Health Handouts : Incentives can be used to increase participation rates, help with completion or attendance at programs, and to help individuals shift or adhere to healthy lifestyles. The purpose of the incentive is to encourage employees to adopt positive behaviors or maintain an existing positive behavior. Everyone who achieves a goal or maintains a behavior must receive something. Many businesses also offer rewards and incentives merely for participating in events.

Stay away from being the “best” or doing the “most.” Encouraging workers to be the best or doing the most promotes excessive behavior, discourages others, and creates elitism. The best designed incentive programs are ones which are based on achieving goals/objectives that are attainable by most individuals. Recognition, acknowledgment by top management, or special privileges are examples of great intangible incentives.

Incentive ideas:

• Free or Low-Cost:
   o Certificates
   o Movie passes
   o Recognition in employee newsletter
   o Mugs
   o Water bottles
   o Commendation from management
   o T-shirts
   o Hats

• Moderate Cost:
   o Entertainment tickets
   o Sweatshirts
   o Waist packs
   o Subscriptions to health magazines
   o Health and fitness books
   o Videos

• High Cost:
   o Week-end getaways
   o Dinner for two
   o Clocks
   o Watches

• Others:
   o Cash
   o Gift certificates