10 Ways To Increase Participation

STRATEGY 1: GET IN TOUCH!

To stimulate participation, you need to find out what employees really want. What interests them? Distribute surveys, have focus groups, etc.

STRATEGY 2: WALK THE TALK

·          Modeling a healthy lifestyle does more for building and maintaining support for the programs than all other actions combined. People see and feel the added energy and enthusiasm you have gained and want to know how you got it.

STRATEGY 3: BECOME PART OF THE FOOD CHAIN

·          There is currently a very strong health and productivity movement that has good data to show that healthy employees are more productive. Integrate your program by showing how it solves important problems throughout the company.

FIRST STEP: Identify the food chain issues and look for those that might have a health or wellness connection.

SECOND STEP: After you have identified these issues, meet with the individuals responsible for their coordination and find out what has been done.

THIRD STEP: Put together a proposal that addresses how the wellness programs can be an important contributing solution partner and present it to the appropriate person or committee.

STRATEGY 4: STRIVE FOR PERFECTION

       People love programs which offer awesome customer support and cater to their individual needs. 

STRATEGY 5: BRING DOWN THE WALL

·         What are the barriers that stop people from participating in your programs? The only way to find out is to ask those who aren’t coming.

STRATEGY 6: SHOWCASE SUCCESS

·          Everyone likes a winner! Identify individuals who have successfully made lifestyle changes and are willing to share their stories with others. 

STRATEGY 7: CAPITALIZE ON TEACHABLE MOMENTS

·          Teachable moments are those special situations that allow you to draw attention to your wellness efforts. Not only do teachable moments provide you with free and abundant marketing people opportunities, they are also particularly useful in helping you to address the hard-to-reach people within your company.

STRATEGY 8: DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW-UP

·         A good follow-up process will insure that all these individuals have an opportunity to talk to a staff person or participant mentor before they make a decision to quit. 

STRATEGY 9: EXPAND YOUR MENU

·          What’s does your health promotion plan look like? What kind of strategies do you plan on doing? When was the last time you tried something new? One of the problems in a wellness program that’s working is that we tend to not want to rock the boat. Before long, the program is no longer working. 

STRATEGY 10: POSITION, POSITION, POSITION

·          This familiar principle in the retail sales market is “location, location, location.” It’s true for wellness programs as well. How has your program been positioned in the company? Is it purely a perk or is it being done because it seems like the right thing to do? Has your wellness program truly been integrated into the company as a partner in health and productivity issues? 

     Source: WELCOA