Wellness Program Incentives

In today’s business atmosphere, the health of employees is often related to the health of the business. Increased job satisfaction, improved morale, reduced illness and injuries, and increased work rate are just some of the benefits of having healthy employees. Promoting health in your workplace does not have to be be complicated, expensive or time-consuming. Any business, big or little, can encourage healthy eating and active living in the workplace. Here are some recommendations:

Healthy Eating

• For breakfast meetings, instead of serving donuts, large muffins, cookies, tea and coffee with cream and sugar, offer healthier alternatives such as bagels, small muffins, fresh fruit, water, 100 percent fruit juice and milk with coffee and tea.
• For lunch gatherings, avert serving chips, fried foods, rich pastas, and salads loaded with dressing. Instead, offer sandwiches, bagels, whole grain low fat crackers and cheese, 100 % fruit juice, water, salads with dressing on the side, vegetable and fruit trays.
• Reimburse workers for items purchased to improve their health (e.g. healthy eating cookbooks, consultation with a Registered Dietitian).
• Arrange for the cafeteria or food vendors to offer healthy diet choices.
• Arrange to have healthy choices like bottled water, 100% fruit juice, fruit bars, and raisins available in snack machines.
• Provide a means for people to share healthy recipes with each other (for example, posting recipes on the Intranet, on posters or by e-mail).

Active Living

• Establish events and group activities to advocate workers to become active, such as walking programs, contests and challenge activities, stretch breaks, team sports or participation in local or provincial activities.
• Provide onsite health professionals (e.g. personal trainers, fitness instructors) or incorporate this service in EAPs to help employees work towards physical activity objectives and goals.
• Provide a supportive environment in the workplace that makes healthy choices simple: bike racks, shower facilities, clean, safe and accessible stairways, walking or running routes in the vicinity of the workplace, and fitness center facilities.
• Provide|Offer|Give} flex time so that staff members have more opportunities to take part in physical activity programs as part of their working day.
• Fully reimburse (or partially reimburse) health club membership fees, fitness class registrations, and fitness equipment purchases.
• Give corporate fitness center memberships to reduce expenditures of individual memberships.

Keeping It Fresh!

Find a champion to:

• Design lunch ‘n learn sessions to offer information and motivation for healthy eating and active living.
• Invite demonstrators to provide cooking lessons or tips for making healthy foods.
• Display a list of local restaurants that offer healthy diet choices on their menus.
• Distribute information to educate employees on portion sizes.
• Include physical exercise and diet information in newsletters, pay check inserts, bulletin boards or e-mails.
• Plan activities that encourage healthy eating and physical exercise. By way of example, begin a year-round lunch-time walking club, and special activities