May is Global Employee Health and Fitness Month, making it the perfect time to launch a new—or promote your existing—workplace wellness program with corporate gift cards.
Since the pandemic, employee wellness programs have proliferated. In fact, 62% of small firms and 80% of large firms offering health benefits also have at least one wellness program, according to a KFF report.
That’s likely because organizations understand that their efforts to support employee well-being are worth it. In a 2021 Statista survey, most U.S. employees said wellness programs help them be as productive as possible (79%), help them avoid getting sick (79%) and are one of the reasons they stay at their job (75%).
Here are seven ideas for using corporate gift cards to increase engagement with your organization’s wellness program.
READ MORE: Online Gift Cards to Send Employees to Show You’re a Company That Cares
No need for a smartwatch—just ask participants to download a free step tracker app on their smartphone. Reward participants with the highest number of steps each day, every week or during the entire month. Give your employees a selection of corporate gift cards so they can choose a prize that motivates them to participate.
Sitting has been called the new smoking. Encourage employees to build in breaks for movement throughout their workday with Movement Bingo cards. Use an online bingo card generator to create cards with the categories in different card spots.
Include activities like:
To amp up the excitement, consider giving corporate gift cards for a variety of wins, including signing up to participate, achieving five in a row, marking spots to form an X, and getting all four corners. You can even run a new bingo game each week during the month of May to help these healthy habits stick.
Meditation has been shown to improve sleep, relieve stress, and increase focus. Apps like Calm or Headspace are a simple way to introduce employees to mindfulness, the concept of focusing your attention on the present moment. Meditation is a tool that can train the brain to bring its attention back to the present by reminding practitioners to focus on their breath.
When you offer these kinds of apps as part of your employee wellness program, you can ask participants to share how much time they spent using them each week. Consider offering corporate gift cards for downloading an app, using it every single day, or being a power user over the course of a month. At your next meeting, ask participants to share what they noticed about how they felt after using the apps. Their observations could motivate others to begin practicing meditation, too.
This idea is a no-brainer, especially if your organization offers reimbursement for gym memberships or fitness classes. Whoever attends 10 or more classes during Health and Fitness Month receives a gift card reward to help them purchase their favorite workout gear from retailers such as:
Stress about finances can also take a toll on employees’ sleep, mental health and self-esteem, according to PwC’s 2023 Employee Financial Wellness Survey. In fact, 57% of employees surveyed said finances are the top source of stress in their lives.
Why not kick off financial education courses as part of Health and Fitness Month at your organization? Incentivize attendance and completion with corporate gift cards that help pay for essentials like groceries, gas, or home maintenance.
Proper nutrition plays an important role in both mental and physical health. Offer a webinar on making healthy food choices, start a Slack channel for sharing wellness-focused recipes, or serve a catered lunch with plenty of fresh veggies and lean proteins. Give participants corporate gift cards to Hello Fresh to encourage cooking at home instead of grabbing fast food.
Did you know that about 30% of U.S. workers don’t know how to access their company Employee Assistance Program (EAP)? This confidential counseling service offers professional help to employees and their family members for any type of personal problem. Promote your EAP—and encourage participation—by giving corporate gift cards for attending a presentation about what your program offers. EAPs can help your organization identify and address a wide range of health, financial, and social issues that may be affecting your employees.
Want to learn more about what employees want from your rewards programs? Download our latest Employee Incentives Report from NAPCO Research!
BHN Rewards puts the power of digital rewards to work for marketers, researchers, and HR managers. Don't forget to check out all the great content in our Resources section!
BHN Rewards puts the power of digital rewards to work for marketers, researchers, and HR managers. Don't forget to check out all the great content in our Resources section!
