Motivational Wellness Events.

These are fun and easy events that could be done within your organization to motivate healthy behaviors during a contest or during other times. the goal is to encourage staff member participation. Some examples -  

• Develop a sub-committee of enthusiastic staff members who will help promote the fitness program by offering ideas, suggestions and encouragement to fellow workers.

• Create monthly mailbox flyers to promote a contest or provide fitness-related education/encouragement information.

• Send a weekly voicemail on each participant’s telephone with encouraging wellness messages.

• Provide regular cumulative health progress reports.

• Offer low-fat or heart-healthful lunch selections once a week in your cafeteria or have staff members bring a healthful snack to share, with a recipe book compiled at the end of the contest or specified period (such as a National Nutrition Month in March).

• Distribute staff member gifts (pedometers or other novelty item related to some aspect of your contest theme) as registration begins.

• Allow staff members “Fitness15-Minute Walk Breaks;” corporation time to walk, exercise, etc. If appropriate, you may use a space not currently used to set up a treadmill, elliptical bicycle, some free weights and meditation music.

• Hold a T-shirt design contest.

• Create posters to map contest (or fitness) progress and to serve as reminder of your objectives -

• Use push pins or other identifiers for each individual to put up in the office showing how they have progressed - workers can get very creative with this and design pins that reflect their personalities.

• Use a bar graph to compare progress.

• Use a “thermometer” kind graphic and color in progress - consider a different, fitness-related graphic all together and color it in as you progress.

• Offer aerobic dance or walking videos in your conference or break rooms.

• Compile a list of organized events in the community that offer opportunities to get workers exercising by participating as a team (below are just a few) -

• Race for the Cure

• March of Dimes Walk America event

• Juvenile Diabetes Research

• Foundation Walk to Cure

• American Heart Association’s Heart Walk

• American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life

• American Lung Association’s Lung Run

• Local marathons or special community walks or runs

• Create or attend a health-and-fitness retreat or workshop.

• Hold a soup-and-salad luncheon followed by a hula-hoop contest!

• Use the mall as an alternate walking location during inclement weather.

• Designate “Move it Mondays” - allow workers to take an additional 10 minutes at lunchtime for exercise.

• Designate “Tasty Tuesdays” - provide employees with low-calorie treats/snacks.

• Designate “Walking Wednesdays”- allow employees to take an extra 10 minutes at lunch to walk, or “Wacky Wednesdays” that allow employees to explore new exercises.

• Designate “Thirsty Thursdays” - make healthy smoothies or juice drinks for workers.

• Designate “Fresh Fruit Fridays” for staff - offer seasonal fruit treats.

• Send weekly exercise tips to employees via the most effective communications automobile in your workplace.

• Partner with another corporation representative for local media events coordinated through your marketing or communication department.

• Make sure to encourage departmental teams to challenge each other (examples -  Patron Service, Advertising and Marketing, Medical Support).

• Establish walking clubs with executive/supervisory leadership.

• Seek out local aerobic opportunities or courses through churches, community groups, college, YMCA, etc.

• Contact several local area gyms and ask if they can or will offer group discounts for fitness programs, waive enrollment fees, or set up a 12-week program as opposed to signing an extended contract.

• Hold a Frozen Yogurt Social - “Reap the Benefits of Fitness.”

• Map out a walking track around the building including the number of laps required for one mile.