I get it. As an employer, you want all of your employees to see the value of participating in a workplace wellness program. Here’s the challenge: it’s not like the thought of biometric screenings and health assessments instantly screams “this is exciting stuff!”

There are ways to get your team on board, though. We know a thing or two about the topic as Cypress received the Corporate Wellness Award from New North B2B in 2016 and was also honored with a Gold Well Workplace Award from WELCOA in 2013. One of the simplest (and most overlooked) methods for boosting wellness participation is to ask for employees’ input. Beyond the basic screenings, what are they looking for in a wellness program? Are there certain challenges or activities that would inspire them? How can you help in the motivation department?

Oftentimes, even with the best intentions, a wellness initiative just isn’t broad enough. Maybe there’s not much variety or the program elements are too structured. Whatever the case, employees will be reluctant to take part if the only options offered don’t align with their individual health situations and/or goals.

Think about incentives, too. Is there some sort of reward beyond bragging rights that employees are working toward in that six-week activity challenge? Consider this as an opportunity to get creative. Everyone loves a cash prize, but what about company bucks or a health-related gadget (hint: those fitness tracking devices are quite popular right now).

One last item – while it may not exactly be about excitement, there is another factor that can greatly impact employee participation/buy-in: has wellness been adopted as a core part of your firm’s culture? Are you sending a consistent message about it? For example, if you’re saying wellness matters, but your office’s vending machines are only stocked with junk food, it’s a mixed (and not very convincing) message. Make sure the culture and environment help support your employees’ efforts in making healthy choices.

Improved health is obviously the end goal for any workplace wellness effort, but it’s important to mix in some fun along the way. Do some brainstorming with your wellness team and see where the ideas take you!