Workplace ‘Better Health’ Incentives
How would you like to be paid, by your employer, to improve your health? Apparently some companies are realising the cost of ill health within the workplace, and are exploring ways to motivate their employees towards a healthier lifestyle.
Yesterday I briefly discussed the Australian government’s proposal to reduce levels of obesity, by paying a $170 subsidy. They hope to encourage overweight individuals to join a weight loss programme, and it seems that some employers have already been following a similar path.
Here are a couple of examples:
- Highmark in Pennsylvania, offers a health and fitness program, paying $225 each year to employees who agree to medical assessments, and free health and nutrition coaching. The program is open to all employees, regardless of fitness, and their goal is not only to move people from the high to low risk group, but also to keep low risk people in the low risk group.
- In 2005 Freedom One Financial Group in Michigan, started offering a free four-day cruise to Jamaica for employees who met certain weight loss, or body fat reduction goals. At the end of the three-month challenge, 36 of its 70 employees had together lost 310 pounds, and 21 employees were given the free cruise.
- Over at Healthline, Tara states that one company she consulted for, offered a $750 payout if employees achieved their goals by the end of the year. What surprised Tara most was that not every employee took advantage of the benefits available. Therefore, it would seem that despite wonderful incentives being made available, some still had no desire to achieve a healthier lifestyle.
I do wonder if employees were to be successful in achieving weight loss etc, will they maintain this in the long-term? Or, will the motivation to continue fade, after their cash incentives are received?
I’m not sure, one part of me says that encouraging workers to follow a healthier way of life, can’t be a bad thing! However, the other part says, we should be responsible for our own health - surely it’s not up to our employers to motivate us?
What are your thoughts? Do you feel that there’s a moral issue here? What about the participants themselves - do you think they’ll enjoy lasting results, if the initial incentive were cash only? Please share your thoughts!
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