6 Desirable Incentives for Wellness Achievements: A Guide for HR Gener – Bunny James Boxes

6 Desirable Incentives for Wellness Achievements: A Guide for HR Generalists and Wellness Consultants

In today's fast-paced world, organizations are constantly seeking ways to improve the health and wellness of their employees. To achieve this goal, HR Generalists and Wellness Consultants are turning to gamification, a strategy that uses game mechanics to motivate and engage employees in healthy behaviors.

Statistics show that gamified wellness programs can be highly effective. According to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, employees who participated in gamified wellness programs saw a significant improvement in their health behaviors, with participants losing an average of 6 pounds over the course of the program.

So, what makes a wellness program gamified and effective? One key factor is offering desirable incentives for wellness achievements. Incentives can be a powerful motivator and can encourage employees to adopt healthy behaviors.

Here are some desirable incentives that organizations can consider offering.
  1. Gift cards to popular retailers or restaurants
  2. Fitness gear or wearable technology
  3. Health and wellness classes or experiences
  4. Healthy snacks
  5. Paid time off or extra vacation days
  6. Health insurance premium reductions
When deciding on incentives, it is important to consider what will appeal to your employees. Consider surveying your employees to find out what types of incentives they would be most motivated by.

It is also important to make the incentives achievable and attainable. For example, if an employee has to reach a weight loss goal of 50 pounds in order to receive an incentive, it may not be realistic or attainable for everyone. Instead, consider offering a range of incentives at different levels of achievement, such as reaching a 10 pound weight loss or participating in a certain number of fitness classes.

Finally, it is important to make the incentives meaningful and relevant to the employee's life. For example, offering a gift card to a popular retailer that the employee frequently shops at is more meaningful than a generic gift card to a store they don't visit.

In conclusion, gamifying wellness programs can be a highly effective way to improve the health and wellness of employees. Offering desirable incentives for wellness achievements is a key factor in making a program successful. HR Generalists and Wellness Consultants should consider offering incentives that are achievable, attainable, and meaningful to employees.