Health management programs - with perks

Health management programs don’t always stir the blood of employees, even though they’re designed to do just that. How do you get employees to enroll in health management programs - and stay enrolled?

The brochures for these programs tout the benefits to employees and employers. Employee wellness statistics show that there are tangible benefits. Employee wellness programs actually do save lives by getting workers to take their health seriously.

However, St. Louis, MO-based Maritz Inc., the world’s biggest incentive company, has applied their own invigorating twist to health management by offering gift rewards to employees who participate in health management programs. The gift reward program is Maritz’s own Exclusively Yours® plan. Health management participants earn points, which can be then redeemed for merchandise, electronics, restaurant vouchers and travel, much like a frequent-flier program.

Bribing your staff to enroll in health management programs?

Doubtlessly companies that don’t do incentives as their main business will be tempted to cry foul about using such a rich carrot to incentivize health program enrollments. Not every company can throw that kind of money at health management resources - and not every company has the built-in cost savings as a business that specializes in offering incentive programs.

Doubtlessly rich incentives like Maritz’s will break through the glaze that appears over many employees’ eyes when they’re encouraged to do something new, different or difficult. For many employees uncomfortable with health management and exercise, “new, different and difficult” would apply to health management programs. So where does that leave employers who are unwilling or unable to offer incentives for health management program enrollment?

Successful health management programs motivate employees - before and after signup

Health management program administrators should keep the long-term view in mind when trying to get employees to take that critical first step. Even the best incentives can fail in the face of faltering organization, badly-designed health management programs and wavering support. Make sure to run good corporate wellness surveys before you build your health management programs so employee input and needs are being met by your health management programs. The goal is positive outcomes, not high enrollment numbers.

Health management programs cannot survive managerial apathy. If executive and managerial participation is widespread and heartfelt, employees will follow their leadership. The potential rewards and corporate wellness benefits are clearly worth reaping, for both your employer and your co-workers. If you’d like a free health management program consultation, don’t hesitate to contact EmployeeWellnessUSA.

Employee Wellness Study Shows Billions Lost Due to Illness

Employee wellness was shown to be a huge economic boon for companies in a recently-released joint report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Economic Forum (WEF). Nearly three billion productive employees in labor markets worldwide add up to a lot of money. The employee wellness study estimates that China will lose $558 billion, India $237 billion, and Russia $303 billion in national income from 2005 to 2015 due to only three chronic diseases: heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Lack of Employee Wellness A “Huge Expense”

The U.S. Center for Disease Control also reports that chronic disease accounts for approximately 75 percent of yearly employee health care costs in the U.S., which constitutes a huge expense for companies. And the Public Health Foundation of India estimates that its country will lose 18 million potentially productive years of life by 2030, a statistic no nation can afford, let alone a developing one.

Employee Wellness Programs the Answer

A sustainable solution to these challenges cannot be solved by medical benefits alone. Workplace commitments to employee wellness are also crucial. Companies are advised to implement on-site health screenings for their employees, as well as look into a comprehensive health management program. These and other precautions are good secret weapons against the economic pitfall of unhealthy employees.

Maintaining employee wellness during cold and flu season can be a challenge for any company. The average adult can get up to four colds in one year, and hundreds of thousands are hospitalized every year for flu complications. From December to March, there are more employees out of the office due to illness, and others who barely made it to the office and can hardly think over their constant coughing and sneezing.

Prevention is the Key to Employee Wellness

Prevention is the key to maintaining good health in the workplace and increasing overall employee wellness. Fighting infection after the cold and flu epidemics hit is a losing battle and can best be combated with early action, such as implementing a corporate wellness program in the office for good health year-round.

Keeping the Office Germ-free During Cold and Flu Season

The typical office is the perfect breeding grounds for influenza or the cold virus. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases says that there are higher chances for the spread of infection during winter because people spend more time indoors. In an office, this risk is increased by cubicles, bringing many people into a close space. On-site health screenings conducted regularly as part of an overall health management program will increase the chances of employee wellness year round, and especially during cold and flu season.

Education Can Increase Employee Wellness During Cold and Flu Season

Educating employees about various ways to stay healthy during cold and flu season may help prevent the spread of any sickness to the entire office. Hand washing is a crucial component in maximizing employee wellness, as bacteria collects on keyboards, mouses, around the water cooler and next to the community coffee pot. As employees shake hands, infection may be passed, multiplying the chance of getting a cold or coming down with the flu. Hand washing and anti-bacterial cleaners for surfaces can help reduce the spread of sickness.

Employee wellness is possible during cold and flu season. With Employee Wellness USA, your office can reach one step closer to immunity from sickness during cold and flu season.