Corporate Wellness Programs & Incentives
According to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, health benefit
premiums in the United States went up 59% from 2000 to 2004. Companies are
taking serious and sometimes controversial measures to control these
costs. Several companies have forbidden employees from smoking not only
during work hours but also at home. Many other companies are encouraging
their employees to make healthier lifestyle choices with corporate
wellness programs.
Two types of corporate wellness programs are becoming common: Smoking
cessation programs, and weight loss programs. It's easy to see why. In a
study by the CDC, the annual excess healthcare costs of smoking were
estimated to be $1,623 per person. This doesn't include the additional
costs incurred by the smoker's family due to secondhand smoke exposure,
nor does it include the costs of lost productivity. A 2003 study published
in Health Affairs found that the healthcare costs of being
overweight or obese rival those of smoking.
The benefits of a corporate wellness program are clear, but how do you
create one? Every program should include three components:
Employee Education (benefits of making the lifestyle change)
Advice (how to make the lifestyle change)
Rewards & Recognition (providing an incentive to complete the
program)
Zlimit.com makes it easy to provide rewards and recognition for your
corporate wellness programs. Zlimit is an online incentive store with
hundreds of items your employees can choose from. Award codes can be
purchased in denominations from $50 to $1000. You can also include a
customized certificate of achievement at no extra charge. Both the gift
and the certificate provide a lasting reminder of their accomplishment and
of your appreciation.
How much you choose to award for meeting health goals is up to you. As
an example, Zlimit's own employees are eligible for awards ranging from
$50 to $150 if they quit smoking. Regardless of what amount you choose,
you can be certain that your return on investment will be
high. |