Articles

Employee Wellness Incentive Programs

Bethesda Health Group began investing in the health of our employees in 2006 to encourage the adoption of a healthier lifestyle.

Our first program was comprised of a simple blood screening panel and a self-reporting health questionnaire. We also implemented a discount to all employees on our insurance who were “tobacco-free,” as well as providing Smoking Cessation classes to assist those who wanted to quit smoking.

Shortly after that, we implemented a corporate weight loss program that featured competition between employees and facilities. We also began offering a full-service Employee Assistance Program through H&H Health Associates, which provides additional resources for all types of health for the employee and their family (including physical, mental, and financial health) to this day.

This was the program we would offer to our employees until 2011, which is when we implemented a new program in which employees could accumulate points after pursuing and achieving goals, activities, and challenges. If enough points were accumulated, the employee would earn a special discount of $25 per month off of their insurance contribution and potentially off of their spouse’s insurance (provided that they and their spouse were covered by the insurance Bethesda was offering).

We selected activities that encouraged healthy lifestyles, and as a result offered a wide spectrum of opportunities in which employees could participate and earn points. For example, they could complete a variety of exercises, volunteer at a 5k race, or donate blood. We would offer points for watching webinars, reading articles, and participating in workshops that addressed health-related topics.

The challenges typically last 4 to 6 weeks and focus on a single aspect of health, such as drinking more water, walking 10,000 steps per day, reducing their sugar intake, getting more rest, or increasing physical exercise. All of the challenges that an employee completes successfully, result in points toward their goal. And, of course, employees can always receive a waiver for participation in physical activities due to their health issues.

Participating Bethesda employees are working towards a goal of 500 points. Some of the latest additions to the participation options include a biometric screening, completing a health questionnaire, and getting a COVID-19 and a flu vaccine.

Currently, approximately 35% of our insurance participants are involved and take advantage of this wellness program. In 2021, the number of participants has increased by 16%. Our philosophy of wellness is working – we are encouraging the adoption of a healthy lifestyle to those employees who want to change their habits and become healthier. We have consciously chosen to not require specific outcomes to be met to receive the discount.

We at Bethesda have concluded that as long as our employees are making a conscious attempt to be healthier and are working within the options to earn the required 500 points required, we feel that that is a step in the right direction. Ultimately, the health and wellness program is a win-win situation for Bethesda – as our employees follow the program, they become healthier and the cost we have to spend for insurance claims decreases.

Kathy Joslin
SVP Human Resources & Marketing
Bethesda Health Group, Inc.
314-800-1982 (office)
314-330-3063 (cell)
314-800-1961 (fax)