Employers increasingly understand the importance of employee well-being as they navigate thechanging paradigm of health care.

Optimal employee benefits strategies are supported by a culturethat promotes better health at lower costs and top-downreinforcement of that goal.

Employers of all sizes are investing ininitiatives and solutions that will drive improvements. Yet,many strategies fail to acknowledge and address the proverbialelephant in the room: Changing employee behavior is hard.

The reality is that 40 percent of a person’s health is dependenton behavioral patterns, and one study found that less than 3 percent ofAmericans live healthy lifestyles.

If employers want to positively move the needle on healthoutcomes, they must first understand employee behavioral patternsand then implement tactics that focus on the fundamentals ofbehavior change.

Understanding why “culture” is not enough

Creating a culture that promotes well-being is a critical firststep to awareness and action. But it’s not enough.

Employers must also help employees find the bandwidth toidentify and change risky health behaviors such as poor diet andnutrition, lack of exercise, substance and tobacco use, and lack ofsleep.

In addition to these risky behaviors, employers also need tosupport employees with high-cost, chronic conditions maintaincompliance with evidence-based care plans.

For instance, is an employee with high blood pressure compliantwith medication adherence? If not, how can the employer improve theoutlook?

Employees, by and large, want to improve their health, but theyare distracted, overwhelmed and increasingly stressed.

In fact, the World Health Organization has deemed it the “healthepidemic of the 21^st century,” attributing $300 billiona year in U.S. workplace costs to stress.

When employees are consumed with the stress in theirlives—whether financial, workplace-related or family demands—theysimply do not have the margin to focus on their health.

This viscous cycle leads to rising costs associated with medicalepidemics such as diabetes and hypertension, as well as absenteeismand productivity lags.

Behavior change is challenging because each employee’s healthsituation is different.

Many employers lack the data capabilities needed to identifyat-risk employees, help them understand how they can improve theirpersonal health outlook and match them with the right tools tomotivate change.

Behavior change: advancing employee well-being initiatives

The best employee well-being strategies start with the rightculture and then address behavior change across three buckets: thewhy, the how and the nudge.

1. The why

Behavior change begins with personal motivation. One employee’sdesire to enact change may be very different from the personsitting across the room. Some people change with small steps, whileothers have big epiphanies.

The best approach is to use strategies and tactics to help movepeople towards autonomy by maximizing choice, respecting individualgoals and trying to help individuals find meaning and hope in theirachievements.

Rich data and analytics are a critical component of creatingthis type of personalized approach that will resonate withindividuals and help them get in, and stay in, the process ofchange.

2. The how

Many employees want to improve their health; they just simplydon’t know how. For instance, a busy executive may not have enoughtime available to dedicate an hour a day to the gym, and decidesthat exercise is out of reach.

Yet, helping people shift their perceptions about makinghealthier choices can dramatically increase the amount of activityfor that executive.

Encouraging that person to park at the back of the parking lot,take the stairs instead of the elevator or scheduling “walking”meetings are all steps forward to make physical activityattainable.

Helping employees creatively identify realistic ways to adopthealthier behaviors gives people confidence to support lastingchange.

3. The nudge

Once an employee has identified personal motivation for changeand understands how to achieve his or her goals, the next step isongoing empowerment.

What does it take for an individual to stay motivated and keepgoing? Is it financial reward or an intrinsic satisfaction?

The answers to these questions vary based on the individual, butthey are a critical piece of the equation.

Advanced infrastructures exist that provide the analyticsinsights needed to first identify at-risk employees, help themdetermine the “why” and engage them for ongoing behavior changesuccess. Specifically, mobile applications that track employeebehavior provide a crucial data backdrop needed to uncovermotivation and identify behavior change opportunities.

For instance, if an employee indicates poor eating habits,options for improvement including food substitutions or portioncontrol can become the main message. Employees can then determinethe most sustainable actions for their situation.

Digital engagement also provides ongoing tracking to createawareness and accountability. Employees becomes more familiar withpersonal habits, opening the door for change.

In addition, they can track and celebrate progress over time,contributing to ongoing motivation. App push notifications canbecome a literal “nudge” to keep users motivated and on track.

Forward-thinking sustainability

Employers that combine the right infrastructures and tools witha supportive top-down culture are best positioned for success.

Conducting a full culture of health study to identify gaps is agood starting point. The next step is deploying an infrastructurethat lends easily to behavior change strategies and supporting itwith programming that helps employees make needed changes.

Ultimately, companies need to think bigger and better when itcomes to employee well-being. In the case of Prudential Financial,bigger and better equated to an investment in walking trails through downtown Newark.For another company, it might mean allocating time in the work dayfor exercise or bringing in nutritionists on a regular basis towork with employees.

The key is making it as easy as possible for employees toachieve behavior change.

This includes a strong, deliberate focus on culture, both withinthe organization and across the community, as well as adeeper understanding of the principles of behavior change with athoughtful approach to the why, the how and the nudge. In the end,all stakeholders win.

Shawn Moore is SVP of Consumer Engagement at ActiveHealthManagement