Corporate wellness programs are a crock of shit.
No data? No ROI? No way I’m losing weight for my company!
You can take your paternalistic, nanny-state policies and stick them in your pie hole.
Also, I hope your pie hole is either apple or french silk.
The one thing that might make me reconsider and support a corporate wellness program? Daily massage.
You could try to pay me $200/month to make an effort to stay away from alcohol and transfats and I would say, “Thanks but no thanks.”
Offer me a daily massage? Deep tissue? In the nude? With lavender and peppermint oils? Well that’s another story. If you make an offer to nationalize health care and include in-offices massages as part of the overall legislation, I might tell you that I’m making a concerted effort to avoid bacon and vodka.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Waitaminute! Bacon and Vodka are good for you! Especially if consumed at the same time. And if you have them both just before a massage…it can change the world.
As someone on a wellness committee I do have to say that the constant nagging I have to do got old really fast. And what’s worse is all the annoying remarks I get the second I deviate from healthy for a minute. I know that I’m handing out candy but it’s small, deal with it. The joke wasn’t even funny the first time.
So, I know you hate corporate wellness programs … but what about bringing an outside program in-house, like Weight Watchers?
Our company started a voluntary Weight Watchers group a couple years ago and it’s been a total success. Once a week the group has a meeting and (private) weigh-in at work. Employees get a discount on the fees and all the supplies (workbooks and such) are free.
Though daily massages are not included, what are your thoughts?
Laurie, for once I disagree with you…yes it is a pain in the ass to get buy in, etc…but we have 80%of our employees in factory and warehouse jobs…they lack $, time,education on wellness. we offer opportunities…walking at lunch…weight watchers, health fairs, free cancer screenings, smoke enders, etc…if they didn’t participate thru work they wouldn’t get started…Three employees had early detection on cancer over past two years…make fun of it, but it can make a difference and even on rare occassion save a life (hope i didn’t make you feel bad!).
@Pete Again, you are right. What was I thinking?
@HRMinion The worst job in the world is being the calorie police. I was asked to help lead a pedometer give-away in the office, a few years, ago. I was pretty clear that the only pedometers I’ll give away @ work are the ones I give away as paperweights.
@Marie If Weight Watchers worked, it would work itself out of existence. It’s a pyramid scheme with branded products and a platform — weight loss versus health — that doesn’t work. Thanks but no thanks.
@Mark Why don’t we just offer a more thoughtful work environment (where employees, can walk, get access to healthcare, take naps, etc.) and call it A NORMAL WORK ENVIRONMENT? Why do we need initiatives and incentives?
@Mark x2 — Also — you are awesome and I believe that healthy living saves lives. I’m just saying that employers shouldn’t micromanage the process.
Laurie, our company culture is paternalistic, we are going on 103yrs in business and do things the old fashion way, ownership still feels responsible on some levels for employee welfare. If some one is in need of help they will offer personal help (like calling a specialist to get an hourly worker seen by someone who normally would not give them the time of day, you get the picture).
You are right about micro managing, we (meaning me and my team) don’t micro manage it, we offer it…no sticks or even carrots…not the norm (??? NOT SURE ABOUT OTHER CO’S.)…I beleive adults have a right to make choices…we just give them options…not everyones cup of tea or coffee….
The only reason wellness programs are around is because employers are somehow mixed up in this whole “providing medical insurance” mess. You are ranting at the wrong people IMO. Wellness is trying to put a bandaid on a much larger problem. Of course it is ineffective but raging against wellness programs doesn’t accomplish much.
I would prefer an individual insurance structure and you would probably prefer something else but either one of those solutions would get rid of wellness programs at their root cause (companies trying to grapple with an employee cost they shouldn’t have to).
Lance, when you’re a woman, raging against things ALWAYS works. It makes you feel a hell of a lot better. And, really? That is all that matters.
@lance I’ve ranted against the root cause in the past. It’s not as sexy and it requires more thought. Raging against the obvious is easier.
@Jenn In my house, we’ve perfected SHREWING to an art form. I’ve taken back SHREW from the chauvinists and turned it into an empowering way of communicating. (Don’t ask my husband about this, though.)