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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 17 H E A LT H Y B U S I N E S S K eeping track of exercise and activ- ity levels using tness trackers has become immensely popular over the last few years. Harnessing this popu- larity in the workplace has bene ts that reach far beyond physical tness. Employees become healthier, are more productive and work better as a team. Businesses see a reduction in employee sick leave and, over time, overall health care costs are reduced. Nationwide, employers are expected to incorporate more than million tness tracking devices into their wellness pro- grams by , according to technology consultancy Endeavor Partners. In February , Kennebec Savings Bank kicked o a Fitbit wellness program, encouraging employees to increase their level of physical activity by tracking the number of steps they took each day. e program was a resound- ing success. It began with out of employees taking about million cumulative steps per month. Within nine months, the program had grown to more than million steps per month. In October of last year, the bank received Harvard Pilgrim Health Care's "Health Innovator Award" in recognition of the achievements of this program and other related healthy-living initiatives. e great thing about tness tracker programs is that they can work for any type of organization. You just have to follow these six simple steps to success: ¡ Upper management has to be com- mitted and involved. It's a great inspi- ration and motivation to employees when they see their CEO's name in the top of the leaderboard or see that their supervisor has already put in more than , steps before the start of the workday. ¡ Employees have to have some skin in the game. If they have to put forth some investment to partici- pate, they will be more likely to stick with the program for the long term. Our employees purchase the Fitbit model of their choosing and receive a reimbursement of . ¡ O er loaner tness trackers to win over any skeptics in the group. It's proven to be a great recruitment tool for the program. ¡ Set the stage for friendly competi- tion. Fitbit o ers users the option of forming private online com- munities on its website. Create a community for your company, and encourage all participating employees to join. ey can see how many steps each member has taken, cheer each other on and set new goals to up the ante. ¡ Provide incentives and rewards. We initially used employees' collective step totals to challenge improve- ment. When the collective total of steps increased from million to . million in one month, all participants received rewards. Over the course of the program, rewards have ranged from branded sweatshirts to water bottles to community gift cards. ¡ Promote and acknowledge employee progress on a continuous basis. Employee, team and individ- ual recognitions on social media, in internal communications like an e-newsletter, and at sta meetings are great motivators. Our Fitbit wellness program has empowered employees to make posi- tive lifestyle changes. Walking groups form every day at lunchtime, and one of our managers now holds "walking" sta meetings on a nearby rail trail. It is a well-known fact that you can pick up extra steps by walking around the table in our break room while waiting for your co ee to brew. Using the Fitbits has gotten our team out of the mindset that exercise is a chore. We now look forward to being active together and are always look- ing for new opportunities to do so. In addition to boosting employee health and driving health care costs down, it has been excellent for the team dynamic. We enjoy a more engaged, energized work atmosphere. When it comes to tness tracker- focused employee wellness programs, the investment is minimal yet the payo can be very high. e virtual nature of the Fitbit online communities makes the pro- gram ideal for organizations with team members who are based at dif- ferent locations. A S i s p r e s i d e n t a n d C E O o f K e n n e b e c S a v i n g s B a n k . Count steps and create a healthier, happier workplace B Y A N D R E W S I L S B Y H OW TO A community. For life. York - Loving Kindness Way n 207.363.4321 yorkhospital.com At York Hospital, we are a team of providers and clinicians offering expertise in primary care, emergency, wellness & prevention, diagnostics and detection, specialized medicine & surgery, acute hospitalization and support services, rehabilitation and care at home. Contact us today to find a provider that is right for you: 207-351-2385 or info@yorkhospital.com. 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