August 2001 Newsletter Articles

August 2001 Newsletter Articles

Focusing On Employees' Well Being Can Be A Valuable Incentive Opportunity

In addition to tracking and rewarding safety, cost-savings suggestions and quality improvement, you may want to consider introducing your clients to the concept of a Wellness incentive program. A wellness program rewards participants for setting and achieving personal health and wellness objectives. Wellness campaigns have been used by major corporations for years as an effective strategy for reducing costs related to personal illness, lost productivity and time off work. Companies who have run successful campaigns have reported returns as high as $2 to $7 for every dollar invested.

The following is a brief overview of the kinds of objectives, plan structure and payout that you may want to consider in developing a wellness program.

Common wellness program objectives:

Quit smoking
Lose weight
Reduce cholesterol
Lower blood pressure
Eat healthier
Start/increase exercise regimen
Walk at lunch
Schedule annual physical/health check

Possible Structure
The following is an example of an award plan structure that could be used to build a wellness program:

Develop a weighted award schedule for setting and achieving personal goals
The award value will vary based on the difficulty of the goal and the length of time it takes to achieve a goal
Minimum performance levels must be defined for each category

GOAL	CRITERIA/Verification	Days to Achieve	Award
Quit Smoking	180 days/ no smoking	120	$100 points
Lose Weight	Min. 10lbs/weigh in	90	$10 points
Reduce cholesterol	Test result (before/after)	60-90	$10points
Lower blood pressure	Test result (before/after)	60-90	$10 points
Eat healthier	Submit tracking report	60-90	$5 points
Start/increase exercise regimen	Submit tracking report	60-90	$10 points
Schedule annual physical/health check-up	Dr. Signature	60-90	$5 points
Walk at lunch	Submit tracking report	60-90	$5 points

Award Payout

Participants would qualify for awards quarterly
Participants could choose up to 3 wellness categories per quarter
Participants would earn awards dollars in the form of points
All point earnings could be saved and added to quarterly safe driving awards in order to redeem for merchandise of even greater value.

Why a Wellness Program?
A wellness program is a win-win for both the employee participant and the client sponsor. A properly designed and managed wellness program will pay for itself through greater productivity, reduced healthcare costs and lower absenteeism. Employee morale will also improve as participants are motivated and awarded for living healthier lives.