A recent survey concluded that nearly 110 million workdays are wasted due to conditions like the flu, translating into a loss of nearly $7 million every year in lost productivity and sick leaves. As such, more and more employers are coming up with strategies to involve as well as motivate their employees to focus on wellness programs on a regular basis. Here are five such examples that could serve as a great explanation for employers around the world.
City of Homer
The city of Homer has been offering a pedometer based wellness program for its inhabitants from 2012. The city supplies pedometers free of cost for those wishing to participate in the program. A website maintained by the city in conjunction with "wellness champions" allows individuals to post their workout routines and results. Things like who got the most steps and who participated in the maximum number of challenges out of the five different levels are daily updated and read by the participants.
South Peninsula Hospital
The South Peninsula Hospital offers a 50% reimbursement of money up to $400 annually on memberships and participation fees for nutrition consultations, weight loss programs, health clubs, smoking cessation clinics and fitness classes etc.The program also joins hands with an employee wellness committee to encourage its employees to participate in a challenge that would require them to perform any form of activity or exercise for at least 150 minutes in week. It also encourages them to track their daily water consumption and fulfil weekly health education requirements.In addition to all this, the hospital's wellness program allows its employees to track their fitness goals and progress via a smartphone app that helps answer simple questions related to diet, nutrition and exercise.
Kenia Peninsula Borough and KPB School District
The KPB school district offers its employees an online, voluntary wellness programs that would include fitness challenges from a website. Participating employees would need to fill out surveys regarding their weight loss and behavioral changes after crossing every challenge. This would enable them to earn a pool pass that can be used at any of the KPBSD school pools. Last fall, the district supplied ice cleats for its employees to wear for work in order to decrease the compensation slips related to flu, slips, trips and falls in the season.
Homer Electric Association
HEA started its wellness program in the mid-1980s and benefitted aplenty from it. According to the program, employees with health club memberships can receive a reimbursement of $30 every month on their health insurance premiums. HEA also conducts a health fair for its employees every year and pays for the expenses through its insurance program.In house programs conducted by HEA also encourage people to walk or start moving around while offering attractive incentives or prizes for the same. The program also ensures that company meetings are made healthier by providing healthy snacks like traditional candy bars and chips.
