Reinforce Employee Wellness Goals With Incentives

Bob Nelson, PhD and author of the best-selling 1001 Ways to Reward Employees, encourages corporate health promotion professionals to rethink wellness programming incentives. "Money is still important to people, but organizational wellness programs have expanded their toolbox. Workplace studies show the most motivational forms of rewards are nonfinancial. Employees want information that affects them, to feel appreciated and involved in decisions. This can easily be accomplished by dedicating time, thoughtfulness, and creativity in wellness program design."

Find out what motivates various employee wellness audiences to make lifestyle choices. Do they want to live longer? Be healthier? Look more attractive? Have they experienced a health scare or crisis? Do they need an outlet for stress?

Also consider the careers and ages of employee groups; these demographics influence which awards work best. Bob points out, "Older employees are more receptive to traditional awards... plaques, formal recognition, a letter from the boss, or a reduction in healthcare premiums. Younger employees could care less about such things. Offer them a pizza party at the end of a competition or a group cross-country trek with their friends, and they're all over that. Administrative personnel might find an office walking program appealing. A more competitive sales staff, who are on the road a lot, could be attracted to a paid membership in the same health club as the company president. Discover the motivations you are dealing with."

Avoid scaring employees into change. Fear doesn't work. Employees have heard it all before. They know they should exercise and eat right. Push them too hard and the response will be, "Oh well, we're all going to die anyway, so what difference does it make? I might as well keep doing what I'm doing."

People do have choices, but it must be their choice. If change is too painful, they simply won't do it. You can't force behavior change.

Wade into the target audience's world and help identify the incentives they value. Incentives need to be geared to the individuals who receive them.

Incentives fall into 4 broad categories:

1. Monetary payments/refunds -- Discounted or waived fees
2. "Things" -- Door prizes, raffles, rewards for achieving wellness program milestones, money "extenders" used like money to purchase specific items or services
3. Special privileges or services
4. Recognition -- Private, public, social acknowledgment.

Managers have responsibilities for motivating employees:

• Acknowledge employee participation, especially in milestones toward personal goals
• Listen to employee concerns, problems, and goals
• Provide specific feedback about performance
• Recognize and reward people based on performance and success
• Cultivate a work environment that supports positive behaviors
• Involve employees in company concerns and decisions, especially when decisions affect them
• Create a sense of ownership in the wellness program and in the organization's success
• Offer opportunities for personal growth and to learn new skills that affect both health and work effectiveness
• Partner with employees in meeting personal and professional goals
• Celebrate successes of the company, the department, and individuals.

Coaching and Goal Setting

One of the most effective ways to inspire behavior change is through personal coaching. Start a dialogue about achievable personal goals. Don't make the goals too easy -- find something that takes them a little out of their comfort zone. Goals should also be fun or provide benefits beyond employee wellness.

Be realistic: Set 2 or 3 achievable goals, then check in with them. Every time someone makes a positive change, notice it and praise them. Acknowledge the effort it took. Explore which strategies worked and what didn't.

Fun and appreciation are inexpensive. People respond to spontaneous, small celebrations. For instance, it doesn't cost much to:

• Tie a balloon to the chair of employees who meet a wellness program goal.
• Post a Wall of Honor with the names of employees in a company-wide program; hold a competition and ask team members to contribute to a prize that's split among the winners.
• Put the names of everyone who finishes a program in a lottery drawing.

Ideas like this can generate a greater buzz than getting cash.

Peer-Based Recognition

These popular programs may acknowledge someone making the most progress at competition milestones. Another involves an employee thanking another for inspiring or helping them achieve a personal goal. The corporate wellness staff can purchase awards or something funny to be passed around, where recipients keep the award at their desk until it's time to pass it on to someone else. And don't underestimate the power of simply saying thank you.

Dean Witherspoon, CEO and founder of worksite wellness firm, Health Enhancement Systems, has 25 years in health promotion. He has served on the board of the Association for Worksite Health Promotion and held several regional as well as state offices. Dean is a nationally known speaker and author, having presented at more than 70 conferences and written hundreds of worksite wellness articles for national publications.

Find Wellness and Spas on Your Holidays

Koh Samui is a world famous tropical destination where you can experience spa treatments like nowhere else. Located next to the ocean it gives a truly stimulating experience for your spa, and a visit to the island isn't complete without a taste of the ancient Thai spa treatments.

Thailand's reputation for exceptional health and beauty treatments is well-known and all kinds of relaxing and vigorous options are available. Traditional massage, herbal treatments for the skin, hair or face are just a few to mention and along with the healing effects they are also unbelievably relaxing - perfect whilst on holiday on Koh Samui.

Choose a simple Thai or oil massage on the beach or in one of the numerous small massage salons around the island, or really treat yourself and pay a visit to one of the lavish and smart resort spas. The décor of resort spas are elegant with Thai style salas, at some places they even have Jacuzzis and pools situated in the rooms. You'll find spas located in leading resorts and hotels and whilst some will have their own signature massages all of them offer a large array of health and beauty treatments from herbal face and skin treatments to massage therapies.

The most popular massage is the traditional Thai massage which dates back 2500 years when the personal physician of the Buddha, Shivako Komarpaj, designed a special technique in order to help the monks maintain a healthy lifestyle when undertaking long periods of meditation.

The theory behind Thai massage is that it realigns the energy pathways in the body by using elbows and knees for a vigorous workout. A rigorous system of stretching, kneading and pummeling leaves you both relaxed and energized at the same time and a 2 hours session is recommended if you want to get the full benefit.

A modern take on the traditional Thai massage is to introduce aromatic oils based on the Swedish model which gives a very effective deep tissue massage. This makes for a gentler massage technique than the traditional Thai style and is a very relaxing experience. Different types of aromatherapy oils mean that they can be chosen to suit the client, such as Jasmine which helps those with insomnia.

If you've never had a foot massage then don't miss out on this soothing therapy when you're in Samui. The soles of the feet are massaged using the principles of reflexology which believes that pressure points on the feet are connected to different organs of the body, working on these particular points improves the health of the organ. Known for its detoxifying effect you can get a foot massage practically everywhere at very reasonable rates.

'Jet-lag' massage is a treatment that has been customized specifically to soothe after a long flight, if you have a stiff shoulder or achy legs then you can even indicate a specific part of the body you'd like more attention paid to whether it's your head, neck or shoulders.

Thailand has a long tradition of using herbal medicines particularly in face and skin treatments, these can be in a variety of forms from massages incorporating herbal compresses, wraps and scrubs, to herbal steam saunas. Ginger, Galangal and lemongrass amongst a multitude of other herbs contain their own unique ingredients that help promote healthy body and skin.

Koh Samui is the place to visit if you're focusing on a healthy environment as there are many centres that offer residential fasting and health improvement. If you want to detox then check out fasting retreats with colonic irrigation, or head to a yoga retreat or similar eastern course of therapy. Lots of the local businesses cater to this kind of visitor and you'll find no end of restaurants with an organic set of choices.

Workplace Health and Wellness Benefits and Program Ideas

What is workplace wellness? Workplace wellness is a broad term for programs and initiatives in the workplace that support the health, safety and wellbeing of your employees, and often their families as well. Organizational wellness is a business strategy and can be extremely beneficial to both companies and employees, offering short and long term return on investments. Canadian studies show corporate wellness programs returned $1.95 - $3.75 per employee per dollar spent!

Companies that implement workplace wellness programs see significant benefits for their company, including:

• improved employee health
• reduced stress and stress-related disorders
• better employee morale
• higher workforce productivity
• lower absenteeism and fewer sick days
• lower health benefit costs
• fewer short-term and long-term disability claims

It makes business sense to promote health and wellness in the workplace... and wellness programs don't need to break the bank to be effective. One of the first steps to developing an effective wellness strategy for your organization is to implement a thorough workplace wellness assessment. Conducting an effective health risk assessment and environmental scan will help your organization set specific, realistic goals to improve the health and wellbeing of your workplace, and ultimately reduce costs and improve productivity.

Employee Wellness Programs

Organizations can offer a variety of health and wellness initiatives to fit their budget and assist employees in learning and developing healthy lifestyle behaviours. The following offers some suggestions for the more common health and wellness challenges organizations face today.

Stress Management Programs: Stress is one of the most common issues facing today's workers, and its impact on health and productivity can be devastating. Employees' stress-related disorders cost Canadian businesses an estimated $12 billion per year (Vanier Institute of the Family). To reduce stress and improve mental health and resiliency, consider offering stress management workshops and lunch and learns to educate staff about stress and to teach ways to reduce and effectively cope with stress. If budget allows, offering an employee and family assistance program provides an excellent way to support employee stress issues, both at work and at home.

Physical Activity Programs: Employee fitness has a direct impact on a company's bottom line. The health risks of inactivity include premature death, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, adult-onset diabetes, osteoporosis, stroke, depression, colon cancer and premature death. To support fitness at work, some organizations offer onsite fitness facilities and programming. If your company doesn't have an onsite gym, you can still offer group walking programs, yoga classes in a meeting room, stretch breaks, and encourage your employees to be active throughout the day.

Healthy Eating Programs: We are what we eat... and employees who eat fatty, sugary, low nutrient foods are not going to have the energy and stamina to be productive throughout the day. Poor eating also contributes to a host of illnesses and disease. As an employer, you can encourage healthy eating by offering and promoting nutritious food choices in your cafeteria and vending machines. Do you offer snacks at meetings? Avoid the standard unhealthy snacks and treats, and offer healthier options.

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: One sure-fire way to reduce your company's benefit costs is to promote disease prevention. If your corporate health risk assessment shows a high number of employees who smoke, are diabetics or take heart medication, address these issues through your wellness programming. Offer employee health resources and educational materials, smoking cessation programs and health screening services.

These are just some ideas of how your organization can integrate corporate wellness initiatives into your company, and help you see a return on your investment. For more information, ideas and to find Canadian workplace wellness service providers and programs for your workplace, browse the Works of Wellness website. We are Canada's workplace wellness business directory and collaborative information portal, connecting your organization with workplace wellness services and expertise.

How to Become a Wellness Coach

Since switching careers in 2005 I've found it absolutely astonishing the amount of questions I continually get from people interested in becoming a wellness coach. Back when I was in the environmental software industry I can't remember one time that a person had asked me to provide an informational interview! Now it seems that I get a request for this at least monthly - and I love sharing what I do.

With all these requests in mind, I thought it would be a good idea to share my experience with wellness coaching, provide some background on what exactly coaching is, and give those of you with interest in learning more a foundation for making decisions as to how you might want to move forward.

What is a Wellness Coach?

This is an excellent question and a good starting point for these discussions. 'Wellness' has become a popular word as of late - and it carries with it a vast array of meanings based on who you talk to. Wellness coaches support their clients in creating lifestyle change such that they get more of their definition of wellness into their lives. You notice that I emphasize a key element of coaching is to listen to and understand how the client defines wellness as that is really what is important to improve their life.

How does a Wellness Coach differ from a Nutritionist or Trainer?

There are many Wellness Coaches that are nutritionists and personal trainers, however not all trainers and nutritionists are Wellness Coaches (and vice versa). The biggest difference is the approach that is taken towards achieving goals. A personal trainer is typically hired to provide guidance, motivation, education, hands on support and to tell you how to achieve your goals. This support is very appropriate in many cases. A nutritionist has a similar function, they are trained to provide information, guidance and design a recipe for success when someone has very specific dietary needs and goals. Again, they serve a fantastic role in supporting their clients through the questions they have.

A Wellness Coach takes a much different approach when working with clients. Fundamentally a coach assumes that you have your own answers. Certainly there are opportunities for education and sharing information when appropriate (and this information should be shared only in the coaches areas of expertise), however the focus of a wellness coach is one of empowering the client to clearly see for themselves the most appropriate path forward such that they can make sustainable, long term lifestyle changes. This is much different than telling them what they need to do today. It involves discussing goals, a vision, and designing a plan together.

A wellness coach will ask empowering questions to the client that re-enforce their compelling reasons to make healthy lifestyle decisions rather than telling them the reason why they should make change. A coach will provide tools for motivation, goal setting, self discovery and embrace the fact that no two clients will need to have the same approach in making lifestyle change. As you can see the quality and depth of conversation that a wellness coach and a trainer will be very different.

Corporate and Private opportunities for Wellness Coaching?

10 years ago, there were very few people operating under the title of 'Wellness Coach'. For that matter the term 'Life Coach' was extremely rare to come by as well - both are careers that have been recognized in the mainstream today. Many Wellness Coaches operate their own business. They draw from their background, market themselves, and present a coaching offering to clients that benefit from their services. Typically a wellness coach will work with clients in the area of nutrition, exercise, weight control, stress management, and some coach on areas of relationships, sleep quality, disease management, and life balance. If you are interested in knowing the specific areas that a coach focuses on - refer to his/her biography, as the topics can vary. Generally speaking, unless the coach is branching out into other talents/markets, they tend to focus on these primary areas.

With the growing trends towards increased longevity and increased waist size - it seems that the market for these talents would be huge. The truth is that there is a huge need - however as a new occupation just gaining recognition in the mainstream society you still see relatively few wellness coaches in relation to conventional healthcare practitioners, nutritionists, trainers etc. This is often why you see many coaches wear multiple hats.

6 Dimensions of Wellness

When most of us think of wellness, we automatically think of physical health. We try to maintain a healthy body and hope that will ward off serious illness in the future. However, while physical health is crucial to good health, wellness has many dimensions beyond the physical. In fact, many experts believe there are 6 dimensions of wellness.

1. Emotional health
Understanding our emotions and finding healthy ways of expressing them is important to emotional health. Learn to accept your limitations and embrace ways to form healthy relationships with others. Maintain a sense of perspective, and learn to control emotions like sadness, anger, or frustration.

2. Spiritual health
Having a purpose in life and feeling that life is meaningful leads to spiritual health. Take some quiet time to discover the morals, ethics, and values that guide your decision making, and try to stick with those during problematic times.

3. Social health
Maintaining healthy relationships with others leads to a healthier you. Try to learn ways to relate well with others, whether they are family members, coworkers, or friends. Practice communication skills and try to be the kind of friend or spouse you would like to have.

4. Environmental health
A healthier planet leads to healthier inhabitants, so not only should you protect yourself from environmental hazards, such as wearing sunscreen or staying indoors on smoggy days, but you should also look for ways to help the earth's health. Recycle or reuse items that you can, and donate used clothing, cell phones, or old computers to non-profit organizations that can refurbish them, thereby keeping them out of landfills.

5. Intellectual health
You've probably heard of the phrase "use it or lose it." That is particularly true for the brain. As we age, there is a natural progression of a slowing of the brain's functions, but you can combat this by working your brain every day. Keep your mind active with learning, creativity, and problem solving. Read up on current events each day. Paint, draw, or build something with your hands. Take a continuing education course at a local college, or join a book club. Even working a crossword puzzle each day can help to keep the mind active.

6. Physical health
Maintain a healthy body through proper nutrition, exercise, and the avoidance of harmful habits, such as smoking or alcohol abuse. Make sure you exercise at least 30 minutes each day. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, such as those found in olive oil. Visit your dentist regularly, since dental health can affect the rest of your body. Seek medical attention when necessary.

Since our bodies and minds are interrelated, true wellness depends of integrating all of the above factors for a more holistic approach to good health. Monitoring and trying to improve in these 6 areas can lead to a happier, healthier you, which can ward off illnesses or diseases.