stresses of the day. It can include fun activities that everyone participates in where the only requirement is to try your best and celebrate the wins.
Customization for Employees
Employees who feel that their wellness program is personalized for their unique needs and level of fitness will be more engaged with the program overall. One way to allow for customization is to offer support for a variety of wellness activities. Going to the gym isn’t for everyone. You can subsidize more than just gym memberships! Try subsidizing the costs of other fitness activities such as yoga classes, community sports teams, martial arts programs, and dance programs!
The benefits of employee wellness programs are endless. They impact your bottom line and your employees lives in a positive way.
A Rand Corporation study on workplace wellness programs found that companies saved an average of $30 per participant each month in healthcare costs. Saving an extra $30 per employee annually may not seem significant. But, it is! Every dollar saved adds up in the long run.
Beni.fit designs customized employee wellness programs that align with and support company goals.
We understand what helps employees make the most of wellness and healthcare programs. As a result, our support has helped companies and organizations craft meaningful benefit programs that engage employees.
Contact us today to design a customized employee wellness program based on your company’s unique culture and purpose!