If you’re anything like me, you’re scratching your head wondering what all this national health care hoopla is really about. How is it going to affect me and my family? Will it impact my business?
I’m also wondering how I can turn the national health care debate into a marketing opportunity! In my last post I recommended looking at your internal marketing strategy; an employee health and fitness program is a great addition to that plan!
Healthy employees are happy employees; they are more productive and less of a strain on your insurance plan. They also call in sick less often! Helping your employees quit smoking, lose weight and eat well is a better (and less expensive) choice than paying for the complications of poor health later. It can also be a great place to build teamwork and real connections between coworkers.
There are a million ways to implement an in-house health and wellness program. If you don’t have the time or gumption to do it on your own, contact a local YMCA or check in with neighborhood gyms or personal trainers. Plenty of companies would love to help you start a fitness program - check out this offer from Personal Best.
Here are some more easy ideas to get the conversation started:
• Offer a variety of small but fun incentives; encourage people to ride bikes to the office or to take brisk walks at lunch – reward them with gift cards from a local athletic store.
• Planning your next team meeting or staff luncheon? Invite a speaker to talk about healthy eating habits and good nutrition.
• Offer a free smoking cessation program. Get some input from the smokers on your staff – what would help them quit?
• Get rid of those soda machines and candy dispensers! Instead, keep a bowl of fresh fruit available and install a water purifier. If you bring in breakfast or lunch for meetings try offering a selection of yogurt, fruit and other salads, fresh whole wheat breads or other healthy choices. Don’t forget to include seafood! Any in-house meal can feature the healthiest items off your inventory.
• Encourage your team to sign up for a fundraising walk or run! Getting a group together to train and then complete in a 5K is a great way to improve teamwork, start people on the road to fitness and raise money for a charity!
Once you get your program in place put some effort into seeing what other local businesses are doing. Are there groups that offer specials or promotions for work place fitness programs? The Tacoma/Pierce, WA Chamber of Commerce recognized efforts to promote wellness by presenting the Pierce County WorkWell Awards.
What a great way to get some recognition and free press for your business.
Have you tried a workplace wellness program? Let us know what worked and what didn’t!
