6 Proven Tactics to Get Maximum Wellness Program Participation

Do you feel like you're spinning your wheels with your company's wellness program?

You put in all this effort to provide resources like gym memberships, nutritionists, and counseling services, but it seems like your employees just aren't interested.

They don't show up, they don't take advantage of the services, and you're left feeling frustrated and disappointed.

But what if I told you that it's not your fault?

That there is a reason why your employees aren't participating, and it has nothing to do with you or the program you've put in place?

What if I told you that there are some Employee Participation Secrets that will help you finally turn your wellness program around?

You see, employee participation isn't just about offering resources and incentives.

It's about understanding what motivates your employees and tapping into those motivations to get them engaged and excited about your wellness program.

So, if you're tired of feeling frustrated and disappointed with your company's wellness program, if you're ready to finally see real results and make a difference in your employees' lives, then keep reading.

Because the secret to employee participation is just a few minutes away, and I promise it's going to change everything.

So, let's dive into the psychology of employee participation.

The first secret is to start actually caring about your employee

Most companies just pretend to care about the employees.

But from inside they are only interested in work.

For them, it doesn't matter whether their employees are alive or not. Even if their dead bodies reach the office on time and the work is completed, it will be fine.

And even if you may not agree with me, there is a good chance that you are also one of those employers.

Imagine if tomorrow you came to know that all your employees are giving 100% productivity and completing all their work on time and providing them with a wellness program will cost only time and money but zero benefits at all to your company, will your company still care about providing the wellness program?

Probably not.

So the thing is: if you want 100% employees participation in your wellness program,

the first and foremost secret is to actually care about them.

Because when you do that, your employees will know from the bottom of their hearts that you really care about them.

And they too will appreciate your efforts in return and show authentic interest in your loving wellness programs.

Offer wellness programs that are customized to your employees' needs.

One of the biggest issues with these programs is the one-size-fits-all approach.

Now, It may seem like a good idea to implement a general wellness program that caters to everyone.

But in reality, it can cause a significant decrease in employee participation.

Why?

Well, it's simple.

Employees have different needs and preferences, and a generic program simply won't cut it.

I mean you can't expect a 20-something fitness enthusiast to be interested... in the same program as a 50-something desk worker with a bad back. Right?

That's why customizing wellness programs according to employees' needs can drastically increase participation rates.

By tailoring your program to meet the individual needs of your employees, you create a sense of personalization that encourages engagement and increases motivation.

For example, if you have a lot of desk workers, you could offer programs that focus on stretching, posture, and ergonomics.

But if you have a lot of employees who work outside, you might want to offer programs that focus on hydration, sun safety, and physical fitness.

The bottom line is this:

By personalizing your wellness program, you're not only showing your employees that you care about their individual needs, but you're also creating a sense of community and support within your workplace.

And when employees feel supported, they're more likely to engage in healthy behaviors and participate in wellness initiatives.

So, my friend, don't make the mistake of thinking that a one-size-fits-all wellness program is a way to go.

Customize your program to meet the needs of your employees, and watch participation rates soar!

The Limited Seats Approach: Why Not Offering Your Wellness Program to All Employees Can Boost Participation

This might just knock your socks off.

Because it goes completely against the grain of what you might have heard before, but it has been proven time and time again to be an effective strategy for increasing employee participation in wellness programs.

Yes, you heard me right.

By putting a cap on the number of seats in your wellness program, you can create a sense of exclusivity and urgency that'll have your employees clamoring to sign up before it's too late.

Trust me, folks, scarcity sells.

And if you want to see a surge in employee engagement, this is the way to go.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "But won't that make it harder for employees to join the program? Won't it limit access for those who really need it?"

It's a valid concern, but hear me out.

When there are too many spots available in a wellness program, employees may not feel a sense of urgency to sign up. They might think to themselves, "Oh, I can do it later," and then never actually follow through.

But when there are limited seats available, employees are more likely to jump on the opportunity before it's too late. They'll see it as a rare chance to take part in something valuable and exclusive, and they'll be more motivated to act fast.

Plus, by limiting the number of seats, you can ensure that the employees who do sign up are truly committed to the program. They'll be more likely to show up to sessions and put in the effort to see real results.

Don't believe me?

Just look at the music industry.

Concert promoters have been using limited seat marketing strategies for years to sell more tickets.

By only offering a limited number of seats, they create a sense of exclusivity and urgency that drives ticket sales through the roof.

Even the biggest artists in the world including Beyoncé and Ed Sheeran use this strategy to sell out stadiums and arenas.

So why not apply this same strategy to your wellness program? By limiting the number of seats, you'll make the program more valuable to your employees and increase participation rates. It's a win-win situation.

Share testimonials from last year’s program

Testimonials are one of the most effective tools to influence people's decisions.

When we hear someone else's positive experience with a product or service, we are more likely to believe that it will work for us too.

Studies have shown that testimonials can increase the perceived credibility and trustworthiness of a message.

In fact, according to a survey by BrightLocal, 91% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase decision, and 84% trust them as much as personal recommendations. That's a staggering number!

Take the Coachella Music Festival, for example.

Every year, Coachella releases a lineup of performers and promotes the festival using videos that feature testimonials from past attendees. These videos showcase the excitement and energy of the festival, creating a sense of FOMO among those who haven't yet experienced it for themselves.

By using testimonials, Coachella is able to tap into the psychology of social proof and create a powerful emotional connection with potential attendees. And the results speak for themselves - every year, the festival sells out within hours of tickets going on sale.

So, if you want to increase employee participation in your programs, start collecting testimonials from those who have already participated and share them in your promotions.

Let your employees hear from their peers how the program has helped them grow, learn, or achieve their goals.

This will not only increase their motivation but also create a sense of community and belonging within your organization.

Emphasize the Benefits

This might seem like a no-brainer but here are a rule Benefits Managers can follow when promoting employee wellness programs:

Demonstrate to your employees what it’s in it for them.

Rather than bragging about how great your wellness program is (“This is a most expensive program, participate now!”),

You can emphasize what the employees will learn from the program and how it can help them with their challenges.

Sleep With Your Employees

If you don’t understand this, you will never be a successful wellness program manager.

It doesn’t matter how hard you work or how much talent you have. Get this wrong, and it all goes to waste.

So what is it?

It’s about Life and Death

Imagine two employees, lying in bed.

One can’t sleep because she is worried about his retirement plan saving. He is 54 and still hasn’t enough savings. He knows he will manage before it’s too late, but he can’t stop the horrific images going through her head about how his wife will manage if something were to happen to him.

The second employee can’t sleep either, but it’s for a different reason.

It’s Abscess Tooth.

If you’ve ever had an abscessed tooth. You’d only know how a toothache could be so excruciating. I mean you can try everything to numb the pain. Painkillers, ice on your face, and trying to distract yourself by reading a book or watching TV, but nothing is going to work. The pain is just too intense.

The worst part about this is that you have to go to work tomorrow. And, you know you won't be able to focus on anything other than this pain. How are you supposed to work when you can't even get a good night's sleep? Won’t you feel so helpless and frustrated?

Interesting, huh?

You probably didn’t realize it, but you just slept with two employees.

Now you can help them more intimately than anybody in the whole wide world …

The secret to creating benefits, wellness programs, or really, helping your employees in general

It’s all about knowing what keeps employees awake at night. What has them tossing and turning at 2 o’clock in the morning?

Answer this question and then create a wellness program about it.

Follow this one employee engagement secret and you could (almost) ignore the rest.

Now It’s Time to Put These Employee Participation Secrets Into Practice

Most who read this post will smile, nod their head in agreement, and implement precisely zero of these participation secrets.

But not you.

You know knowledge that’s not put into practice is wasted. That’s why you’ve already picked out a few favorites, and it’s why you can’t wait to start implementing.

On its own, even the best employee engagement secret is incapable of teaching you how to make your employee participate in the wellness program. But each one, little by little, can help you improve your employee participation.

So, are you ready to be a better employer? Ready to take what you know about the art of employee engagement and turn it up to 11? Ready to make your average wellness program a great one?

Then it’s time to get to work.

Let’s do this thing.

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