Carrots vs. sticks
Here’s a helpful graphic comparing participation in incentivized vs. non-incentivized wellness initiatives:
And here’s an excerpt:
… Some firms may stop offering health insurance, dumping employees on new state exchanges created by Barack Obama’s health law. Those who continue to offer insurance may try controversial means to keep it affordable. … At Safeway, a grocery chain, the premium that employees pay for their health insurance falls if they keep their weight and cholesterol under control. In other words, the unhealthy are penalised. GE first offered incentives to employees who stopped smoking; now those who still smoke must pay $650 more for their health insurance. Companies may be nudging now, but in future they may shove.
Carrots vs. ramen
Tying in with our post last week about reaching younger employees in your health efforts, a new study finds that college students aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables.
It doesn’t seem that the study has determined whether this is a matter of access or of education, but I think it’s safe to say that it’s a good idea to make nutrition initiatives a priority for all of your employees. It’s great to encourage healthy eating, but make sure your people know what “healthy eating” means — and that you make those healthy choices available in vending machines, at meetings and in the office kitchen.
Unfortunate idiom use; More carrots and sticks
Mayor of Chicago, former White House Chief of Staff and ballet dancer Rahm Emanuel is promising to “go whole hog” with a wellness program for the city’s employees, focusing on weight control, smoking cessation and reducing high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. He also plans to incorporate an incentives program that includes both carrots and sticks, using a bouquet of mixed metaphors about thumbs on the scale and multiple prongs.
And the whole hog thing. Just don’t eat the whole hog. Or like a hog. We salute them, though!
Wellness education is only a slice of the pie
Or a bite of the carrot? Can we keep this going?
Employee Benefit News columnist Andrew Sykes reminds us that just knowing what’s healthy and what’s not healthy isn’t enough. Most people know they shouldn’t smoke and realize that they should get more exercise. But the knowing alone doesn’t help you make those tough decisions.
I’m reminded of Michael O’Donnell’s AMSO Health Model, in which Awareness — which includes wellness education— accounts for only 5% of the factors influencing behavior change. O’Donnell gives much greater weight to Motivation (this is where carrots and sticks come in), Skills (like knowing how to set goals effectively) and Opportunity (it’s easier to make healthy choices in a healthier environment).
You can read more about the AMSO Model here.