Health and Wellness Leads : Engaging Employees in Worksite Wellness Programs

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

By law, employers 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.

Employers that only take part in the minimally needed due process communication of a Workplace Health Promotion Program, however, do a disservice to the program and the company.

Opinions about Health Care in organizations represent one of the largest divides between management and employees. In discussing the need for savings, most organizations (70%) believe their organization effectively communicates about increasing Health Care costs, while only 34% of employees feel increasing Health Care costs impact their business’ ability to succeed.23 When it comes to conduct, 74% of organizations believe their employees should be held largely accountable for improving, managing and maintaining health, yet only 4% of organizations think that employees take part in these activities.

Under the proposed rules, the four requisites to be a bona fide Corporate 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 percent to 20 percent of the total cost of employee-only coverage may be appropriate.
- The program must be reasonably designed to promote great health or prevent disease for individuals in the program.
- The reward must be available to all similarly situated individuals. More specifically, the program must allow any individual for whom it is unreasonably diffi cult due to a health care condition to meet the Workplace Wellness Program standard (or for whom it is medically inadvisable to attempt to meet the Workplace 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 Company Wellness Program is not communicating. You need to tell people what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. You have to get staff members engaged and educate them of what’s going on.”

A properly createed Employee Wellness Program is designed to save a business more money with improved participation. Nevertheless, a business must match its focus on program design with an equally strategic investment in efforts to participate employees in the initiatives.

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

Says Motorola’s Saenz: “We share with staff members 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 Worksite Health Promotion Programs. This transparency is necessary to keep reminding people the reasons for our conduct.”

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

Make it your own – Every Workplace Wellness Program will be different, and ought to reflect the culture of a business. While program areas will be determined by analyzing employee health risks, the actual offerings ought to 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. In Addition, 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 organizations to brand their Corporate 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 staff members and other stakeholders see the larger goals/objectives of the Corporate Wellness Program, rather than focusing on isolated offerings.

Say it loud, say it proud – As a potential cost-saving plan, Workplace Wellness Programs must be given the same executive support and internal commitment as any comparable business effort. Organizations must not approach wellness as simply a preventive, financially-motivated program, but rather as an opportunity for the business to distinguish itself and become more competitive.

Jeffrey Treem, analyst, Edelman Change and Employee Engagement Group, says that effective communication about Workplace Wellness Programs ought to be integrated into existing employer 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 priority of the programs. Workplace Wellness Programs ought to not be treated as merely an additional employee perk, but rather an innovative and strategic effort to cut costs and create a healthier work environment.” Talk among yourselves – The most powerful champions of any Workplace Wellness Program will be the participants.

Organizations must find ways to facilitate discussions about the program among workers. This could take the form of support groups, interactive media and the sharing of success stories.

Nevertheless, since Company Health Promotion Programs touch on potentially private health issues, it is valuable communication remains positive and inclusive, while not pressuring employees. Discussion of wellness issues ought to be voluntary, though corporations may consider providing rewards and incentives 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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