A wellbeing program that nobody opens has cost you its full price and returned nothing.
Buying a program is the easy part. Getting the right employees to use it, and keep using it, is where the value is won or lost. We help design the communication and incentive structure that gets a program opened, not just purchased. Engagement is reported every quarter as part of our health and cost strategy.
The people who need a program most are the least likely to read the launch email.
General announcements reach employees who are already healthy and engaged. We design outreach for the people the program was chosen to help.
Aim at the Condition
A program chosen for a specific cost driver should be introduced to the people it serves. Where the vendor can reach eligible members directly, we use that channel, so the message arrives from the program, not from HR. Targeted outreach improves wellbeing program engagement.
Meet People Where They Work
Shift workers, field staff and remote employees need different channels. We plan the mix around how your workforce actually communicates, because a message that never arrives cannot persuade. Channel planning helps wellbeing programs reach every employee. Plan the channel mix.
Explain the Privacy
Employees hesitate to join a health program if they think their manager will see the results. We say plainly what the employer can and cannot see, which removes the most common reason people hold back. Clear privacy messaging raises wellbeing program participation.
Keep It Going
Participation fades after launch. We schedule reminders around moments that matter, such as open enrollment and new-hire orientation, so the program stays visible all year. Year-round reminders keep wellbeing engagement from fading after launch and keep the program visible to new hires.
Once a reward depends on a health outcome, the program is regulated.
Incentives work, but they bring rules. HIPAA, the ACA, the ADA and GINA each reach wellness programs in different ways, and the agencies have revisited their guidance more than once.
Participation or Outcome
A reward for simply taking part is treated differently from a reward for hitting a target. Outcome-based programs must offer a reasonable alternative to anyone who cannot meet the standard, so we design that path from the start. Outcome-based wellness programs must offer reasonable alternatives.
Limits on the Reward
Federal rules cap how large a health-contingent reward or surcharge can be, including tobacco surcharges. We size incentives within the current rules, and counsel confirms the design before launch. Federal limits shape wellness incentive design. Counsel confirms the design before launch.
Medical Questions
Screenings and health questionnaires raise ADA and GINA issues about what is voluntary and what can be asked about family members. That is why we route those design choices through counsel, not the vendor. ADA and GINA rules shape wellness screening design.
The best incentive rewards the behavior that changes cost, not the click that is easiest to count.
Points for step counts and webinar attendance generate activity. Activity is not the same as outcomes.
Reward the Right Step
Completing a preventive visit or staying on a maintenance medication tends to matter more than logging a workout. We tie rewards to those steps, so the incentive follows the cost driver. Rewarding cost-relevant steps makes wellness incentives effective. Reward preventive steps.
Make It Visible
A premium credit shown on each paycheck is easier to value than an annual gift card. We choose the form of reward employees will notice, which keeps the incentive working after launch. Visible rewards keep wellness incentives effective. Paycheck credits get noticed.
Measure Honestly
We agree on the engagement measures before launch and compare them with the goals set at selection, so the program is renewed on evidence rather than on habit. Agreed engagement measures make wellbeing program renewals evidence-based. Renew on evidence, not habit.
What employers ask about engagement.
Is a tobacco surcharge worth it?
It can shift behavior and cost, but it is regulated as a health-contingent program, which means a reasonable alternative and a cap on the amount. We weigh the administrative effort against the benefit before recommending one. Tobacco surcharges need careful compliance design.
What if engagement stays low?
Low engagement usually points to the wrong audience, channel or program. We diagnose which before adding incentives, because paying people to use a poor fit rarely lasts. Diagnosing the cause fixes low wellbeing engagement. Paying people to use a poor fit rarely lasts.
Can leadership help?
Visible use by managers and leaders makes participation normal. We build that into the launch plan, since employees follow what they see, not what they are told. Leadership participation boosts wellbeing program engagement, because employees follow what they see managers do.
Related reading: Teladoc Health explained for employers
Where the Rules Come From.
The laws and rules named on this page link to the statute or regulation they come from. This is general information, not legal or tax advice, and rules change, so check the current text.
Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148)
The 2010 health reform law, with later amendments, behind employer coverage, reporting and market rules.
HIPAA Privacy Rule (45 CFR Part 164)
Federal privacy and security standards for protected health information held by health plans.
Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. Chapter 126)
Prohibits disability discrimination in employment and other areas.
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (42 U.S.C. Chapter 21F)
Limits use of genetic information by group health plans and employers.
Send us your renewal.
We’ll tell you whether it looks competitive, where we see opportunity, and the five questions we’d put to your carrier. No cost, and no obligation to move anything.
The renewal letter
Your current plan summary
Contribution split by tier
Enrolled counts by tier
Four documents — two more if your group is 50 or more. Nothing else; every extra one is a reason to postpone.
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