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Workplace wellness, activate!

The benefits (and savings) of incentivizing employees to get moving

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Physical activity is only one aspect of whole-body wellness but incentivizing it can bring your workforce great rewards in terms of overall health through stress reduction and weight management – adding up to healthier, happier, more productive individuals. The benefits of a less sedentary workforce can even impact your bottom line.

“We already know that exercise is foundational to physical, mental and behavioral health, with short- and long-term benefits that directly translate into lower healthcare costs,” said Kristen Lippencott, manager of well-being solutions for Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield. “People who feel better tend to show up to work in better ways, too.”

Healthier, more regularly active people generally have lower long-term medical costs than people who do not incorporate daily movement into their lifestyles. Those costs can be measured in terms of lower direct medical costs, such as fewer prescriptions and hospitalizations, but also fewer sick days, less stress and possibly increased performance. Starting or enhancing an employee wellness program could be a strategic, rewarding investment in the health of your workforce.

Stressing out physical health

Regular physical activity has numerous wellness benefits, including reducing stress. And Lippencott says the daily stress workforces experience, especially without physical activity, can compromise our whole bodies, including musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, nervous and reproductive systems.

“Stress has hugely negative effects on our bodies and makes weight gain more likely, while increasing the chances for chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, among many others,” Lippencott said. “Basically, it can negatively affect everything.”

Chronic stress also plays a significant role in weight management and a person’s ability to lose weight. Consider that:

The sickness of sitting

A sedentary lifestyle – one that includes minimal physical activity, often with extended periods of sitting as is common, particularly for office workers – contributes to stress and long-term health problems. According to MedlinePlus, here are a few ways inactivity can impact employee health. Sedentary employees:

  • Burn fewer calories, making them more likely to gain weight
  • May lose muscle strength and endurance
  • May experience weaker bones and may lose some mineral content
  • May have metabolic difficulty breaking down fats and sugars
  • May have a less efficient immune system
  • May have decreased blood circulation
  • May experience more inflammation
  • May develop a hormonal imbalance

And all of those negative effects from a sedentary lifestyle put employees at increased risk for:

Incentivizing better health

Lippencott said employers that prioritize employee well-being and actively encourage their workforces to incorporate movement into their days (inside and outside of work) often have happier and healthier places of business. “Just finding creative ways to help motivate your workforce to move can reap benefits in terms of their overall well-being.”

She said wellness programs can help employees see physical activity as fun, positive and rewarding, especially if they find influential ways to incentivize participation. Incentives can:

  • Promote engagement: Incentives help boost employee wellness program participation by 22%.
  • Provide motivation: Incentives can inspire and motivate employees who might need a little boost to engage in healthy behaviors like exercise.
  • Reward efforts: Incentive programs create opportunities to recognize individual and team efforts and encourage people of all fitness/health levels.

Six tips for wellness program success

Here are some tips Lippencott suggests for incentivizing employees to embrace wellness:

  • Focus on participation, not outcomes. It’s often more motivating to commit to a task than to focus on a specific metric.
  • Use a points-based approach. Consider allowing employees to accumulate points for completing various activities, with the option to “save up” or spend as earned.
  • Ask employees what they want by conducting a pulse survey. Knowing what motivates them and what their goals and interests are helps you match a program to your workforce.
  • Consider awarding non-monetary incentives. Donations to a favorite charity, paid time off and non-branded giveaways like water bottles, t-shirts and Bluetooth speakers can spark interest.
  • When giving monetary awards, think outside the cash box. Consider things like HSA or FSA contributions, discounts on gym fees or online fitness classes, a reduction in health insurance premiums and other ways to offer value or savings.
  • Communicate often. This will have the added bonus of increasing awareness of what you offer.

Make a note for 2026

Lippencott recommends the Blue & You Fitness Challenge, an annual wellness competition among Arkansas organizations held each spring, as a popular – and free – way to incentivize movement. The 2026 competition team registration happens in January, with organizations signing up teams for three months of motivating fitness challenges and incentives that start in March.

“Employees across the state enjoy competing for prizes or just to be part of the positive movement, in both senses,” Lippencott said. “Participating employees are more likely to find ways to incorporate physical activity into their lifestyles. We hope your group will join us next year.”

However you approach a wellness program at your organization, we’re happy to help with wellness options, programs and support for small and large groups. Contact your sales representative or broker for more information about getting a wellness program started for your workforce.