How Promotional Products can be Used for Corporate Wellness Programs

Why Start a Corporate Wellness Program?

Studies have show that some of the most prolific and chronic diseases are now conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes and these of some of top killers in North America. These diseases along with obesity and risk-related lifestyle choices such as tobacco use and poor diet are factors that can influence overall well-being. Improper health activities by employees can also lead to reduced productivity, absenteeism or disability. Research has also shown that wellness programs are also one of the top employee incentive programs that attract new workers to your company looking for jobs.

What can be Done?

The key opportunity is to make significant changes in corporate environments which includes promoting health in the workplace through educational programs, health screenings, gym memberships and installing onsite facilities at work. You can make it feel personalized with a corporate gift box for your employees. Studies have shown that in two to five years an efficiently run wellness program can yield over $3.00 return for every dollar spent.  

But, in order to have a successful wellness program, you need to have participants who are willing to participate and are devoted to the programs in place.  This is where a few great promotional items along with an organized approach to setting up a program can be extremely valuable.

How to Setup a Wellness Program?

Before launching your program, hold employee information sessions to share your vision for the program, hear their concerns, and solicit input. These sessions will help engage employees, vendors, and partners to ensure an integrated approach to wellness. 

Engage Your Employees

Engage your employees in establishing the focus and direction of your program and asking employees what they are interested in and how they would like to participate in a workplace wellness program. This not only provides valuable information to ensure that programs are aligned with their needs, but also fosters a sense of employee ownership. 

Use Internal Company Communications Vehicles to Get Your Messages Out

Use multiple vehicles to promote your wellness message including print materials, message boards, the company’s intranet site, special events, town hall meetings, and social media. Most organizations thrive on healthy competition whether it is a departmental weight loss challenge or an intercompany activity challenge. Most of all share success stories. This keeps employees inspired through real-life examples which keeps the program familiar and local. 

How to Use Promotional Products Get Employee Participation in Wellness Programs?

Employers also have a number of resources at their disposal to get employees on board with a new wellness initiative.  Organizers can quote figures, offer incentives, assign coaches and they can also invest in morale-building promotional items.

Participation in wellness programs always spikes when there is a challenge going on. A few draw prizes, a team trophy, and bragging rights are all you need to keep employees engaged and coming back for more.  Branded promotional items can also help.

Start with personalized water bottles, which you can get in BPA-free plastic or lightweight stainless steel. Our top types of custom water bottles are a good place to start – a branded water bottle is perfect for promoting employee wellness year-round. Have your company logo or health program slogan printed effectively on the side. This will help employees feel like they are part of a team effort to improve company wellness.  By developing unique apparel programs, investing in promotional T-shirts for employees, providing corporate branded custom duffel bags, corporate team jackets or branded hats you will help build your brand while helping to get your employees in better shape.  A few branded office related reminder items like cups, pens and calculators can help with messaging and remind employees while they are sitting at their desks.

Of course, you can also encourage employees to take up sporting activities outside the gym as well.  For example, encouraging a team member to complete specific health related programs, trophies, plaques or electronic items can act as great motivators.  We have hundreds of ideas here in which to help.

Putting it all Together

Other things you can do is highlight your ‘healthy heroes’ on bulletin boards, in newsletters, using social media, and at meetings. Highlight personal success stories of the executive team to promote healthy role models. Create spaces in your workplace that foster social wellness and connectivity. This will ensure that your wellness program gets off to the right start and using a few good branded support promotional tools will help engage your employees further and keep them coming back for more.