Today’s culture is centered around instant gratification. We all want it now.  People in decades past had to reheat food on the stove or in the oven before microwaves appeared. Black-and-white television sets would take a long time to warm up in the past, but modern devices display a vivid color picture almost instantly when powered on. The idea that not everything can be obtained without putting forth some effort and waiting seems to be a concept that is dying quickly.

When it comes to adopting healthy habits and getting rid of the unhealthy ones, a person’s gratification will certainly take time. Diet pills, miracle creams and other concoctions seem to promise quick or instant results for various health issues or conditions, but the truth is that quality results take time and effort. Some steps such as quitting smoking also take a great deal of commitment. The same is true for other addiction programs and weight loss programs. Workplace wellness programs can be very useful for employers to encourage healthy habits among their workers, but these programs need to leave room for the important points. They must also include ways to engage employees.Many employers host events where they see a good turnout and temporary results that seem promising. However, they often notice that after a few months employees slip back into their old habits or routines. This is common, but it certainly confirms that most individuals are not as self-motivated as they are well-intentioned beings. Employers should put motivation at the top of their list for key elements to include in any wellness program. In addition to this, the following tips are helpful for motivating workers:

  • Make the wellness or exercise experience as personalized as possible for each employee. By offering a risk assessment to each worker, this will show individuals that their needs are unique. It will also help them realize the best ways to deal with their health issues or risks.
  • Focus on the employees who express a desire to make a positive change in their lives. No employee should be ignored, but the heaviest focus should be put toward the ones who are ready, willing and able to change their bad habits. Nobody can be forced to change, so employers must remember that those who are not ready should not be pushed.
  • To encourage employee participation, offer various incentives. These can be items such as cash prizes, gift cards or other free merchandise employees would like. In addition to this, it helps to post charts or infographics with information about shorter life spans and health risks for various conditions. When compared against the statistics for healthy individuals, the people represented in these charts can often help workers understand the importance of healthy living.
  • There should be health risk assessment incentives offered, and anyone who completes the assessment or any followup tasks should receive an extra reward. One example that further promotes healthy living is a reduced premium for a health plan. If workers know it will cost them less to stay healthy, they are usually more inclined to do so.
  • Offer support by way of encouragement structures. Some examples include weight loss contests, employee-based walking clubs, newsletters praising successful healthy workers or discounts for gym and health club memberships. There may be other ways to tailor rewards to a specific workplace, so creativity is the key for this suggestion.

Change is certainly not easy for anyone, and making a major lifestyle change is bound to present problems for most people. With the proper incentives, support and tools, employers can turn their workforce into a healthier one. Healthier workers are better for the bottom line. With less turnover and less used sick time, more work is done. Also, the quality of work from healthy minds is better than the quality of work from tired or ill employees. Workers tend to have better attitudes when they are healthy as well. These are just a few of the many benefits of having a healthy workforce. To learn more about these workplace programs  talk any of the Broad Reach Benefits Team!

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