The Do's and Don'ts of an Engaging Wellness Program: Part Two

This is part two of our three part series by Benjamin Prinzing, President of Kadalyst, exploring the 10 things you need to do to engage employees in your wellness program.

From gym memberships to health screenings, workplace wellness offerings are more common than ever. And yet, not everyone with these options is getting the most out of them. The U.S. Department of Labor cited a 2010 report that states only 20 percent of employees engaged with wellness programs and interventions. Some of the greatest obstacles to engagement are awareness and understanding.

In this article, I'll outline four through six of ten common practices to avoid if you want to increase your employees use of your wellness program. You can read the first three steps in part one of this series.

It may seem obvious to write out an actual plan for your corporate wellness program, but according to a study from professional services firm Willis, only 22 percent of employers actually do. That means nearly 80 percent of employers are winging it. No wonder organizations struggle with engagement.

There's an easy fix for this. Prepare a written plan and, just as important, share it. According to the same Willis study, 59 percent of employers who have a written plan, do not communicate the goals and objectives of their worksite wellness program with their employees. This is a missed opportunity to get your teams on board.

I recommend using the seven-step operating plan developed by the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA):

You purchase products or services from a vendor and typically, the relationship ends there, but sometimes you need more than that.

When your biggest hurdle is getting staff excited about those very products or services, you need help promoting and teaching employees how to use them. This is where having a partner with a vested interest in the success of your wellness program comes into play.

One way to distinguish a vendor from a partner is understanding what you're paying for. A "Per Employee Per Month" (PEPM) fee is the most commonly used pricing structure among wellness providers; it's easy to budget and scale. Keep in mind this guarantees the provider gets paid no matter how many of your employees use their product or service. Would a "Per Active Participant Per Month" fee be more appropriate? This is for you to ask and answer.

One way to foster partnerships with your vendors is to host quarterly meetings with all of your vendors. Set an agenda, have vendors prepare plans and share among everyone. Ask your vendors to work together to meet the goals of your program. You'll quickly see who steps up to become a real partner.

Employees commonly think wellness programs are only about losing weight, quitting cigarettes and getting more exercise. Why? When organizations host biometric screening events, the reports come back with physical results: you're too heavy, you have high blood pressure, etc.

Then, the wellness program managers follow the results by promoting a weight loss program or step challenge.

The most effective wellness programs move beyond physical health. According to a recent study from Gallup and Healthways, organizations who incorporate five elements of well-being (Purpose, Community, Social, Financial and Physical) show significant improvements compared to organizations only focusing on physical health. Employees in well-rounded programs reported 41 percent fewer unhealthy days, were also 65 percent less likely to be involved in a workplace accident and 81 percent less likely to look for a new job.

Think of the other elements as gateways to improve physical health. If employees score high on social well-being, chances are they have people close to them who care about their physical health. Those who score high in financial well-being have far less daily stress, which makes it mentally easier to avoid unhealthy eating temptations.

Check back soon for part three of our series on the do's and don'ts of engaging wellness programs!

Photo: Creative Commons