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1 Welcome Today s presentation will begin shortly. In order to hear the audio for this presentation, please turn up your speakers or click on the Info tab above this presentation in the upper-left hand corner of your screen. The toll-free dial-in number and access code can be found under this tab. All lines have been placed on mute. If you d like to ask a question, please use the chat feature in the bottom right corner and send your question to all panelists. 1

2 Amp It Up! What you can do to get your employees engaged in health July 2012

3 Today s Discussion Why promote health and wellness programs? How you can engage your employees in health and wellness programs Implementation of the right strategies Identifying the right incentives Examples of success 3

4 Good Employee Health is Good for business Productivity losses related to personal and family health problems cost U.S. employers, on average, $225.8 billion annually, or $1,685 per employee per year. 1 Six in 10 employees believe worksite wellness programs are a good idea 3 in 10 actually participate. 2 Studies indicate that health & wellness programs reduce medical costs, and 14 studies indicated that they reduce absenteeism costs. 1 1 Childress JM, Lindsay GM. National indications of increasing investment in workplace health promotion programs by large- and medium-sized companies. North Carolina Medical Journal. 2006;67(6): Utilizing Incentives To Maximize Participation, 2008 WELLNESS COUNCIL OF AMERICA 1 4

5 360 Health : Your Total Health Solution

6 OK, so the programs are valuable but how do I get my employees engaged in them?

7 Start with the Basics A Health Assessment is a critical piece of any wellness plan. Check out the MyHealth Assessment promotional kit available at Downstate - Upstate - All items are set and ready to print! Employer guide Executive letter Employee introduction flier blasts Payroll stuffer Posters 7

8 The benefits of a Health assessment It s basically a health calculator that asks employees questions about their current health, lifestyle and health history. Plus, they can learn: How they stack up health-wise Where they can make improvements, with some how-to suggestions If they qualify for other health programs that may be offered through their benefits plan at no additional cost to you NOTE: Information provided through the Health Assessment is private and does not affect premiums. 8

9 Employer Guide to Promoting Wellness in the Workplace Helps you and senior leaders start putting a wellness plan into action step by step Build a wellness team Lay out a specific plan for your wellness campaign Set specific goals and objectives Develop a timeline Delegate roles and responsibilities Itemize a budget Promote health and wellness ideas Begin communicating directly to employees Set up a wellness fair Evaluate your results 9

10 Other free or low cost resources NEW & Improved Time Well Spent website Wellness Calendar Guides Memos Posters Fliers Healthy Bytes Recipes /Intranet content Articles 360 Health Wellness Calendar Empire Discounts & Special Offers Empire Condition Kits 10

11 Implementing the Right Strategies People are at the heart of Promotion WELCOA Did you Know

12 Personal Connections Matter Incorporate a personal touch A Well Workplace Award winner approached every employees desk with an apple & health risk invitation. The company experienced increased registration rates because of the personal touch. 1 Develop a brand to help promote the program and build excitement Include the brand on all communications letters, s, links to the company website, benefits brochure. Highlight Success Stories Build interest by sharing other employee success stories. Show how your worksite wellness can teach, inspire and help improve their health. 1 WELCOA Putting Promotion Back into Health Promotion Note: Legal limits or requirements may apply under state or federal law for rewards or incentives 12

13 Connecting with your team Help make everyone a winner To ensure continued engagement ensure everyone who participates feels a sense of accomplishment Set multiple goals so that everyone can meet, achieve or exceed them Promote your program by regularly posting picture and/or videos Give a real life look at the wellness program Post on , company intranet & newsletters Know who is participating and make a personal connection 13

14 Example: Setting goals for everyone Turn Key Walk at Work Program: Employees go to the WalkingWorks website to register and log activity Total population solution Employee only or Employee + spouse/domestic partner Targets participants at every exercise level WalkingWorks participants record steps or time and track individual progress through an interactive website Tiered levels: beginner, intermediate, and challenging 14

15 Implementing the Right Incentives for living a healthy lifestyle By 2012, four in five companies plan to offer some type of financial reward to individuals who participate in their health management programs. Use of Rewards and Penalties to Drive Employee Health, October 25, 2011

16 Changing behavior Positive reinforcement is an effective strategy for engagement Strategize to teach and practice skills that change behavior in the long-term, not just short term incentive gains The impact of engagement won t be noticeable right away be patient Awareness Behavior Change Change doesn t happen overnight, so create a long-term goal and stick with it Maintenance Skill Building 16

17 Developing the right incentives Rewards or incentives have been shown to be effective and increase engagement Appeal to a broad range of individuals Develop incentives for those that are practicing healthy lifestyles, those that are on the fence and those that are not yet engaged. Use a combination of strategies test and try various solutions Reward for completion rather than the result or outcome. Long-term or multi-part contests can be used to reward maintenance of a goal. Implement contests and events over time don t just do one and stop. One size incentive doesn t fit all 17

18 Incentives to drive engagement Involve the entire workforce AND their families Choose team-based challenges to build camaraderie and boost morale Provide incentives around health & wellness - making sure they are meaningful Provide consistent promotion around the event/contest/challenge Make it fun and easy to stay involved Establish a wellness calendar to show longterm commitment 18

19 Incentives to drive engagement Make sure the reward is achievable for those not currently integrated with health & wellness. Highlight improvement rather than achieving challenging goals. Example increase your fruit serving from 1 to 3 a day. Example increase your walking from 5,000 steps to 7,000 a day Promote long-term health while referencing and providing resources within the organization. Implement contests and events over time don t just do one and stop 19

20 Incentives and Examples Breaks to participate in wellness activities Movie tickets Gift cards Point system with prizes for participation Discounted health club memberships Extra vacation day/day off Workout gear/tennis shoes/fitness equipment Awards, spotlights, certificates and recognition in company newsletter or intranet ipod/ipad/iphone Tiered levels of contribution reductions based on participation in programs 20

21 WELCOA Study* Incentives Drive Participation in Worksite Wellness Percent of employees participating Trinkets and T-shirts Cash and Merchandise - $25-75 Cash and Merchandise $ Benefit Plan Deductions/Incentives *Source: Hunnicutt, David. Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA) National Wellness Institute

22 WELCOA Study Incentives Drive Participation in Worksite Wellness Trinkets and T-Shirts: This level of incentive is small and requires minimal money. The average participation that this level may generate is in the same neighborhood as no incentive % participation rate. Cash and Merchandise: This next level of incentive may increase participation rates rapidly. An average of 40 45% participation rate is possible. Moderate cash incentive: $25 to $75 may bring 30 50% participation. Significant cash incentive: $100 to $500 may bring significantly higher participation rates in the 70 80% range. Benefit Plan: This is the highest level of incentive offered and usually involves a premium break to the employee on the cost of the company s health benefit plan. An 80 90% participation rate may be possible with this type of incentive.

23 How employers are using wellness incentives? Percentage of large employers offering financial incentives in wellness programs* Survey participants included 489 employers with 1,000 or more employees. Source: "The Keys to Continued Success: Lessons Learned from Consistent Performers," National Business Group on Health/Watson Wyatt Employer Survey, 2009

24 EXAMPLE: Integration of worksite wellness and a benefit plan 3 Year Wellness Strategy CDH & PPO/Cost-efficient HMOs Wellness programs Introduction of Wellness credits paid out as premium credits in the following year these wellness premium credits are funded by the employer (not insurer) Wellness Credit: $200/associate Awareness (Screening + Health Assessment) Wellness Credit: $400/associate; $400/spouse Participation (Programs + Tobacco- Free or Tobacco Cessation Program) Awareness (Screening + Health Assessment) Increased Wellness Credit Propose: $600/associate; $600/spouse Results (Be in Healthy Range/Show Improvement) Participation (Programs + Tobacco- Free or Tobacco Cessation Program) Awareness (Screening + Health Assessment) Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

25 Company examples and engagement tactics

26 Example of Worksite Wellness* Teams staffed by health professionals who travel to workplaces nationwide to share knowledge on a variety of health and lifestyle topics. Two recent worksite wellness implementations: Health promotion and wellness outreach programs that reinforces or initiates member and client wellness initiatives. Services available include: Health Screenings Health Seminars Wellness Advisors Health Fairs, including Flu Clinic and Massage Therapy 1. Two-day event to promote completion of the health assessment through incentive 25% participation of employees 2. Three-day event to promote Know Your Numbers and Cholesterol Seminar 35% participation of employees at Corporate Office *Not specific to programs implemented or promoted by Empire

27 Worksite Wellness: Case Study** Client: 5250 employees, primary manufacturing specializing in marketing and publishing services Multiple locations, employees include off-site sales teams and seasonal workers Worksite Wellness Strategy: Offer Health Screenings: Total Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, Triglycerides, Blood Glucose, Blood Pressure, BMI Held 30 on-site events. Added physician fax back options to reach off-site employees. Employees received financial incentive for participation in addition to monthly premium contribution based on scoring results. (Additional incentives were available for participation in other wellness programs). , communications from on-site coordinators, letters to the home. *Source: Hunnicutt, David. Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA) National Wellness Institute **Case studies are examples of programs and not implemented or promoted through Empire

28 Worksite Wellness: Case Study* Population Participation: 47.7% (=2504/5250) Screening Results and Satisfaction**: 37.2% of participants had an obese BMI*** (compared to 34.1% of American adults ) 8.1% of participants had high total cholesterol** (compared to 16.3% of American adults ) 8.1% of participants had high blood pressure** (compared to the U.S. average of 17.9%) 98% of the attendees found the health screening useful 86% of the attendees learned something new about their health 90% said they would share the info they learned with their physician 89% said health screening motivated them to make at least one healthy behavior change *Case studies are examples of programs and not implemented or promoted through Empire *2,325 satisfaction surveys were returned (return rate of 93.8%). Percentages include the number of members who agreed or strongly agreed with the statements. ** *Compare to the most recent U.S. estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

29 Summary: What Works in the Workplace Real, long-term corporate commitment to wellness Create Wellness Committee and Plan From the CEO on down Start with the basics of a wellness program Health Assessment Screenings and other initiatives Implement the right strategies Make sure there is a personal connection at all touchpoints What best reaches the employee? Implement the right incentives to encourage healthy lifestyles Mix of fun, engaging programs Vary the incentives so it rewards completion, not just the best result

30 Thank You! If you have further questions, please contact your broker or Empire representative. Services provided by Empire HealthChoice HMO, Inc. and Empire HealthChoice Assurance, Inc., licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans.