Wellness challenges have become the new Biggest Loser. Instead of rewarding employees for shedding pounds, wellness challenges do just as they suggest – challenge employees to live well.
Wellness challenges are typically offered by your employer as a way to promote wellness on a daily basis or within a certain timeframe. The goal is to help decrease mounting health care costs, avoid work injury incidents, and help identify risk factors within the company population. The reward? Aside from potential monetary rewards for the winners, wellness challenges can help create a healthier version of you. They make your work life less stressful and can improve your work-life balance.
If you haven’t considered joining your company’s wellness program or a new wellness challenge that they are offering, here are four reasons why you may want to reconsider.
- You’ll Ditch the Pack a Day Habit
Employers can save nearly $6,000 per year for every employee who quits smoking, which is why smoking cessation programs or challenges are so important to them. The benefit for you? Smoking cessation challenges can help you quit or decrease smoking – helping to improve your health and save you money. Consider signing up through your employers smoking cessation program or ask if they will reimburse you for resources that will help you to kick the habit.
- You’ll Get a Better Night’s Rest
Wellness challenges aren’t all about losing weight or eating healthier. Challenges that encourage you to have more consistent sleep patterns have become a new trend in the world of corporate wellness. Lack of sleep can lead to severe health problems, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Consider joining in on sleep tracking platforms, like Sleep Cycle or Sleepbot, and encourage some of your other team members to join along with you. You’ll start to enjoy benefits like reduced stress and improved heart health.
- Your Wallet Will Thank You
Some employers, like Injured Workers Pharmacy, will offer insurance premium discounts and wellness reimbursement for your participation in your health. Wellness reimbursement programs can offer you cash back for healthy living purchases like gym memberships, sports apparel, and fitness trackers. If that isn’t a big enough win for you, you may also have the ability to earn an insurance premium discount if you’ve completed healthy initiatives, like yearly physicals, dental visits, and smoking cessation programs. Ask your employer if they currently offer or would consider offering something similar.
- You’ll Decrease Your Risk of Injury
Workplace wellness challenges have the potential to reduce your risk of on-the-job injury. Repetitive motion injuries, like carpal tunnel, are a common workers’ comp claim because of prolonged sitting, typing, and excessive computer use. Wellness challenges, like step counting and increased water consumption, can encourage you to step away from your desk and take time to concentrate on your health. Consider taking the stairs or rewarding yourself with a large, reusable water bottle to maximize your involvement in the challenge.
Not all wellness challenges are made equal and not all may be right for you. What’s most important is that you take your health seriously and take advantage of the resources made available to you by your employer. You may find that you’re happier, healthier, and have a few extra dollars in your wallet.