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Spring Training: 9 Ideas to Challenge Employees to Embrace Wellbeing

Spring is around the corner, along with talk of March Madness college basketball.

March is a perfect time to engage and challenge employees to embrace healthier habits as they look forward to longer days and summer activities.

While employee focus is diverted toward winning the office basketball bracket, it’s a great time to tap into employees who are energized by the change of season. Using a theme such as “spring into fitness” to guide a fitness campaign can be precisely the approach needed to motivate employees and cultivate a healthier worksite culture.

Here are 9 ways you can challenge your team to “spring” into fitness this March:

  1. St. Patrick’s Day “Earn Some Green” Fitness Challenge

    Employees qualify for a raffle ticket in a cash card drawing or healthy lunch cash in the cafeteria by logging lunch/break walks. By adding a fun, creative and seasonally themed activity, your wellbeing program stays fresh, and employees gain social support in a healthy, supportive environment.

  2. “Buddy-Up” Program

    Lunch walkers can pair with a colleague to promote accountability and commitment to better health. Managers can lead by example and commit to hosting one walking meeting a week.

  3. Workplace Yoga or Fitness Class

    Partner with a local yoga studio or gym to offer after work sessions, to making it easier for employees to fit exercise into their day and helping them stick to a routine. This month, our OneDigital Connecticut office is partnering with a local yoga studio to offer a class once a week to employees.

  4. Healthy People Newsletter

    Each month, OneDigital provides current news and information in the health and wellness field that employers can use to educate their employees. Download and share each month to provide educational resources and supplemental tools to invigorate creative ideas for your fitness challenges. You can also subscribe to a newsletter from Thrive Global, Berkeley Wellness or other recognized Wellness organization to provide invigorating and creative ideas for your fitness challenges.

  5. Employee Forum

    Less of a bulletin board, the forum should serve as a complete package of wellness education and support. Employees can use this tool to form walking or running clubs. You’ll able to gauge interest in local runs or fitness events and consider sponsoring part of the registration fees for participation.

  6. Flexible Scheduling

    Consider offering this employee benefit in the summer months to promote active lifestyles and encourage time for fitness. A flexible workplace is proven to contribute to increased productivity and overall employee satisfaction.

  7. Health Coaching Day

    Employees can schedule 15-minute private sessions to set personal fitness goals. One of the most beneficial and cost-effective tools for employee engagement is health coaching. Often facilitated by an outside vendor or carrier, sessions can be physical and/or virtual. Employees gain personal knowledge and goal setting opportunities that are proven to be high value in providing action steps for individual health improvement.

  8. Wellness Committee Revival

    Frequently, we see wellness committee meetings fall off the schedule, and wellness initiatives deemed “failures.” Regular meetings are an effective way to stay on track with health and wellbeing initiatives, ensure members remain committed to roles and responsibilities to align wellness goals with business goals successfully.

  9. Lunch ‘n’ Learns

    Offer activities conducive to various fitness levels. These will help to engage employees, build confidence and provide support for lifestyle changes. You can make your break rooms another space where employees are exposed to wellness education, capturing their interest during their downtime.

Align your employee health and wellbeing programs with the excitement and engagement that naturally arises during the transition from winter to spring. By incorporating wellness programs and resources into your workplace, you can create an environment that supports and encourages a healthier workforce.

Check out our recent post on the 6 Ways to Improve Your Wellness Plan for 2018 or reach out to your OneDigital representative for additional program ideas and ways you can challenge your employees to embrace a long-term fitness strategy.

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