Top Ten Examples of Successful Health Wellness Incentive Program Strategies

Unless encouraged, many employees will have a hard time starting and continuing a healthy style of living. Habits are the most difficult things that we face as humans. Behind every successful wellness program is an incentive program meant to encourage participants to modify lifestyle behaviors that will lead them down a path resulting in a behavior change that will benefit them, and the offering organization.

Time should be spent determining what types of requirements must be met for employees to earn those incentives and what incentives are best matched to result in a measurable change.  In the past ten years, All Digital Rewards has helped Health, and Wellness advocates set up and manage wellness incentive plans. Through our vast experience, we’ve seen just about every kind of incentive and participation qualification requirement possible.

Some of these have been a huge success and others—not so much. Here are the best wellness program incentive ideas we’ve seen.

Wellness Program Incentives Example 1

  • Candidates are eligible for a $160 medical plan premium credit by earning points for actively participating in wellness behavior. Participants who showed a health improvements log or maintained their current level of health were eligible for a credit or the top program in a tiered medical plan.
  • The incentive program was created to reward those for managing a healthy weight (measured by BMI, also known as Body Mass Index) or losing 10% of their body weight if their BMI was normal at the beginning of the year. Participants losing between 0% and 9.9% were rewarded with partial points to recognize the effort of small leaps.
  • Incentive points were also given to those who reported body weight once a week for 26 weeks during the program time frame.
  • At year’s end, a wellness bonus could be obtained.

Wellness Program Incentives Example 2

  • For program docility, premium incentives were handed out monthly. Costs were regained from non-participants.
  • The HRA and Biometric Screenings were fundamental for wellness health plan entry.
  • Corporate incentives were leveraged to promote group behavior changes and, eventually, corporate culture improvements worthy of national health promotion awards.
  • The incentive for $480 or more was Fitness Center or Gym.
  • The Weight Management participation reward was $250 or more.
  • For the Year 3 program, participants received $25 cash for completing the health risk assessment and $50 cash every quarter for continued participation in programs.

Wellness Program Incentives Example 3

  • Employees were able to earn incentives for being active and eating well that could potentially be cashed out for up to $300 annually or 12 hours paid time off.
  • To boost motivation in each employee and help them “know their numbers,” the health screenings were free and few incentives were offered, such as free movie tickets or free dinner for completing a personal health assessment as well as chances to win big prizes such as iPad, bicycle, hotel and accommodations, and more prizes in drawings.

Wellness Program Incentives Example 4

  • A $600 health plan contribution was given to employees and their spouses/partners who participated in the annual on-site screenings and health assessment.
  • The couples who engaged in healthy activities earned extra “miles”. This has been a common currency to reward healthy behaviors and promote conversation about health improvement activities.
  • Health management program participation leads the cash incentive as the form of a payroll reduction for health plan contributions.
  • Health Cash was given to spouses/domestics partners who continued beyond the incentive base to sustain engagement in the health improvement activities.

Wellness Program Incentives Example 5

  • There was a maximum of $600 in allowance for a premium discount that could be gifted upon completion of the health evaluation.
  • Both employees and spouses were also given the option to earn up to $300 to place into an HSA if specific health programs were finished.

Wellness Program Incentives Example 6

  • If an employee presented a copy of their preventative exam with a health coach, a reward of $75 with a maximum earning of $250 per year was presented.

Wellness Program Incentives Example 7

  • To receive up to $800 subsidized towards their Health Reimbursement Account, employees were required annually to complete a health assessment and execute a health action plan.
  • Those enrolled in the medical plan were given a $200 reward once they completed the health assessment and then another $200 if they crafted and set a health action plan.
  • Employees who had spouses/domestic partners were eligible to receive $400 + if their significant other was able to complete the same.
  • The employer also offered reimbursement for off-site fitness club membership as long as participants and spouses(if applicable) used the club at least 2-3 times a week.
  • A discount of about 20% off medical insurance was given to non-tobacco users or users who participated in a certified cessation program.
  • Free Weight Watchers sessions if active participation was present.

Wellness Program Incentives Example 8

  • Employees were gifted a $390 subsidy towards annual health insurance premium for completing a health assessment.
  • Employees who participated in exercise, gyms, Weight Watchers, smoking cessation, disease management or health risk reduction were rewarded incentives.
  • $300 (and $200 for a spouse/domestic partner) was appointed to an employee’s health reimbursement account (HRA) for health screening and also $130 for a non-tobacco user.
  • A 50% co-insurance reduction for prescription drug costs relating to managing an existing condition such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. Those participants were also given a $100 reward once their weight management program was completed.

Wellness Program Incentives Example 9

  • $75 Personal Health Assessment incentive was given per year.
  • $10 per week for a Tobacco-free discount.
  • 24/7 nurse advice call-line.
  • The employer provided onsite support, free diabetic supply programs, preventative screenings, pharmacy medication therapy, onsite medical services, and proactive disease management for their employees.
  • A value-based program was offered to tobacco users who wanted to quit using Chantix and who completed related telephonic coaching programs.

Wellness Program Incentives Example 10

  • At year’s end, a reward was given at the completion of the program. The incentives offered were based on various levels of achievement. Thus, ensuring everybody had a chance to redeem a gift. The highest level of achievement was entered in a drawing to win a trip for 4 to Disney World. Multiple trips were given away each year to these candidates.

There are many examples of how an employee health and wellness incentive program can really drive success- not only for an employee, but also for an employer. Here at All Digital Rewards we can help you develop a health and wellness incentive program solution that best fits your needs and that of your employees. Contact ADR at 866-415-7703 for a quick demo and learn how we can add value to your program with our health and wellness incentive program.

Have questions or want more info?

Send us a message or reach us by phone at
+1 866-415-7703 ext 2