Healthy rewards and incentives for employees

Do the rewards you give your employees support their health goals or sabotage them?

Pizza parties, doughnut breakfasts, and birthday cakes are easy to plan and execute, but they contradict your goal to help employees adopt healthier habits. So what else can you do?

Whether you want to reward your team for achieving a goal, celebrate a holiday together, or specifically incentivize them to participate in wellness initiatives, you can opt for healthy rewards that support wellness goals and are meaningful and valuable to employees. 

Fresh food gift cards

Grocery gift cards are popular, including traditional retailers such as Kroger, Meijer, and Aldi as well as modern delivery services such as Peapod, Green Bean Delivery, and Fresh Thyme through Amazon Prime. You can even buy gift cards to many farmers markets in Indianapolis. 

Even in winter! 
Check out these local markets:

Indy Winter Farmers Market
Broad Ripple Winter Market
Farm to Fork at Normandy Farms
Carmel Farmers Market
JCC Farmers Market

Fitness Opportunities

You can also offer gift certificates for gym or YMCA memberships, acquatics centers, or passes to specific classes at a yoga, martial arts, or wellness studio. Allow employees to choose a facility near their home, or choose a facility near your worksite, because memberships are most used when facilities are easily accessible. 

Wearable fitness trackers also make excellent rewards.

Time

Who doesn’t love the gift of more time? Reward employees with a Friday afternoon off or a bonus vacation day. 

Company Branded Swag

Thank employees and increase your company’s brand awareness at the same time by offering company merchandise as rewards—water bottles, lunch boxes, cutting boards, and sportswear with your company logo can remind employees of their own wellness goals while also letting the community know that you care about and prioritize employee health. 

More Ideas

For even more great reward ideas—and other ways to increase healthy eating at work—check out our guide, 4 Ways to Increase Healthy Eating at Work.