On Rewards Within Fitness/Wellness Programs: Less is More

Recently, Sonic Boom Wellness, the San Diego-based organization that our Healthy Lifestyles Cooperative works with to provide the Daily Fitness Incentive we think is key to engagement and changing behaviors, had a webinar that included these points:

• Studies are showing that rewards are effective at changing behaviors, at least for the short term ... but NOT at changing health HABITS.

• The STRONGER your FITNESS/WELLNESS program (i.e., the more people it incents effectively), the fewer and lesser rewards you need. The necessity for rewards is inversely proportional to the progress of the program. Rewards create attention, and as correct behaviors become more of a habit, they don't need external incentives.

• IF you're going to provide incentives ...

• CASH is the LEAST effective ... creates a sense of entitlement rather than excitement, and is the most forgettable.

• Tangible, Non-Cash rewards the next best ... symbols of recognition and accomplishment.

• Best are Recognition rewards ... given with immediacy.

• Did you know: If you work out in the morning, you are 50% more productive for the LAST TWO HOURS of the workday!