How you can engage employees with wellness incentives

Many predicted that the wellness trend would come and go as quickly as fad diets and January gym memberships, however the trend of health and wellbeing is here to stay. Although the green vegetable smoothie craze may have died down, people across the UK are taking steps to change the way they live, work and play in order to have healthier and more balanced lifestyles. If you then combine this with the fact that more and more people these days are looking to spend their money on experiences rather than ‘things’, there is a unique opportunity for businesses to engage with their employees to help boost motivation and loyalty through wellness related incentives. We spoke to Iain Thomson, Director of Incentive & Recognition at Sodexo Benefits and Rewards Services all about wellness, and how it can be used to engage in the workplace.

Wellness tourism now represents 6% of all domestic and international trips, and is fuelled by more people seeking relaxation, rejuvenation and escapism from the busy nature of modern life. 71% of North American and European consumers say they are now more aware of wellness travel than they used to be. What’s even more impressive is that the industry is set to grow even further (9%) and faster (50% than overall global tourism) in 2017 as more people look to jump on the healthy bandwagon.

Holidays are still considered the ultimate reward, and offering a health-centric experience is a fantastic way to reward and formally thank your top performers in a memorable way. Experiences such as these create meaningful memories that will have lasting associations with the business that offered them. This type of reward also provides an opportunity to include families and partners in the activity and, as we all know, having that leisure time alongside family is so important.

Before implementing this type of reward within an organisation, it is important to make sure that you know your employees so that you can offer holidays and experiences that they will view as valuable. For example, a 22-year-old employee may be less likely to be interested in a trip to the opera than perhaps an older colleague, and similarly for top level earners, the trip or event will need to be something they otherwise wouldn’t afford or choose to spend their money on. There is a wide variety of options available to employers that can cater for all employees, for example; luxury ski trips, spa holidays, sleep retreats, boxing workshops and healthy eating cooking classes. It is all about creating an event that inspires and excites your employees – and that will differ across different employee profiles. Other important things to consider is what they do for fun; are they adrenaline junkies or do they appreciate time to relax and switch off? Knowing this type of information will ensure the reward is appropriate and valued.

So, how do you implement and execute this type of incentive and recognition program?

The best way is to come up with a solution that employees otherwise wouldn’t be able to source themselves. For example, many people enjoy skiing trips, but they are notoriously expensive so organising for employees to stay in a luxury chalet with a wellness area that includes a swimming pool, jacuzzi, and massage rooms takes a normal holiday and adds something extra which most employees otherwise wouldn’t usually experience. It is also important to make the experience headache free, so paying attention to all the details such as security and health and safety will ensure a smooth experience. On a well-planned trip, you should only have to manage the unexpected.