Implementing a health and wellness program for your employees is an excellent strategy to engage and motivate employee retention. While these programs can offer great benefits such as health improvements, lowered health insurance costs, and increase productivity, they can also send up a red flag to a potential participating employee to run the other way. Listed below are the top 7 reasons why an employee may avoid a health and wellness program and how to resolve it.
- Problem: Over worked. Many employees feel work makes them tired, stressed and overworked. It makes sense that the health and wellness message is overlooked, especially when the employer is asking employees to participate in cutting back company costs.
Solution: Avoid mentioning the benefits the company will reap and send a clear message that this program is for the employee and their health.
*Tip: Offer paid lunches to those who participate in legitimate health care screenings on their lunch. - Problem: Upper management doesn’t participate. This should go unsaid, but let’s face it, it’s been done. It gives off that “I can do what I want since I’m a manager vibe” and it can be offputting. When upper management doesn’t have to participate, and they are trying to encourage employees to engage in the program causes a big disconnect.
Solution: Get on their level, work together on this program. Ask how the employees feel and their ideas. Work and motivate each other together on boosting overall health and motivation.
*Tip: Organize an event such as office Olympics. Get the higher ups involved with the employees. It shows a light and fun side of management and work. - Problem: The program is too niche. A common reason an employee will avoid a health and wellness platform is if they feel like the program doesn’t help them. Not everyone needs help lowering blood sugar or obesity.
Solution: Create a multidimensional program that offers different types of programs and paths for participants to engage in.
*Tip: Company Garden, company nutrition classes, self and mental help programs, and alternative care are just a few different health and wellness programs with a big purpose. - Problem: Not fun enough. Most employees would rather catch happy hour after work than a health screening, right?
Solution: Build a fun event incorporating social media and social group gatherings. Set up a corn hole game while participants are waiting in line for health screenings!
*Tip: Leverage social media by encouraging participants to post pictures from the event and come up with a hashtag that they can use to tag your company. It’s a double win, participants love the idea, and it builds brand awareness! #HealthySelfie anyone? - Problem: The incentive provided is inconvenient. If an incentive is limited, the potential participant may decide it’s not worth the hassle.
Solution: Provide a variety of rewards to boost engagement from all walks of life.
*Tip: Paid lunch break, lunch on the company, Fitbit, movie tickets, gift certs, etc. are all great motivators! - Problem: Embarrassed. Whether they are embarrassed, scared of doing this alone or what may happen, some may be hesitant to get their health on track. Tailoring a friendly program that does not make others uncomfortable is essential.
Solution: Some need motivation so encouraging a buddy/partner or coach can go a long way with gaining participants.
*Tip: Ultimate Frisbee, company softball team, running/hiking/bicycle clubs are great ways to boost teamwork and a great way to stay active. - Problem: Diet/Exercise Beliefs. Everybody has a different view of what’s healthy and what’s not and that’s perfectly fine, but some may disappear into the shadows if they feel the program may compromise their beliefs.
Solution: Reassure that the company will not discourage the employees from their current health routine, the company is simply providing the employees an opportunity for a health screening and fun office programs as a guide to a healthy lifestyle on the company’s dime.
*Tip: Avoid being pushy, once the program is up and running with participants having fun the others will join in shortly after!
Avoiding the avoiders is never the answer, there are solutions, and they are easy to implement! As leading health and wellness program creators and implementers, we at All Digital Rewards design a strategy tailored to your employees to boost health through engagement and lower company costs. To learn more about how All Digital Rewards can build a successful program for you, call 866-415-7703 or click the “Schedule a Demo” button at the bottom of the page!
