Five reasons why “going digital” matters in employee wellness

Employee wellness is on the rise, and so is our dependence on technology in everyday life. If you want your company’s wellness program to create real, lasting health behavior change for employees, try making it digital. That includes making it available online or via mobile app, encouraging social connection, tracking program data, and more.

Here are five reasons why employees will benefit from a digital wellness program.

1. Easy access.
For a sustainable, engaging employee wellness program, accessibility is key! Digital wellness programs make it easier to meet users exactly where they are – both in their physical location and in their wellness journey. If employees can access a program on their home computers or simply reach into their pockets to access a smart phone app, it’s much easier to make time for wellness.

Successful wellness programs are built to adapt to various lifestyles and changing schedules. Easy access is especially important for connecting remote workers or employees in various office locations.
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Access in action
When smokers are trying to quit, cravings don’t stick to a convenient (or predictable) schedule. That’s why our smoking cessation app QuitNet features an “I’m craving” option. When a craving hits, QuitNet members can get the immediate support they need to make it through a craving, where and when they need it.
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​2. An even playing field.
Without in-person pressure from peers, employees at many different levels of fitness will be more able and likely to participate in a wellness program. The MeYou Health platform makes it easy for employees to self-guide through their wellness journey, starting with a health risk assessment that gives tailored results and specific health suggestions. Employees can participate in the same program as their colleagues and peers, but with their own goals and standards of progress.

​Let’s get personal
Instead of setting a one-size-fits-all goal of 10,000 steps per day, Walkadoo gives members personalized step goals that evolve daily as the software learns more about their walking habits. Our algorithm prevents participants from being bored by goals that are too easy, or discouraged by goals that are unrealistically high. It’s a sustainable way to make incremental change in physical activity.

​3. More social support.
Digital wellness programs expand an employee’s social network beyond the coworkers they see in the office each day, making it easier to give and receive support while improving health habits. Most employees are already accustomed to interacting socially online through apps like Facebook and LinkedIn, and the same social principles apply to wellness! Making real health behavior change requires social validation, encouragement, and support. Digital online programs connect users with more people who can help them achieve their goals.

Open social networks = positive health changes
Although many well-being platforms are social, ours is the only one that’s “open social.” That’s the term we’ve coined to describe the ability for members to get support from any person who can help them make healthy changes – whether it’s a coworker, friend, family member, or participant in our any of our products’ already thriving communities.

​Research shows that when participants are asked to identify people in their lives who influence their well-being, only one in 10 chooses a co-worker. In other words, programs that allow only covered members to take part in their well-being program exclude 90% of the people who can have a positive effect on their well-being. With open social, everyone becomes a source of support for making health changes.

4. Flexibility for us, customization for you.
The digital landscape is always changing, which means digital apps and products are constantly evolving. Even if the core experience remains the same, a digital wellness program is versatile and easy to update on the backend with fresh designs and improved functionality. On the user side, participants can customize their experience by choosing from a variety of programs, managing their own settings, and being in charge of what they want to focus on.

Choose your own (well-being) adventure
For Daily Challenge members who want to customize their experience in the app, there are nearly 50 specialized well-being programs to choose from. That means there’s something for everyone! Topics range from stress management and work-life balance to smart snacking and simple yoga, and we even offer extended tracks for weight management and sound sleep. No two well-being journeys are the same.

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5. A better way to track progress.
It’s easier to track data and view progress in real time on digital platforms. Employers can keep an eye on program usage, understand the impact of their wellness program, and instantly access results through live dashboards. For employees, tracking progress over time right in the digital platform or app helps show them how far they’ve come and how close they are to their health and wellness goals.

Measure, learn, and reflect
Every company wants to track aspects of its business to know what’s working and what isn’t, but the effects of some wellness programs can be challenging to measure. The MeYou Health platform comes with a robust, real-time dashboard, plus quarterly and annual ROI reports.