5 Ways a Wellness Solution Boosts Engagement
Engagement is more than just a buzzword in today’s workforce. Companies are putting more resources than ever into employee-first initiatives to improve engagement. Why? People are burnt out, and the data backs that up. One Gallup study revealed two-thirds of employees are experiencing some level of burnout on the job.
Programs like Sonic Boom Wellness, a digital corporate wellbeing solution, are pivotal in curbing stress and job fatigue within organizations. But how exactly do they do this? Here are five key things that any wellness vendor should provide to your employees.
Social connectivity
One of Sonic Boom’s greatest strengths is facilitating connection — a core focus that should be part of any digital wellbeing program. With many teams working remotely, being able to collaborate effectively can be a challenge that negatively impacts morale and the bottom line. It’s also a matter of productivity; a recent Gallup report showed that highly engaged teams see a 21% increase in productivity overall.
Additionally, digital solutions that can be used anywhere also ensure everyone across the organization sees the same company updates, can participate in the same challenges and contests, and can utilize the same recognition tools and rewards systems. It gives colleagues something to talk about over the virtual watercooler.
Strategic incentives
Strategic incentives play a vital role in employee engagement. While Sonic Boom doesn’t believe in “over-incentivizing” (members need a reason all their own to keep coming back), offering rewards that follow best practices and align with the company’s larger objectives is crucial. At Sonic Boom, our rewards structures are a key differentiator; we tailor them to fit the needs of each individual client.
When implemented properly, incentive programs can not only improve connection and utilization, but can also help facilitate long-lasting wellness changes that correlate with health improvements. For example, many of our clients incorporate regular well checks and demographic-specific exams into their quarterly and annual rewards. This is one productive way to boost engagement and encourage workers to get preventive exams.
Wellbeing education
However, earning rewards can’t be the only source of wellness knowledge. Health content, combined with the other features listed in this article, creates a one-stop-shop for members to find everything they need to live their healthiest life. Like many vendors, Sonic Boom addresses several key topics within their Academy, including exercise, nutrition, mental health, financial wellbeing, sleep, hydration, and more. Electing interest in, or completing, these topics helps any wellness vendor curate each user’s feed with material that means the most to them. What’s more? Educational content can round out an effective incentive program, continually incentivizing the user to engage with the platform and continue their health journey.
Habit tracking and risk assessment
Another common feature of wellness programs is a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) or Health Quality Assessment (HQA) — both important ways to procure member information and further inform communications to match the results. Additionally, this provides an easily digestible snapshot of the person’s health, arming them with informative data to bring to their next doctor’s visit. Paired with recording habits, whether through in-app trackers or device syncing (or both), risk assessments can keep members on the path toward reducing red indicators and improving in “yellow” areas. Sonic Boom offers all these functionalities, including a create-your-own option to complement the existing hydration, mood, weight, and vegetable trackers.
Tailored communications
So what ties a wellness program and all of its modules together? Proper communications. A personalized experience is paramount when it comes to boosting engagement. Sonic Boom, like many vendors, provides recommendation cards and site alerts that can be modified to share important messaging around EAP, company initiatives, or other pertinent information that employees need to know.
Further, many vendors use data collected through assessments and onboarding to finetune this content. Are you at risk for heart disease per your assessment? Here’s a nudge to complete the new heart challenge posted today. Are you hypertensive? Check out your company’s EAP to learn what resources can help address it. Creating a comprehensive wellness hub gives employees a reason to come back, and it shows you, as the employer, care about supporting their wellbeing.
Authored by Caitlyn Smith, Sonic Boom Wellness