Select Wellness Program Incentives
Wellness program incentives attempt to build motivation by offering individuals external rewards for taking steps in the right direction.
Wellness program incentives range from recognition in the employee wellness newsletter for participating in the company baseball team to a small monetary bonus for quitting smoking.
They can also include contributions to a “health care savings account,” merchandise awards (e.g., cups, t-shirts, etc.), extra time off from work or travel awards. A common wellness program incentive for important behavior changes is discounted health insurance premiums.
Don’t underestimate the power of wellness incentives to motivate people to change. The fact is that people are not intrinsically motivated to live health lives – if we were then we wouldn’t need wellness programs.
As a result a significant portion of our wellness budget should be spent on wellness incentives. When determining your budget for wellness incentives remember the adage “don’t be penny wise and pound foolish”
The following is an example wellness incentive program that can be used alone or adapted for various types of wellness programs to encourage people to participate. Feel free to change the types of incentives, log sheets or the behaviors you are rewarding.
Sample Wellness Incentive Program
Walking Club – A Sample Motivational Wellness Program
- Walking Club Motivational Program – Overview
- Wellness Program Employee Workout Record Tracking Sheet
Click here to go to the next section of the Guide to Worksite Wellness Programs: Acquire Support for the Worksite Wellness Program