Guide to Successfully Implementing an Exercise Program that Reduces Injuries and Saves the Company Money
Imagine a workplace environment bustling with healthy, active, optimistic, and energetic employees.
Imagine a workplace culture with loyal employees returning year after year, feeling appreciated and valued.
Imagine reducing injury claims by half and spending fewer hours on rearranging schedules and scrambling to fill positions to accommodate injured workers.
Unfortunately, it’s NOT EASY to get people to exercise and be proactive about their health!
If you’ve tried motivating your team to exercise without success, then you didn’t tap into what employees really want, or need, from you.
So, what makes an employee “injury prevention” program successful?
We will dive into 6 key elements that your program should include, if you want to get people exercising. Then, we will reveal how we incorporated these elements into a simple program that employees enjoy doing.
CLARITY. People want a clear plan. They don’t want to think. When it comes to an exercise program for injury prevention or safety, they don’t want to figure anything out. Keep it very straightforward and easy-to-follow. Show them the full blueprint with where they are, where they are going, and how they will get there.
CONVENIENCE. In the era of instant gratification and everything-at-your-fingertips, people want, need, and EXPECT total convenience. It should be easily accessible, doable from anywhere, modifiable to fit all types of people, and flexible to be done on their own schedule. And most importantly, an employee exercise program should NOT require a big time commitment. 15-20 minutes is long enough to be effective, and short enough to not be overwhelming.
REASON (INTERNAL). To motivate people from within, you have to help them see how this will benefit them…and it has to have value. Why should they follow this training program? They really don’t care about saving the company money. Help them see that they are working toward achieving the active lifestyle of their dreams, without joint pain or health problems getting in their way. The end goal is bigger than just getting to work tomorrow; it’s about securing their future. Showing them the long-term consequence if they don’t protect themselves and get hurt is also an effective way to help them find the internal reason to participate.
REWARD (EXTERNAL). One thing we know, dangling a carrot is a method that works. Paying employees to participate in an exercise program for injury prevention is probably the most acceptable strategy. You’re asking for their time, so paying them for it is a reasonable request. The truth is that people are motivated by rewards, so there are various ways to capitalize on this. Consider creating a challenge or playful competition. Consider a small prize for individual completion, or a party for group completion. You can get creative and have fun with this one!
COMMUNITY. People are more successful with exercise programs when they have a support system. A buddy can help people stay accountable. The feeling of “team” or camaraderie helps people stay engaged and connected. If you can keep employees connected with each other, engaged in the program, and having fun, then they will be more likely to commit and follow-through to the end.
FUN. This brings us to one more important one. Try to make it Fun. Reduce the chance of participants getting bored. Give them a challenge, but make sure they will still be successful. This program should be a positive experience overall.
Did your last employee safety program incorporate all of the key elements that motivate people to exercise, or did it fall flat in one or more areas?
With the right program, you can reduce injury claims, save money, and promote employee wellness! Keep your employees strong, healthy, and loyal…and everybody wins!
With ACL Strong, we figured out how to successfully interweave the most valuable motivating elements into an individual online learning platform with community interaction, making implementation of an employee injury prevention program quite simple.
ACL Strong specializes in reducing expensive knee injuries at ski areas and in team sports. To learn more about how ACL Strong can help your organization reduce injuries and promote healthier, happier, and more active employees, visit https://aclstrong.com or email DrLeslie@aclstrong.com.
Thanks for reading and GOOD LUCK with your next employee INJURY PREVENTION program!