Employee Wellness Newsletter : Engaging Staff Members in Workplace Wellness Programs

After cost, poor employee engagement and inadequate talks and backing are listed as the greatest challenges for corporations administering any health benefi t program.22

By law, organizations are required to explain any benefits or explicit conditions of employment to all staff members – this is called “due process,” and it usually takes the form of a packet of information that new staff members are asked to review and sign during orientation or, in the case of existing staff members, a brief communication during open enrollment periods.

Corporations that only engage in the minimally required due process communication of a Corporate Health Promotion Program, however, do a disservice to the program and the employer.

Opinions about Medical Care in corporations represent one of the largest disconnects between management and workers. In discussing the need for savings, most corporations (70 percent) believe their organization effectively communicates about rising Medical Care costs, while only 34 percent of workers feel rising Medical Care costs influence their business’ ability to succeed.23 When it comes to conduct, 74 percent of corporations believe their workers must be held largely accountable for improving, managing and maintaining health, yet only 4 percent of corporations think that workers participate in these activities.

Under the proposed rules, the four specifications to be a bona fide Company Health Promotion Program are:

- The total reward that may be given to an individual is limited. The departments invited comments on the appropriate level of the reward, suggesting that a limit of ten% to 20% of the total expense of employee-only coverage may be appropriate.
- The program must be reasonably designed to promote good health or prevent disease for individuals in the program.
- The reward must be available to all similarly situated people. More specifically, the program must allow any individual for whom it is unreasonably diffi cult due to a health care condition to meet the Employee Wellness Program standard (or for whom it is medically inadvisable to attempt to meet the Employee Wellness Program standard) an opportunity to satisfy a reasonable alternative standard.
- All plan materials describing the terms of the program must disclose the availability of a reasonable alternative standard.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration

As Northwestern Memorial’s Kathryn Krivy says, “The most fundamental failure in any Corporate Health Promotion Program is not communicating. You need to tell people what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. You have to get workers engaged and inform them of what’s going on.”

A properly implemented Worksite Wellness Program is designed to save a company more money with greater participation. However, a company must match its focus on program design with an equally strategic investment in efforts to engage employees in the initiatives.

Lay out your case – Despite widespread recognition of increasing Medical Care costs, staff members remain skeptical that the concern affects corporation operations. In fact, only 53 percent of staff members even believe what their corporation communicates about the subject.24 Employers need to be more candid and forthcoming about the amount they spend on Medical Care and how that relates to larger budgetary constraints and potential investments.

Says Motorola’s Saenz: “We share with workers that we have been able to maintain Motorola’s Health Care spend trend below national average over the past several years due to their participation in our various Corporate Wellness Programs. This transparency is necessary to keep reminding people the reasons for our behaviors.”

An effective strategy is to focus on the cost savings and overriding health benefi ts to the employee and not the employer. By personalizing the information in this way, it produces a win-win scenario instead of presenting the program as a sacrifi ce on the part of the employee. Information should be presented through multiple channels, constructed in a way that makes sense to all levels of staff members, and given to staff members, dependents and retirees.

Make it your own – Every Workplace Health Promotion Program will be different, and must reflect the culture of a business. While program areas will be determined by analyzing employee health risks, the actual offerings must be shaped by the nature of the business. Younger, more active employee communities may be attracted by different programs than an older or technicaloriented employee. Additionally, a global business with mobile workers will have different needs than a business with one central location.

As noted earlier regarding PepsiCo’s HealthRoads, one strategy is for businesses to brand their Workplace Wellness Programs. Union Pacifi c Railroad (HealthTracks), General Motors (LifeSteps) and Caterpillar (Healthy Balance) all adopted this approach to help create recognition and a larger meaning around their efforts. Having a branded plan helps workers and other stakeholders see the larger goals/objectives of the Workplace Wellness Program, rather than focusing on isolated offerings.

Say it loud, say it proud – As a potential cost-saving program, Company Health Promotion Programs must be given the same executive substructure and internal commitment as any comparable corporation effort. Employers must not approach wellness as simply a preventive, financially-motivated program, but rather as an opportunity for the corporation to distinguish itself and become more competitive.

Jeffrey Treem, analyst, Edelman Change and Employee Program Engagement Group, says that effective communication about Workplace Health Promotion Programs ought to be integrated into existing corporation communication channels and vehicles. “This covers executive communication to external stakeholders,” he notes, “because this sends a powerful message back to staff members about the significance of the programs. Workplace Health Promotion Programs ought to not be treated as merely an additional employee perk, but rather a progressive and strategic effort to lower costs and create a healthier work environment.” Talk among yourselves – The most powerful champions of any Workplace Health Promotion Program will be the participants.

Employers ought to find ways to facilitate discussions about the program among staff members. This could take the form of support groups, interactive media and the sharing of success stories.

Nevertheless, since Employee Wellness Programs touch on potentially private health problems, it is valuable communication remains positive and inclusive, while not pressuring employees. Discussion of wellness problems should be voluntary, though companies may consider providing incentives/rewards for those willing to contribute. Motivation and information from peers is likely to carry more credibility and significance than messages from management.

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