Incentives

There are different philosophies concerning the use of incentives to promote participation in worksite wellness programs.  Some feel incentives shouldn’t be used and employees should participate to improve health and wellness.  For those who support the use of incentives, there are different types of incentives to consider.  Some of these include paid time off, savings on health insurance premiums, cash, company gear, trinkets, food, etc.  There is also the question of the value of the incentive and how that can make the incentive more successful.  Some feel an incentive must at least $100 in value to be effective, others feel any amount can work to increase participation.  One thing to consider when choosing incentives is to decide if the incentive is a prize for participation or if it addresses barriers.  For example, if lack of time to participate is an issue, perhaps allowing flex time could address that barrier.  Do you use incentives in your wellness programs?  What incentives have you found most popular?  What incentives have you found least popular?  In your program, have incentives helped increase participation?  What advice would you give regarding the use of incentives?