Health Promotion Case Study In this scenario the individual has been asked by a local law firm to come into the organization and establish a wellness program to promote the health of its employees. The firm includes a team of 20 lawyers, 3 managers, 45 paralegals, 5 administrative assistants, 2 information technologists and 4 part-time housekeeping and maintenance staff. The partners agreed last year to install a fully equipped gym in their building because otherwise they would receive a discount on the health insurance if 85% of the employees were participating in the gym at least an average of 90 minutes a week. At the time of renewal of the health care benefits package, the organization was disqualified from the discount because only approximately 10% of the employees were participating in the gym. This case involves a solution for engaging more of the law firm employees in health promotion activities through the gym.

Case Study

The reasons that employees fail to exercise are inclusive of not having enough time, too many obligations with their family, and some simply do not like to exercise. However, there are ways that the organization can motivate its' employees to exercise. For example, it is reported that approximately "90% of employers offer wellness incentives, or financial rewards or prizes to employees who work toward getting healthier." (Wieczner, 2013, p. 1) That is reported to be up from the 57% of companies in 2009 that offered these perks. Perks earned by employees for exercising and becoming healthier are reported to average approximately $521.00 per employee. (Wieczner,...

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The use of an Educational-Awareness Incentive Program involves the company offering rewards for completion of activities including risk factor and personal health assessments. Educational/Awareness Incentives include various screenings as well and it is reported that incentives "worth at least $100 are needed to get about 75% of employees to participate. Smaller rewards than that tend to motivate in the range of only 30% to 50%, experts say." (Wieczner, 2013, p. 1) Stated as the positive aspects of this type of incentive program is that "the simple activities are a good way to introduce employees to healthy behavior and their own risk factors. Companies can also use the data to figure out what their workers' health needs are." (Wieczner, 2013,, p. 1) The negative aspect to these type programs is stated to be that relating to employees "about their risks and giving them advice won't necessarily lead them to take action." (Wieczner, 2013,, p. 1)

Another type incentive plan is the Action-Based Incentive Plan which involves employees earning rewards and maybe avoiding penalties and it is stated that employees "are required to take action to improve their health after going through a risk assessment, such as joining a weight-management program or getting a preventive screening." (Wieczner, 2013, p. 1) The…