4 Tips to Increase Employee Engagement Within Your Corporate Wellness Offering

Corporate wellness programs are becoming the norm, an expectation the rising generation has for the workplaces they choose. 

 Which is why it can be puzzling to have lackluster engagement in your program, despite the expectation to have one. In some cases, the program you offer may not be a right fit for the demographics of your workforce.  However, in many cases it could just be a matter of how it’s presented to employees. Consider the following four strategies as you seek to increase engagement in your corporate wellness program:

Make it Rewarding

Some of the most successful programs integrate reward systems for individuals who make and achieve goals related to their health and fitness. Employees will not only be rewarded by improved health, they’ll be motivated to benefit from perks offered by their employer.  From reduced insurance premiums to cash payouts or gifts, earning rewards can make it fun and get the attention of your employees.

Make it Important

As fun as rewards are, true health and long-term sustainability can only be accomplished when individuals recognize the intrinsic value of managing their health successfully. In fact, a New York Times article written by Alfie Kohn states, “The best that carrots — or sticks — can do is change people’s behavior temporarily. They can never create a lasting commitment to an action or a value, and often they have exactly the opposite effect … contrary to hypothesis… Working with people to help them do a job better, learn more effectively, or acquire good values takes time, thought, effort and courage. Doing things to people, such as offering them a reward, is relatively undemanding for the rewarder, which may help to explain why carrots and sticks remain stubbornly popular despite decades of research demonstrating their failure.” Provide your employees with resources to learn about their health, how to manage it and why it’s so important that they care.

Make it Easy

Work, family and other obligations compete for the time and energy of every employee.  Make the reality of achieving better health easier for your employees. Ensuring your corporate wellness program has options for everyone (whatever their location, fitness level or favorite workout genre) is key. ClassPass allows users to search by activity, location, class duration and more — with thousands of classes at their fingertips. Level the playing field for your employees, no matter their position or personal situation, by offering easy access to the very resources that will help them get and stay healthy.   

Make it Social

When it comes to changing habits, having the support of others who are enduring the same change can be helpful and encouraging.  Some top programs have found success by involving a social/group aspect to their initiatives. Create group classes or health-focused challenges that work teams or departments can engage in.  Even better, look for a corporate wellness program that integrates with social media, like ClassPass. When more people are involved that can often be a persuasive factor in getting others interested.

Source: https://classpass.com/blog/2019/04/30/increasing-engagement-within-corporate-wellness-program/

ClassPass. (2019, April 30). 4 tips to increase employee engagement within your corporate wellness offering. Retrieved from https://classpass.com/blog/2019/04/30/increasing-engagement-within-corporate-wellness-program