Get employees excited about wellness
for their well-being and yours

Studies show that chronic diseases are the primary cost driver for health insurance. By committing to health risk management (a.k.a. wellness) and addressing chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure you can avoid health costs you would otherwise see.

Most of these diseases are preventable through healthier living. For example:

• A National Institutes of Health study on high blood pressure showed that more than 70 percent of people taking blood pressure medication were able to stop their medication and control their high blood pressure by adjusting diet, smoking and exercise habits.

Promote your wellness activities

If you want your employees to be excited and to participate in your activities, you have to get them excited. This doesn't have to be a daunting task. You can be as creative as you wish.

However, if your creative juices are running low, here are a few ideas:

• Create a "Mission Control." Designate a central location for materials and contact person for employees to access information and ask questions.
• Post it. Put handouts on bulletin boards in high traffic areas like the cafeteria.
• Use email. Keep in touch with participants via email. It's fast, convenient and free.
• Advertise. Use your company intranet, newsletter, memos, meetings or paycheck stuffers to get the word out about activities.
• Keep management in the loop. Give leaders handouts and registration forms they can easily share with employees.
• Entice participants. Offer incentives. Get the ball rolling. Employees may be more inclined to sign up if they know others are too.
• Schedule a speaker. Personal stories from a fitness expert or an employee who's had success with a similar type of exercise regimen can inspire others to join.

For more resources and ideas on activities and promotion, visit SFM's Wellness Works webpage.