Social networking provides a better way to engage employees in wellness programs
Rajiv Kumar, Founder & Chief Clinical Officer of Shape Up The Nation, wrote an article for the January edition of Benefits Selling magazine about why social networking provides a better way to engage employees in wellness program.
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Frustrated by chronically low participation in company wellness programs, many employers have turned to financial incentives to drive employee engagement. The average annual incentive for wellness programs rose to $329 per employee in 2009, according to a joint survey by the National Association of Manufacturers and Health2 Resources. Out of desperation, some employers have paid up to $4,000 for simply completing a health risk questionnaire.
A growing number of companies, however, are turning to a dramatically more affordable and effective solution: social incentives.
As social networking goes mainstream, benefits and wellness professionals have begun to harness the power of connectivity to drive participation, long-term engagement and outcomes in their existing employee wellness programs. These employers are empowering their employees to form teams, create challenges, join groups and share information in a manner that makes wellness fun and engaging. |
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