The iPhone App That Will Make You and Your Employees Healthcare Savvy

With the goal of raising employee morale and increasing productivity, implementing health regimens at work (think voluntary office-wide diets and “brown bag” Mondays) can often fall flat. However, the importance of championing wellness and healthful living in the workplace cannot be overstated. And there are studies to back it up, too. According to the Centers for Disease Control, healthier employees take off fewer days for sickness and when they are at work, they are generally more productive. Meanwhile, in a 2010 article, the Harvard Business Review touts the benefits of playing “offense rather than defense” when it comes to healthcare and wellness programs, emphasizing increased employee morale and decreased health plan costs for employers as the payoff. Simply put, healthier employees are better (and happier) employees.

So in order to see these studies’ results in action, consider implementing a health initiative that your employees are actually interested in. Rally, a digital app, integrates with employer-sponsored UnitedHealthcare plans with helpful tools, gaming mechanics and rewards to help engage consumers in their health.

Users begin by taking a health survey that collects information about their eating habits, fitness and other health-related issues. Rally then provides personalized recommendations to improve any areas in their profiles that need work. By completing the service, logging in and entering Challenges, users earn Rally Coins. There is no cost to employers for Rally Coin incentives. However, employers may also offer additional incentive programs integrated into Rally to keep their employees motivated.

Because the app is engaging, incentivized and, most of all, easily accessible, it doesn’t maintain the same forced and tired approach that other wellness initiatives have adopted. Rather, its near-instant reports and pocket convenience make it a legitimate force to combat subpar health.

The price of health plans can be exorbitant for employers, and it’s not just the monetary investment taking its toll. An ailing workforce can mean real-world damage to your bottom line. By making strides today to aid the overall wellness of your employees, you’re also paving the way for decreased health plan costs and happier hires.

For more information about UnitedHealthcare employer-sponsored plans that include Rally, click here.