You don’t have to build a fitness center or hire a full-time wellness coach to bring healthy changes into your culture. In fact, it’s best to start small and then make additions or adjustments based on employee feedback and your budget. Here are 5 ways to begin putting your employees on a path to wellness without breaking the bank:
1. START A GROUP CHALLENGE. Thanks to social media and health-related consumer technology, it’s easier than ever to get the team moving together. Challenge your employees to a step-off, using pedometer technology such as Fitbit, to measure the number of steps they take each day and encourage lunch time walks. “Or it can be done based on heart rate or calories burned, whatever is motivating for them,” says Stuart Slutzky of Humana’s Go365 program.
2. SUBSIDIZE HEALTHY OPTIONS. If you have an onsite cafeteria, consider subsidizing the nourishing choices more heavily than the junk. At NCCI, employees have a wide range of choices, from hamburgers and French fries to soups and salads, but the latter enjoy a bigger percentage of subsidy, says CEO Bill Donnell. “If you want the French fries, you’re going to pay full price.” Another option would be to secure a group rate at a local gym for employees.
3. CAN THE SUGARY SODA. According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly half (46.4%) of added sugar in American diets comes from beverages, contributing to obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes. In April, New York Presbyterian, as part of its NYPBeHealthy employee wellness program, launched an initiative to phase out all beverages with an added caloric sweetener containing more than 25 calories per eight ounces.
4. OFFER INCENTIVES. At Geokinetics, employees receive a cash reward for healthy behavior. “If you get a full physical in a calendar year, we will give you $1,000 back just for doing that,” says CEO David Crowley. At NCCI, Donnell is looking at ways to incentivize employees who take advantage of the biometric screening offered at the company’s health clinic; one option, he says, is to increase the company’s contribution to that employee’s medical deductible.
5. TAKE THE LEAD. Your program will have significantly more buy-in if you make it clear you’re involved and that you value the time spent on the activity, says David Roddenberry of HealthyWage. “Overall, the more engaged the CEO, the easier it is to attract and retain employees around health and wellness.”
Read more: Employee Health: Why Wellness Works
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
