Your company’s hard-working employees have a lot on their plates. Because of that, they may need encouragement and reminders to begin or maintain a healthy lifestyle. Behind every successful health and wellness program is an incentive program meant to encourage participants.
Wellness program incentives help employees modify their lifestyle behaviors and actions. Successful program participants benefit their employers by using less sick time than non-program participants. Companies also spend less money on unhealthy vs. healthy employees.
Popular ways to boost participation in wellness and health incentive programs include gamification, personalization, and enticing rewards. However, the best results happen when companies set achievable requirements and offer amazing incentives.
For the past 15 years, All Digital Rewards has helped companies set up and manage health and wellness incentive programs. It’s time for your company to utilize our biggest successes by reading this list of ten successful real-world examples of health and wellness program incentives.
1. Managing a Healthy Body Weight
- This health and wellness incentive program was created to reward those for managing a healthy weight, measured by Body Mass Index (BMI), or if their BMI was normal, losing 10% of their body weight. Participants losing between 0% and 9.9% were rewarded with partial points to recognize the effort of their achievements.
- Candidates were 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.
- Incentive points were also given to those who reported their body weight once a week for 26 weeks during the program’s time frame.
- At year’s end, another wellness program incentive in the form of a bonus was obtainable.
2. Staying Up-to-Date With Health Assessments
- Premium incentives were handed out monthly. Costs were regained from non-participants.
- Health reimbursement account (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 that were worthy of national health promotion awards.
- The wellness program incentive for $480 or more was a new 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 health incentive programs.
3. Incredible Prizes
- Employees were able to earn incentives for being active and eating well that could potentially be cashed out for up to $300 annually or twelve hours of paid time off.
- To boost motivation in each employee and help them “know their numbers,” the health screenings were free and incentives were offered, including free movie tickets, a free dinner, and chances to win big prizes such as an iPad, a bicycle, or a paid hotel stay.
4. Encouraging Healthy Spouses
- A $600 health plan contribution was given to employees and their spouses/partners who participated in the annual on-site screenings and health assessments.
- The couples who engaged in healthy activities earned extra “miles”. This has been a common currency-based wellness program incentive used to reward healthy behaviors and promote conversations about health improvement activities.
- Health incentive program participation led to cash incentives in the form of a payroll deduction for health plan contributions.
- Health Cash was given to spouses/domestic partners who continued beyond the incentive base to sustain engagement in health improvement activities.
5. A Health Savings Account (HSA)
- 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.
6. Monetary Rewards Are Great Wellness Program Incentives
- If an employee presented a copy of their preventative exam with a health coach, a reward of $75 was earned with the potential to achieve maximum earnings of $250 per year.
7. Free Programs and Membership Reimbursements
- 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 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 program requirements.
- The employer also offered a wellness program incentive in the form of reimbursements for off-site fitness club memberships as long as participants and spouses (if applicable) used the club at least two to three 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
8. Insurance Reductions and Subsidies
- Employees were given a $390 subsidy towards annual health insurance premiums for completing a health assessment.
- Employees who participated in exercise, gyms, Weight Watchers, smoking cessation, disease management, or health risk reduction were rewarded with additional wellness program incentives.
- $300 (and $200 for a spouse/domestic partner) was appointed to an employee’s HRA for health screenings.
- A 50% co-insurance reduction was given for prescription drug costs relating to managing an existing condition such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension.
- Participants were also given a $100 reward once their health and wellness incentive program was completed.
9. Health Incentive Programs for Tobacco-Free Lives
- A $75 personal health assessment incentive was given per year.
- $10 per week tobacco-free discounts
- A 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 its employees.
- A value-based program was offered to tobacco users who wanted to quit using Chantix and who completed related telephonic coaching programs.
10. The Chance at an Amazing Vacation
- At year’s end, a company presented rewards to employees who completed its health and wellness incentive program.
- Wellness program 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 four to Disney World. Multiple trips were given away each year.
A Healthy Program Choice
There are many examples of how employee health and wellness incentive programs can drive success—not only for an employee but also for an employer. At All Digital Rewards, we can help you develop health and wellness program incentives that fit the needs of your company and its employees. Contact us at 866-415-7703 for a quick demo and learn how we can add value to your business with a wellness and health incentive program.