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Engagement Strategy Research

Strategy

Tactic

Source

Involve leaders

Senior executives, Division


managers, Regional managers,
Store managers

Mobile apps, videos, eCommunicate across multiple


newsletters, email, text
digital channels
messaging, social media tools

Point of decision

Create a
Communication
Strategy to Educate Connect through families
and Maximize
Awareness

Identify
Incentives/Rewards
That Increase
Employee
Engagement

Recommendation/ Practical Application

Pros and Cons of Recommendation

Have the leaders provide their own testimonials to engage in a healthier


lifestyle

Pros: All associates are familiar with leaders in their division/region/company wide.
Research shows associates respect these leaders and are more likely to participate
because their leaders are.
Not only engage leadership in the beginning to kick off a program, keep them Research shows senior leaders can increase awareness of a program through their
engaged and promoting the program throughout it's entire run
own promotion
Cons: Leaders may not be willing to promote wellness activities. Leaders are not
currently actively involved in their health and well-being and choose not to participate
for fear of being hypocritical
Create emails to send to store managers to print and hang our health
communication posters
Pros: Easy/timely way to communicate new programs or health messages
Most associates already use these modes of communication daily
Create Facebook/Pinterest (social media) tools to communicate health
Cons: Store managers might ignore e-mail or just not put up poster
messages while reaching a wide range of associates

Placing signage to guide healthy


Placing nutritional information near food items in the cafeterias, physical
behavioral decisions in places
activity information around the pond or the second floor "track", increasing
where these decisions can easily
stair use promotion
be made

Pros: Research shows seeing a message promoting a healthy behavior around the
same time and individual is making that particular behavior choice, they are more
likely to pick the healthy (or promoted) option because they are reminded of that
option at the time
Cons: Research shows this type of communication is beneficial in public places (mall,
library, etc.) but has yet to show significant changes in a workplace setting

Identify spouses and domestic


Send out home mailers to reach spouses and domestic partners
partners of associates to
increase associate and family
Utilize platforms such as social media, where spouses and domestic partners
utilization of wellness programs
can easily access information on wellness programs and initiatives
Home mailers

Pros: Research shows home mailers are extremely effective in reaching the intended
audience while getting the message across
Cons: For the amount of associates we have, home mailers are expensive

Play on loss aversion

Highlight what associates will


lose by not participating in the
wellness activities

Pros: Studies have shown that people value losing something twice as much as
Let the associates know what has the potential to be lost such as money, time,
gaining the same amount
and/or sustainability to chronic diseases
Cons: Could be viewed as a scare tactic, making people not want to participate

Design effective
communication

Tailor communications to promote a wide range of healthy behaviors more


Communication messaging such effectively than generic materials for example, segment population by
as time clock and passport
demographics, age, gender, ethnicity, stage of life, lifestyle behaviors, chronic
messages
conditions, readiness to change, attitude toward health, self-efficacy toward
recommended behavior

Pros: More people will be able to relate to the health messages, making them more
likely to listen and participate because they know how the program directly affects
them
Cons: There are multiple different ways we can segment the associate population,
choosing the one that motivates and engages the most amount of people could be
difficult

Associate testimonials

Publix news inserts

Pros: Associates are more likely to read and become engaged in initiatives that
directly involve them. E.g. reading something they are featured in
Put a comment box on P. org so associates can send in recommendations of
Associates tend to trust their peers more than their employer, which is why associate
other associates who are participating in wellness activities that addresses one
testimonials may resonate with associates more.
or all 4 wellness pillars
Cons: Associates may not be willing to make testimonials, based on personal (or
other) reasons

Social norm campaign

Publix news inserts

Publish key statistics about associate behaviors such as eating healthy, getting Pros: Publicizing the correct statistics can change behaviors by emphasizing the true
the recommended amount of physical activity, smoking stats, etc. to inform
norm
other associates know how healthy their peers are. Essentially creating a "did Cons: If there is no misperception between actual norm and perceived norm, this will
you know" column
not work

Chance incentives

Lottery, sweepstakes, prize


drawings

Pros: the small chance of a large reward is more emotionally appealing than gift
Utilize a large reward only offered to one or two people, chosen from a lottery cards or a guaranteed small amount of cash
of all who participated in a program
Cons: There is minimal evidence that the intended behavior change is sustained
once the incentive is removed

Prize winning for a competition

Pros: Awards and recognitions are a cost-effective way to engage associates in


wellness programs. The drive to receive recognition, often a competition, drives
participation more than a monetary compensation
Offer trophies or recognition certificates to award winners for engaging and/or Cons: Employers have the idea that if you offer an incentive you can get associates
making great achievements in the wellness programs offered
to do something they otherwise wouldnt. This makes incentives more of a
methodology for manipulating associates rather than a legitimate strategy employed
by the organization in providing associates with temporary motivating in helping
them to voluntarily adopt a health behavior.

Awards and recognitions

Identify
Incentives/Rewards
That Increase
Employee
Engagement

Financial incentives

Gift cards, cash

Offer a substantial monetary reward to motivate associates to engage in one


time efforts such as getting a health screening, flu shot, etc.

Pros: Financial incentives are effective in increasing participation in programs that


require simple or one time efforts
Cons: There is minimal evidence that the intended behavior change is sustained once
the incentive is removed

Penalties

Higher insurance claims

Increase health insurance premiums if associates choose not to engage in


health promotion programs you would like to see them engaged in, such
tobacco cessation programs, physical activity programs

Pros: this engagement strategy produces high participation rates, even more than
with high value reward incentives
Cons: penalties can be controversial, employers would likely need associate buy-in to
implement them, lawsuits

Associates who want to (or are


chosen to) engage their
store/region/division in
corporate wellness initiatives

Pros: Wellness champions can help tailor the health program to their associates
desired needs
Wellness champions provide a new mode of communication to help us reach
associates in every division, region, store, etc.
Support associate engagement by making associate advisory board, wellness Wellness champions can serve as an associate resource, implement wellness
committees, or wellness champions to participate, advocate and allocate their activities at the local level, while also promoting wellness programs at the corporate
own resources to the health program.
level
Cons: Being able to decipher what compensation will the champions receive?
Recognition, stipend, or standard compensation. What is the most appropriate?
On the clock time would need to be used for the wellness champion when they are
working in this additional role

Leaders at all levels

Pros: All associates are familiar with leaders in their division/region/company wide.
Research shows associates respect these leaders and are more likely to participate
Leaders can show their support by promoting and participating in company
because their leaders are.
initiatives (e.g.. Health screenings, fitness competitions, flu shots, etc.), role
Research shows senior leaders can increase awareness of a program through their
modeling the preferred behavior (e.g.. Using stairs, eating healthy, walk during
own promotion
work), as well as recognize successful associates or winning teams
Cons: The leaders may not always want to choose the healthy option, therefore, can
not (or will not) promote it

Ensure
Wellness champions
Organizational
Commitment
Through
Involvement of
Employee Leaders
and Program
Alignment With The
Companys Culture
and Strategies
Management support

Eliminate unhealthy
food/drink options

Vending machines

Evaluate what is currently in vending machines, determine what the company


as a whole would like to see in the vending machines as far as healthy options
are concerned and then meet with vendor to see if healthy options are
possible and how soon it can be implemented.
Also ensuring that we are evaluating the vending machines periodically to
make sure the vendor is putting the appropriate foods in the correct place

Provide flexible worktime to


allow for physical activity
throughout the day

Encourage associates to use their 15 minute breaks to go for a walk, make it


engaging by providing fun facts along the way
15 minute breaks

Create a Supportive
Work Environment

strategically place healthy


food options in convenient
locations

Vending machines, cafeteria

Improve physical environment Workspace

Provide retail associates with exercises they can do that correlate with their
position such as stretches a cashier can do while taking a brief break, in
between customers

Place healthy food at eye level and above while placing the unhealthier food
options at or near the bottom
Begin the food line in the cafeteria with the healthy section first, followed by
the traditional food

Pros: Research shows that people are moving from 3 standard meals a day to 5 or 6
smaller meals a day. While at work, some of these people are getting these meals
from the vending machines. Providing healthier options in the vending machines
could provide the opportunity for these associates to choose the healthier option, one
step to helping them become healthier individuals.
Cons: If the vending machine selection is changed without proper communication as
to why, associates may not think positively about the Wellness Program, could even
be resentful because we may be taking away food options they enjoy, even though
we have good intensions

Pros: Utilizing already allotted break time from work for associates to actively engage
in their health
There are a variety of ways we can implement this engagement strategy at all levels
(retail, support)
Corporate policies that provide flexible work time for physical activity were associated
with increased associate activity levels in three of four studies
Cons: Associates are have set ways they spend their 15 minute breaks and are not
willing to change them

Pros: Research has shown when healthy foods are placed at eye level, associates are
more likely to choose that option (related to: point of decision strategy)
Cons: Vending machine company may be un willing to organize their machine this
way
Changing the lines in the cafeteria might confuse or frustrate associates who are not
aware of the change, or why the change was made

Pros: Physical ergonomics is important in the medical field, particularly to those


diagnosed with physiological ailments or disorders such as arthritis (both chronic and
Improve the physical ergonomic systems by adapting the associates daily
temporary) or carpal tunnel syndrome
equipment and workplaces to fit the associate. (e.g. standing desks, improved
Can reduce the number of associates out for work-related musculoskeletal disorders
standing areas with cushioned floor for retail associates)
(WRMDs) (roughly 600,000 workers per year)
Cons: The price to implement this for all associates in all areas would be very high

Social groups at work, families,


online social networks

Pros: Group programs offer many benefits. They add an element of social support
and camaraderie, and can engage those who may be more motivated by the social
aspects of the program
Group programs added to other forms of treatment (such as nicotine replacement)
produce additional benefits
Allow, suggest or incentivize associates to invite a co-worker or family member
A majority of associates are already online, so it could be convenient for them to visit
to join the program with them.
wellness blogs
Cons: There are many locations in which on-site wellness programs would need to be
Expand the size and support of an individuals network through online social
offered in order to reach all associates.
networks. An example of this could be creating wellness blogs
These programs would most likely cost money to the associate, potentially hindering
their participation

Creating teams, assigning


associates to these teams

Create a team based competition, smaller teams generate greater individual


accountability and performance vs. large groups (exact size of groups is
currently unknown)

Pros: Team based competitions adds social support and peer accountability aspect to
a regular competition
In two studies comparing individual- versus team-based competition, team-based
competitions had less attrition and better health outcomes
Competitions bring an element of fun to health
Cons: Teams that are too large will not produce the same positive engagement as a
small team would
The results of competitions are not necessarily sustained after the competition ends

Make the default option the


preferred option

Create a wellness program to promote physical activity by creating exercise


commitment contracts, and in this contract, there is a set physical activity
option the associate can choose to participate in (or can actively change as
necessary, but as a starting point, there is one option for all associates)

Pros: When associates sign something like a contract, they feel more committed to
following through
Cons: May not be adaptable to all associates with certain conditions and associates
who wish to change it might find it cumbersome and not do it at all

Require associates to make a


choice

In instances when default options cannot or should not be altered, employers


can help associates overcome inertia and procrastination by requiring
associates to actively choose whether or not they will participate.

Pros: This design prevents associates from defaulting to non-participant status as a


result of making no choice
Cons: This puts pressure on the associate, in a place where the associate may have
enough pressure placed upon them without signing up for something else voluntarily

Create group programs by offering on-site tobacco cessation classes, group


physical activity workouts or weight loss programs.
Leverage associate social
tendencies

Create individual and team


based competitions

Make Health Social

Leverage behavioral
economics to overcome
procrastination

Employers can leverage the long-term interests of their associates by


designing programs to require pre-commitment.

Requesting associates to make


pre-commitment to the healthy
behavior
Have associates pre-commit to a time and date to get their flu shot or health
screening

Get Health and


Safety to Work in
Unison

Engage Associates
with Games

Coordinate health and safety


efforts to help employers
Store safety teams, wellness
achieve greater associate
team
engagement in both domains

Video game

Digital (app or game on the


internet that can be played via
phone or computer)

Pros: Pre-commitment helps associates overcome present day biases by committing


ahead of time
Research has shown pre-commitment has improved many health behaviors including
adherence to walking programs, flu vaccinations and healthy diets. The more
specifically an individual addresses how they will complete the behavior, the more
successful he or she is likely to be.
Cons: Requesting pre-commitment could become a daunting task based on the sheer
number of associates. We would need to have someone like a store manager or
wellness champion keeping track of associates in their stores pre-commitment

Pros: Each store already has a safety team that meets frequently so we would have a
set meeting time
Store associates understand the importance and relevance of safety, so putting
wellness in the mix might also help them see the importance of that as well, and they
might pay more attention to our wellness initiatives
Associate safety has worked diligently to decrease accidents over the past few
Working together could reduce company costs and we can be sure associates are not
decades by implementing more training, risk identification, and reduction
only being safe at work, but healthy as well
tactics and manager accountability. Associate wellness could use these
Could help make wellness programs more relevant to the location of the safety
learnings to determine whether similar strategies could help them create a
meeting (e.g. retail vs. distribution)
culture of health.
Cons: Safety teams may be unwilling to collaborate, might be too much if they are
already doing a great amount of safety initiatives
Create cross-departmental programs that address issues of mutual interest
such as health issues that may be contributing to injury rates, workers
compensation and short term disability claims

Create a video game that can be played on via App on a smartphone or on the
computer. Example: State Farm created an App game that used the data it was
collecting on how many steps an associate was taking per day and turned it
into a game where you were about to "tour the world". The amount of steps
Pros: Video games designed with educational elements have been shown to increase
you took per day is how far you would get and you would be "racing" coself-efficacy, promote effective disease management and self-care behaviors, creates
workers to certain destinations
a healthy competition among co-workers, can be utilized at all levels
Cons: Could be expensive to create, may require resources we do not currently have

Create a Culture of
Purpose

Identify core values of


associates and connect those Goals/values webinar or lunch
with the values of the
and learn style meeting
workplace

Have associates get together for at least a 30 minute period a year or a


quarter and discuss and complete a goals and core value setting activity

Pros: Purpose driven associates gives them greater vitality in the form of energy,
self-control, and ability to engage
When associates are able to see their goals, whether they are fitness, work, or
personally related, they are more likely to stick to those goals and work harder
towards achieving them. Having them identify their core values and then comparing
them to the company's can help them see how they identify an relate with the
company and essentially initiate that sense of purpose to strive to engage more in
programs offered- more specifically, wellness programs
Cons: This could be time consuming, hard to get all associates in a department
together at the same time (or close). A webinar could combat this by making this
lesson available whenever the associate has time to view it

Visionary leaders begin to


create and share their
purpose to get others
P. org, Publix news inserts
involved in creating their own
as well

Engage visionary leaders, whether they are executive officers or associates at


the retail level and have them share their purpose in high volume areas such
as P. org or the Publix news inserts. This could get other associates talking
about creating their purpose and could get the ball rolling on engaging others
to think in this new mind frame

Pros: engaging in identifying one's purpose will reduce defensiveness to change,


creating greater interest in vitality enhancing behaviors such as sleep, presence
(mindfulness), activity, creativity, and eating well. These factors can serve as the
basis for smoking cessation, weight, stress, anxiety and depression management,
injury prevention, and other disease prevention behaviors
Cons: This could be considered a personal matter, of which associates may not
comfortable sharing

Find more ways to create


purpose in the workplace

Pros: Taking a more positive approach might motivate those actively seeking ways to
improve their lives in many aspects, one in particular being becoming a healthier
Take an entirely new approach to health risk assessments and biometric
individual
screenings by focusing more on purpose in life and vitality rather than disease Cons: Based upon other research studies, associates are more motivated by the fear
and death
of losing something (a good health status) than by gaining something, especially
something that isn't tangible. Also because this strategy is under researched, there is
a potential for it not to work

Health risk assessments,


biometric screenings

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