group benefits trends - sun life
TRANSCRIPT
PDF5435-E 09-10 pd-mp
Groupbenefitstrends:
How technology is impacting workplace wellnessby Erin Dick, Health & Productivity Solutions, Sun Life Financial, and Sarah Cook, Communications, Buffett & Company Worksite Wellness Inc.
LIFE’S BRIGHTER under the sun
The workplace is changing, and technology
is transforming how we do business, including
how we deliver wellness programs to employees.
Organizations now need to consider accommodating
flexible work schedules, remote employees, digital
communications, and generational preferences.
Health and wellness programs are evolving to keep
pace with our changing work environment, and
are more accessible than ever.
Let’s face it, to help employees overcome barriers
to personal lifestyle change, and drive participation
in wellness programs, traditional strategies that target
those in the office with a one hour lunch n’ learn
session just won’t cut it. Between work and family
commitments, people have a lot on their plate,
and offering programs at flexible times when
employees can participate makes good business
sense. To encourage employees to adopt healthy
habits for the long term, wellness support needs
to extend beyond the
workplace. Technology
allows us to accomplish
this from the assessment
and program promotion
stages through to delivery
and participant retention
over time.
... traditional
strategies that target
those in the office
with a one hour
lunch n’ learn session
just won’t cut it.
Lunch n’ learns have expanded into education
sessions that are available on-line or on-site,
and include Online Health Challenges and Lifestyle
Modification Programs that meet the specific
needs of employees depending on their health
risks. For example, Health Challenge participants
are encouraged to take action through fun
and engaging online competition, as they track
healthy habits such as physical activity, water
consumption or fruit and vegetable intake.
Employees are able to incorporate healthy lifestyle
habits into their
everyday life whether
at work or at home, and
can track their progress
at any time of the day
from anywhere with
an internet connection.
Programs are being
increasingly enhanced
to accommodate mobile
devices, such as the
BlackBerry, so that
participants can access
programs on the go.
With the rise and success of Facebook, Instant
Messaging, and Twitter, workplace wellness
programs have begun to incorporate social
networking opportunities. It’s becoming common
place to be able to suggest a great recipe to
colleagues on a chat board, or upload a picture
of one’s “before and after” success story or
lunch-time walking group in order to motivate
others. Also on the rise is the availability of
health coaches to provide support to employees
and address questions promptly and confidentially
by email or via discussion forums.
One key workplace group that is highly satisfied
with this approach is Generation Y, or employees
born between 1982 and 1994. Employers have
become increasingly aware that this demographic
is not only highly competent when it comes to
all things technological – but requires it in order
to be engaged. Great multi-taskers, this generation
is used to emailing, instant messaging, and surfing
the net simultaneously. With Gen Y’s love of
technology and their expectation for
comprehensive employer-sponsored wellness
programs, it makes good business sense to offer
appealing programs to this demographic who
are seemingly participating in less physical activity
compared to the baby boomers.
Technology as a promotional tool
Posters, postcards and pay stuffers have long
been a staple of wellness program promotional
strategies. But with fewer employees physically
in offices and pay stubs becoming obsolete,
more innovative promotional avenues are needed
to achieve desired program visibility, participation
rates and participant retention.
Armed with the
knowledge that
visible leadership
support for any
wellness strategy is
essential for success,
some organizational
leaders are blogging
to profile their own
personal wellness
journey. Others use
widespread voice
mail to deliver
encouraging
messages to
Employees are able
to incorporate
healthy lifestyle
habits into their
everyday life
whether at work or
at home, and can
track their progress
at any time of the
day from anywhere
with an internet
connection.
With Gen Y’s love
of technology and
their expectation
for comprehensive
employer-sponsored
wellness programs,
it makes good
business sense to
offer appealing
programs to this
demographic who
are seemingly
participating in less
physical activity
compared to the
baby boomers.
employees, and to remind them of where they
can find more information. As middle-level
management also plays a key role in program
visibility and participation rates, 30-minute
webinars can be used to present some background
information on why the company is implementing
an employee health strategy, and educate
managers on how they can encourage their team
members to get involved. Webinars can also
be delivered by managers to their teams,
as a means of providing background and
step-by-step instructions on how to take
advantage of wellness programs and resources.
For employers who are not yet at the stage
of comprehensive program implementation, there
are simple ways to promote healthy living during
Healthy Workplace Month. Use existing
communication avenues such as your Intranet,
online newsletter, or organization-wide email
to post weekly tips around one of the Healthy
Workplace Month themes; leave a healthy tip
via voice mail or promote online donations
to health-related charities.
Healthy Workplace Month is a great time to go
beyond the status quo in your organization with
wellness. Sun Life Financial, in partnership with
Buffett & Company Worksite Wellness Inc., has
successfully helped plan sponsors implement
health and wellness programs that have resulted
in excellent participation rates of well over 70 per
cent, with positive health changes for employees.
Here are 10 tips that are relevant to employers
at any stage of considering or implementing
a health and wellness program:
1. Offer online programs that are convenient
and accessible to all employees.
2. Make sure management and organizational
leaders support wellness programs,
and communicate this to employees.
3. Use basic tools, such as online newsletters,
organization-wide email, or your corporate
Intranet to post weekly tips.
4. Have a leader leave an organization-wide voice mail
with a weekly health tip or an encouraging message.
5. Profile employees’ healthy living testimonials
on your Intranet.
6. Offer educational webinars on the themes that
relate to Healthy Workplace Month, or present
background information on the company’s
wellness programs.
7. Run an online health challenge to facilitate
behaviour change among employees, including
those who work from home office, satellite
offices, or remote areas.
8. Incorporate social networking into your
wellness programs and promotional strategies.
9. Adopt digital programs that can accommodate
mobile devices so that participants have access
on the go.
10. Have organizational leaders create a blog to
profile their own wellness journey through the
organization’s wellness programs.
Is it time to call it quits on posters and on-site
education sessions? No, not if these programs are
successful for your organization. The key is to
balance more traditional approaches with digital
communications and online programming, and to
realize heightened employee engagement, enhanced
participation rates and a more pronounced impact
to your bottom line.
Extracted from Canadian HR Reporter, September 2010
Health andWellnessInitiativesSun Life Financial, in partnershipwith Buffett & Company WorkplaceWellness Inc., has successfullyimplemented a number of healthand wellness initiatives, including but not limited to:
• Health risk assessments
• Screening clinics
• Education sessions (deliveredonsite or via webinar)
• Online health challenges
• Lifestyle modification programs(delivered onsite or via onlinelearning modules)