What’s the number one secret to a successful corporate wellness program?
I’ve been doing corporate health and wellness for more than 30 years now, and if you asked me to pick just one thing that makes or breaks a program’s success, I’d say this:
WIIFM.
No, not a secret code. It stands for What’s In It For Me.
Employees need to hear about the personal benefits of taking part in your program. Tell them what they’ll get out of it, and why they should invest their time and effort.
A program that can demonstrate a clear, compelling WIIFM will win over a high budget or fancy bells and whistles.
The key is to identify the WIIFM for your employees from the outset, and then use it every time you talk about your program with your employees, from the launch right through to when you report back to them on results.
There are four aspects to a strong WIIFM: the why, the benefits, the proof and the rewards.
What about other success factors for corporate health?
Why not budget? Leadership? Variety? Evidence-based interventions? Behaviour change principles? Strategic bespoke services targeted to corporate goals?
All these are important, sure. Vital. But by themselves, they won’t make your employees’ heart sing; they won’t resonate with your employees’ feelings, beliefs and values.
Your employees won’t rush home to tell their spouse: “we’ve got the most strategically integrated set of behaviour-change interventions you’ve ever seen”.
WIIFM makes your program come alive and feel real and relevant to your employees.
Want more advice on running a successful corporate health program? Call us on 1300 90 10 90 or email us for a free consultation.
