Fitness Incentives From Work

Where I work, we have an annual fitness challenge. It's strictly optional, and it lasts about a month or two. We have teams of 4-5 employees (self-chosen), and everyone logs their workouts. Points are based on length of time spent, not on the activity (we include things like golf and other stuff). At the end, there's a cash prize to the winning team.

I know my insurance offers a reimbursement if you maintain a gym membership for a year.

My employer reimburses us up to a certain amount on memberships to gyms, pools, etc. They've looked into more active programs, but we haven't had much success yet. The after-hours aerobics didn't last...

Old company had an on-site fitness center. Current employer does not. Current employer does offer a range of fitness related activities (weight loss, stress management, activity challenges, nutrition, etc.) Biggest recent offering is a subsidy for health club membership. I think the current offering is up to $40 per month (individual or family membership) with the caveat that the employee must log 24 visits per quarter (about twice a week) to be reimbursed.

Haven't signed up yet because I run/bike on my own (outside) and have cheap access to a pool (community pool is $1.25 per swim).

Manufacturer's Hanover used to have a corporate challenge run in various cities (Manny Hanny). Would your company sponsor a team for something like this?

It'll really come down to what the company management promotes/encourages. It is one thing to offer a T-shirt and race fee (which will get some participation) and another to offer that plus on-the-clock activities.

We have several challenges that are unique from most businesses. Our crews work anywhere from 8-14 hr shifts and "float" throughout the county during their shift. They do go to stations, but not the same station each time. So, there is no really opportunity for them to work out during their shift. There's also no "lunch" during their shift so that opportunity is out as well. We do have a gym onsite with several treadmills, bikes, weights, etc.

Currently, we have what i call the Medic Triathlon Post (drive around all day)---Eat---Sleep

My employer paid for half of the cost of my health club membership, but pays nothing toward yearly dues. We do have an on-site facility that is pretty small, probably less that 10 machines, two treadmills and a few free weights (for a site with 2000 employees). Usage of it is $100 per year, but it is really not used that much.


Edited by TexOma 2006-12-13 5:20 PM

I thought you were retired? You know, playing bingo down at the old folks home does not count as "employment."

We have a wellness program at work. Each month we turn in a spreadsheet noting the number of hours we have logged for fitness. Each activity has to be at least 15 minutes long and has to involve some sort of fitness activity. For every 5 hours of activity in a month we get a Wellness buck. You also get a wellness buck each month for participating. So if you log 10 hours of activity for a month you get 2 wellness bucks plus the one for participating.

Now here's the good part. You can accumulate these wellness bucks and either spend them on things such as a massage therapist comes in every couple of months or other wellness related things that they might offer. Or, you can turn them in for gift certificates to places such as the local bike shop, Dicks Sporting Goods, etc. All in all it's a good program and it forces me to keep a log of my workouts. I've taken the spreadsheet and added Swim Yard, Run and bike mile totals and that's pretty much what I do to log my workouts.

I love that idea!!!! Does it seem to work in terms of motivating people?

My work did a "wellness challenge" last year. Employees chose their own goal and decided on their own incentive prize. (Provided by themselves as a "treat"...we have a small budget!) The goal could be any aspect of wellness..physical (ie fitness), mental (ie grades at school...we're all students), social (ie spending more time connecting with friends), etc... Everyone chose a goal to achieve by the end date and then submitted weekly mini-goals at our staff meetings that would help them to achieve their big goal. We got a map of the world and some stickers, and each time you met your weekly goal, you got to add a sticker. That way, you could see "how far your wellness could go." It was pretty cool, and everyone was really gung-ho about it. Unfortunatley, once midterm season hit, participation peetered out and in the end only about 5 of us (out of 50) achieved our goals. I think it helped to at least get people thinking about their health and well being though!

I did some research about workplace wellness this semester at school as well, and it looks like there are some good resources on the web...check it out!

Cheers,


Megz

Hi,
This is my first post...so bear with me. Currently military with M.S. HRM, so this topic really interests me, and I am always struggling with implementing this stuff. Yes, we can always MAKE them do it, but that is only a short term fix.

One of the best resources is a list of free websites with Wellness program information.
http://www.infinitewellnesssolutions.com/free_wellness.htm

Example programs that have worked:
http://www.healthymainepartnerships.org/MCVHP/resource_good_work_ma...

And, finally if your boss ever asks or doubts your ideas: Its all about the return on investment!

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At our place of work they put in a gym a few years ago.  They didn't have money for maintenance of weight machines, treadmills, etc. so the condition of equipment deteriorated.  They finally decided to get rid of the gym (luckily they kept the showers) and put in more office space where they could collect rent.   HOWEVER, they still maintain a freakin' HUGE smoking room (3x the size of the old gym) adjacent to the cafeteria.  Says a lot about the importance of employees health.

I was thinking about this topic today while I was looking at my Soldiers. What I believe has worked best for our situations is the reward of TIME, coupled with example from the leadership.

And, when I say time, I mean time to 'work-out' while at work. I know from my standpoint, when at home I want to maximize the time with family and other more important life activities.

You just have to strategically place the opportunities...for example:

Report time is normally 0900 (start of work), we move it back to 0930 for those that decide to extend their 'work-out'. This little change is HUGE. Imagine if your boss said 'You show up at work at 0830, to work out, and you can then report to work at 0930.' Wouldn't you take it! Both sides invest 30min. That is absolutly nothing!

I have also done it where we tie it into the lunch break. Everyone works-out for an hour, then eat lunch for 30-45min. It also makes them pack a much healthier lunch, rather then doing the usuall fast food (for some).

I know this sounds simplistic, but just giving the appearance of getting time from work to to PT is a huge motivator.

Now, of course, I and everyone of my subordinate leader/superviser/managers does the training with them. Appearance, accountability, and command emphasis is truely the key! Sounds like you and your bosses are ready...and who says we don't talk about the upcoming workday....

I don't know what assets you have such as equipment, gyms, showers etc... But, I am sure something can be done. Heck, even simple group walks could be effective. I even had one leader do yoga, for those that didn't want to sweat. Gotta start somewhere....Those yoga only peope eventually moved onto other activities, investing in 'wetwipes' like the rest of us.

I work for 2 YMCA's, and as an employee...I've got no excuse and BOY do they call you on it. We have the FitLinxx tracker programme, and they have a HUGE chart with every employees' info as well as stats on our departments (aquatics, corporate, fitness, maintenance, etc). There are incentives (free massages, workout gear, gift certs to dicks) for fitlinxx points for staff as well as for our regular members. When we first got FitLinxx, there was some resistance from the membership (we have an overwhelmingly older membership due to our downtown location). So they wanted the employees to be really hardcore about it so we could explain it if need be. I really liked it and it was nice to have something track my lifting and monitor how fast I was lifting, etc.

In terms of the post office...NONE. But the entire job is a workout. Today I spent 6 hours building 50lbs boxes and dragging them 1/2 a mile across a workfloor. Then I moved to NMO's, were I lifted and sorted packages over 40 lbs and wider than yay big for 4. I don't know how many calories I burned, but I'm bushed. You should see the calves on those letter carriers!