US Corporate Wellness is honored to be celebrating our 10th year of service here in 2016. We had no idea where this journey would lead when we launched it from our kitchen table back in early 2007. Like any business, we’ve experienced plenty of ups and downs along the way, but not a day goes by that we aren’t thankful to have the opportunity to be doing what we’re doing. Lessons learned? There have been plenty. Here are a few of the highlights…
- It’s all (ALL!) about relationships. When we started US Corporate Wellness, we did so without venture capital backing or outside investors. The early days were literally built on the concept of bootstrapping. As a result, we put our emphasis on relationships, both with our (organizational) clients and between the individual wellness coach and their (individual) clients, with technology playing 2nd fiddle. Several years later, we were able to make significant investments on the technology side to provide our clients what they were seeking. However, the baseline was locked in. We learned that while there’s a great value in technological advancements and offerings, there is nothing more powerful in creating lasting change in individuals than what takes place in the context of a relationship.
- #BetterThanYesterday is the goal – across the board. Employee wellness programs typically take a turn for the worse when they make an attempt to “fix” people. The only problem with that goal is that while it may produce some results in terms of low-hanging fruit, it doesn’t last. We are all unique human beings, and while we all have room for improvement, we’re not robots to be “fixed.” Our goal as an organization is to continually be able to demonstrate that we are #BetterThanYesterday. And when it comes to our strategy with our partners, the same thing holds true. Let’s stop trying to “fix” employees and instead help them make their tomorrow better than their today. It’s amazing what can happen when that becomes the core strategy.
- Meaningful, lasting behavior change is the essence of a wellness program. There are so many potential aspects to an employee wellness program. Biometrics, Health Risk Assessments, Team Challenges, Wearables, Tracking Tools and Coaching are just the beginning. However, if the end result does not encompass those 3 terms (Meaningful, Lasting and Behavior Change) then you really don’t have a wellness program at all. The “behavior change” is somewhat straightforward. The “meaningful” aspect is focused on the individual. Is the pursuit meaningful to the individual employee? Or is it just a topic thrown out at the latest conference or in a recent benefits article? Simply stated: if it’s not meaningful to the employee, it won’t get the necessary traction to become a reality. “Lasting” is closely tied to this issue. You (or your employee “wellness” partner) can get anyone to do just about anything short term. But if it’s not lasting, then you’re wasting your time and money. Like the old saying about a tree falling in the woods when nobody is there to hear it, the same is true in wellness. If it’s not lasting, then it really never made a sound at all.
Thank you to all of our clients who have believed in and continue to believe in us. It goes without saying (but still must be said) that we only exist because of you and your belief in the above aspects and the power of a true partnership. Here’s to another 10 years together on this journey toward helping optimize the realities of life for those all around us each and every day.