Employer sponsored wellness programs are extremely popular today, with more than 90 percent of companies offering them. But just having “a wellness program” probably isn’t enough. Employees are looking for a wellness plan that fits their individual needs. A recent Aon Hewitt survey says at least half of employees want a plan that is specific to them and includes recommendations.
“The best approach is to individualize it and make it about me and what I need to do, given my health status and risks,” said Cathy Tripp, managing consultant at Aon Hewitt.
When preparing to personalize, consider the motivation. Some employees are inclined to improve their health because of chronic disease in their family; perhaps a close relative died at an early age from heart disease or cancer. Others are more concerned about maintaining weight for appearance. For better participation, tailor messages to both audiences. For example, posters, fliers or paycheck stuffers correlating high blood pressure to coronary disease might motivate one audience to monitor and control their blood pressure through your wellness program. The “vanity” audience, however, might respond better to a “biggest loser” competition or signs posted in your cafeteria with calorie content of foods served there.
Just as the message needs to match the population, so does the incentive. A recent report by the Incentive Research Foundation shows participation plummets to 20% when no incentive is offered. But it has to be the right reward. Highly paid employees aren’t likely to respond to cash awards, while cash and gift cards might be just the ticket for hourly or lower salary employees.
The Aon Hewitt survey also shows that 40 percent of respondents would like access to a wellness website, and 35 percent of respondents are in favor of personalized health tips and reminders. With Businessolver, that’s a snap. On Businessolver’s online enrollment platform, HR administrators can customize the employee enrollment experience to include links or even single sign on to wellness sites. You can create personalized communication to various audiences, and then develop surveys to gauge interest and get feedback. To discover more about how to tailor your wellness message to your audience, contact a Businessolver representative today.
