In a recent survey, it was discovered that 53% of employees did not engage in their corporate wellness program. Participants cited reasons such as inconvenience, an unsupportive company culture, and a lack of awareness. Under-utilized company benefits can be a drain on company resources so creating a wellness program that your employees will love is important. In order to do so, ask yourself a few questions to get a better sense of your corporate culture.
What do your employees expect from your company?
Some employees want to work for a company that’s more inclusive. They might enjoy group hikes or a company sports team. Others like to have a larger space in between their work and personal lives, and would probably prefer a wellness program they can participate on their own. Some employees just don’t have time for a highly engaging corporate fitness program. You can get a better sense of this by noting if employees are active in other corporate extracurriculars.
Take your demographics into account.
If you have younger staff, they may be more likely to be involved in more time consuming work events. If most employees work further away, host more independent events such as a step challenge. Demographic information can hint to employees lifestyles and what activities will fit their busy lives best.
Consider your corporate environment.
Consider different aspects of your work environment that might suggest good features for your wellness program. These could include the times of day the staff usually works, the physical structure of your office, or the pace of the work. For example:
If you work in a primarily creative environment, try hosting meditation challenges or hosting walking meetings outside. Both are known to boost creativity.
If your corporate environment is fast paced or high stress, consider offering a weekly free yoga class to ease the mind.
High tech? Look into incorporate corporate fitness apps like IncentFit into your wellness program to keep staff motivated.
Want more ideas?
We’ve listed a few office culture scenarios that might apply to your company.
Start Up Companies: In start ups, things can be pretty high stress and employees wear multiple hats. Incorporate a work hard, play hard motto, and offer employees access to fitness classes that will allow them to combine fun social time and fitness. Efficient.
Large Conservative Corporations: In larger corporations, keeping track of challenge participants can be a strain on HR. Use Incentfit to manage the challenges and automatically reward winners and participants. If resources allow, consider offering a free or discounted membership to a nearby gym. This is a competitive addition as it allows employees to manage their own fitness goals.
Remote Teams: It’s hard to localize your wellness program if many of your staff are remote. Look into flexible programs, such as Incentfit, that will reimburse employees for whatever you want to reimburse whether it be classes or gym check ins anywhere. Other options include offering passes or diacounts to nationwide programs such as Class Pass, or nutritional delivery options such as Blue Apron.
What does your team have to say? Host an open discussion to get an even better sense of your office culture. If you need help, IncentFit has a survey you can use that’s prewritten, tested, and totally free. In the end, the employees will know best!