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22% of employers who use financial incentives in their health and wellness programs are structuring them as penalties. After all the studies done over the last few years proving that "carrot" incentives are more effective at motivating employees to a healthy lifestyle than stick deterrents." Still stick incentives are up 4% from 2013 and employees with extenuating health circumstances risk a steep tax penalty from the Affordable Care Act, along with the penalty from their employer. Employees with minor health issues like decreased lung capacity from asthma cannot change how their lungs work. Their condition cannot be improved through exercise and won't change no matter how healthy their diet is. So is it fair to potentially tax them and charge them organizational penalties? This is one of the ways carrot incentives help drive employees to their best state of health. Incentivizing health improvement shows support of employee efforts regardless of if they are in perfect shape. It shows appreciation for the effort as well as the result. If you are considering  health and wellness incentives, consider a carrot over a stick and reward your employees' healthy efforts all year round.
For more information about stick deterrents and carrot incentives check out this article from 22WWLP.

As summer rolls around, many employees start thinking about vacations, beach days, and time with family. While this season brings energy and joy, it can also test focus and productivity at work. For employers and HR leaders, this is a perfect time to rethink how to keep employees motivated, engaged, and feeling valued—without draining budgets or morale.

April is customer loyalty month, but we need to remember that the root of the customer loyalty lies not in the customer themselves but in their brand experience. Customers are loyal when they have positive brand experiences with happy employees who are knowledgable and motivated doing their jobs. Here are a few ways to keep your employees motivated and promoting a positive brand experience to keep customers loyal:

Poor employee health is never a good thing. However, did you know that if you don't maintain workplace wellness it can cost your company between $1900 and $2250 in lost revenue per employee per year. Maintaining workplace wellness not only keeps employees healthy and keeps productivity at its peak but it can also keep employee morale up. Happy, healthy employees are productive, loyal employees so workplace wellness can go farther than you think. Check out the infographic below for more information on the benefits of workplace wellness.

Rewarding employees is important because a happy employee is a more productive one. Thanking your employees for their hard work motivates them to work even harder. It's important to say thanks, but sometimes it's tough on a tight budget. Luckily, there are a few ways you can still offer rewards without breaking the bank.
Give them a day off. If you don't have cash to spare for a sizable bonus, you can always thank your employees by giving them an extra day off. If you'd rather not pay for a full day that he or she isn't working, you can always give the option of a late start or an early release instead. You can also think about expanding breaks or lengthening lunch hours. The point is that rewarding with time is both affordable on a small budget and still a great way to say thanks.
Hand out free food. Everyone loves a free meal or a tasty snack. Order lunch to say thanks for a successful advancement in the company. Bring in breakfast one day each month. Surprise your team with ice cream or candy one day. It doesn't always matter what you do -- it's more about making an effort to make sure your employees feel valued.
Learn the best way to motivate your employees. Everyone's different and has different preferences. What excites one employee, may not be the best way to reward another. Take polls and ask your company what they prefer. Not only will you chose rewards that better suit them, but they'll feel valued just for you asking.
Read the full article on LinkedIn.