Five Ways to Really Engage Your Employees in Wellness
bcbsm
| 3 min read
It’s not enough to just offer wellness programs — you need to get your employees to actually engage in them. Otherwise they are a waste of time and resources. But getting employees to participate in the wellness initiatives you offer can be easier said than done. Below are five tips for encouraging your employees to engage in becoming healthier and happier at work:
- Stay active together. Peer support can be a powerful motivator – more people will want to participate if others in the office participating, too. Try training for a race together or starting an office-wide steps challenge. Not only will these opportunities encourage your employees to get some exercise, but they can also be great for team building. Encourage your employees to log in to their member accounts on bcbsm.com and visit the Blue Cross® Health & Wellness website, where they’ll find exercise videos, health trackers and more ways to help them stay active.
- Make healthy foods readily available. The easier it is for an employee to go for the healthy option, the more likely they are to do it. Keep healthy snacks like almonds, fruit and protein bars out on kitchen counters, and when you order lunch for a meeting, make sure it includes nutritious salads and vegetarian options.
- Ensure employees trust you. Your employees might not want to actually use the health and wellness programs because they’re worried about privacy (nobody wants their boss to know personal data like how much they weigh!). If your wellness programs include sensitive information like this, make sure your employees understand that their employer will never see their individual information.
- Bring incentives into it. When people have an incentive to participate in a wellness program, they’re more likely to take part. Whether you offer a discount on premiums or a monetary reward or gift card to those who complete certain wellness activities or secure an office-wide discount on gym memberships, try to tie an incentive into the programs. Blue Cross Wellness Plus and Premium Wellness programs let groups track rewards and provide gift card fulfillment right from the Blue Cross Health & Wellness website.
- Bring in reinforcements. Having an outside expert come into the office can create a nice break for your employees while boosting their healthy living IQ. Bring in a guided meditation expert to explain de-stressing techniques or a yoga teacher to share some poses you can do at work. These kind of things can make all the difference in a long day’s work and can even increase productivity.
To learn more, visit the Blue Cross Wellness Programs and our employer resources page. Find printable information about Blue Cross® Health & Wellness programs you can share with your employees on bcbsm.com/engage. You can find other useful tips in the following blogs:
- Did You Know? Money-Saving Tools, Discounts Exclusive to Blue Cross and Blue Care Network Members
- 3 Focus Areas to Improve Workplace Culture
- The 5 Costs that Make Up Your Health Plan
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