5 proven incentive ideas to engage employees and improve wellness ROI

The U.S. workforce is re-emerging from home offices. Worksite gyms are opening back up. So it’s time to start rolling out those get-back-your-health fitness programs.

But how do you get employees engaged with wellness programs? Evidence indicates incentives increase participation and positively impact health outcomes. While there are many incentives to choose from, some are better at getting employees engaged and accomplishing their desired wellness goals. They include:

• Recognition
• Prizes
• PTO
• Benefit contribution discounts
• Cash

SOURCE: Wolters Kluwer Health|Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Everyone loves a trophy

Recognition and winning are motivating factors for many people, especially if your organization’s culture is on the competitive side. “We have found that recognition can be as powerful, if not more powerful, than a dollar reward,” says Nicholas Layne, director of strategic operations for Propel, a health-and-wellness tech company. “This recognition can happen at a peer-to-peer level as well as an organizational level.”