Wellness programs have certainly captured the imaginations ofbenefits managers, with an ever increasing number of companiesoffering one type or another. Yet engagement studies show that, in most cases,management is more enthusiastically embracing wellness plans thanare employees.

Recent data culled from 562 consumers who work for companieswith wellness plans offers at least a partial explanation: Coveredemployees expect plans to include true incentives.

The survey from HealthMine found that three-quarters ofrespondents would engage more fully in a plan that includedincentive levels, with rewards for achieving goals such as maintaining ideal weight, adhering to a drugregimen for addressing chronic diseases, and not smoking.

These results are at odds with what corporations that havewellness plans told Mercer in a recent study. Less than a quarterof the company wellness plans included true incentives, Mercersaid, another piece of evidence suggesting that merely having awellness plan option isn't enough to get people to take advantageof it.

Healthmine reported that 71 percent of its respondents wouldlike more health management guidance from their employers,indicating a strong level of trust in employer advice on healthmatters.

These respondents demonstrated a preference for thecarrot-and-the-stick approach to incentives: Give the tasty carrotto those who meet objectives, and the stinging stick to those whodon't. Among the findings:

• 67 percent said that "colleagues who are in a healthy weightrange should be rewarded with a discount on their healthinsurance”;

• 52 percent said “colleagues who adhere to medication for chronicdisease should be rewarded for it”;

• 63 percent said that “colleagues who smoke tobacco should pay more for their healthcare.”

With the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission currentlyevaluating corporate wellness plans for theirfairness and balance in any incentives included, Healthmine saiddata such as what it elicited should be taken into consideration inany policy creation.

“Our survey indicates that consumers want employers tooffer incentives and rewards to help them manage their health,”said Bryce Williams, president and CEO of HealthMine. “We believethat the EEOC recommendations should enthusiasticallysupport employers in meaningfully encouraging employeesto improve their health.”