Powerful Promotion Sends Delta Air Lines Wellness Challenge Registration and Results Soaring
Background
Building an Effective Partnership
Delta’s Employee Health and Wellbeing team places high importance on implementing fun, effective, camaraderie-based workplace wellness challenges. Since partnering with HES in 2014, their wellness challenges have reached record global participation. They’ve implemented 12 unique HES challenges, including participant favorite Walktober, a seasonal fitness challenge that continues to inspire Delta’s population to take charge of their health and wellbeing.
Getting on the Radar
As Delta’s most loved corporate wellness challenge, 2018 Walktober season couldn’t come fast enough for some eager participants. Using both modern and traditional tactics to spread the word about registration was important in generating even higher turnout. The team developed a communication strategy that began in the summer and continued through implementation, incorporating HES-provided content and timelines as well as original promotion ideas. Components included email challenges, intranet ads, posters, and Delta’s internal social media platform SkyHub as an effective new promotional tool.
Quick Stats
Benefit-eligible population:
85,000
Global reach:
304
locations in
52
countries
Training Champions
Delta equipped a team of 500 trained wellness champions with a complete toolkit including The Wellness Champion Guide to Walktober ― containing challenge details, ideas to boost participation, and general expectations ― as well as program logo/graphics. They had granola bars with a Walktober sleeve incorporating registration details to pass out to potential participants, too. Delta also hosted a champions-only competition to reward the individual whose 10-person team had the highest step count.
Wellness Challenge Results
1.5
billion steps recorded
122,526
autumn leaf icons earned
563
total teams
32
teams with perfect scoresPower of Promotion
Outcomes exceeded Delta’s 2017 Walktober:
67%
higher registration
56%
of participants had a
Solemate (8% increase)
61%
of participants competed
on a team (10% increase)
From the Coordinator
We are so excited to achieve record global participation with HES. Challenges help our employees take charge of their own health and wellbeing in a fun way!
Lessons, Tips, & Takeaways
Don’t do it alone.
You can’t be everywhere at once, so commission others to be advocates for your program within their division/location/department. Find health and wellness supporters in your organization who aren’t part of your team and give them training and resources to spread the word.
Get social.
With the introduction of SkyHub, Delta’s Walktober team took to the online message board. The results? Lots of chatter: 400+ posts and 1200+ responses mentioned the challenge; they were full of inspiring stories and social support before, during, and even after the challenge.
Chart the course.
Look for ways to facilitate growth and reach new sectors of your population, then develop a communication plan. Join forces with internal experts to be sure you’re taking advantage of all available outlets. Be specific, with targeted messages. And remember: The earlier you start promoting, the better the impact. The HES Account Management Team has been around the wellness challenge block a few times, and they’re always willing to provide support and experience-based suggestions to help identify which promotional efforts will yield the most positive results for you.
Listen to your population.
Does a certain wellness challenge create a buzz around the workplace? Go with it. If you find a challenge that gets participants enthused year after year, recognize it and give them what they want. But shake it up a bit, with new promotion techniques, live events, success stories, competitions and endorsements. Many HES clients run a favorite challenge annually or every other year for more than a decade, but it’s never exactly the same. HES updates and revamps popular programs so it’s easy to continue surprising and delighting participants.
Liked Most
“Gathering leaves and watching my steps take me around the world.”
“Being able to compete with other Delta stations and seeing my teammates tracking progress as well; also loved the attractions — seeing the autumn foliage around the US.”
“Friendship, teamwork, creating a habit, having more energy, feeling proud of my team and myself, being happier and occupied, enjoying the outdoors, mindfulness.”
“Camaraderie and competition… seeing people doing things for their health and wellness that they would not normally do because they are inspired.”
“Participating with a team for the first time made the challenge more fun, as we could encourage each other.”
“I thought I was training well. I thought I had a great mood. I thought, and I was wrong! With Walktober, I connected again with great friends. I created a habit, and it was easier than I thought. I lost 3.5 kg, I now go to sleep and rest. My mood is enhanced, and I find myself dancing. I just feel happier! I go to work with all this energy… assignments flow, and I can solve issues with a different perspective. I am thankful.”
Evangelina P
“Walking has inspired my neighbors, friends, and family to get out there and exercise. Walking with someone makes the time go faster and gives me more energy! I walk 2-3 hours alone in Paris and the scenery is unbeatable.”
Paula N
“When I was asked to join a team, I hesitated, not knowing if I would be a good team player by not getting enough steps in. I surprised myself many days and pushed myself to do as much as I was able to. I am happy I was asked to join a team and look forward to being a part of this next year!”
Linda T
“Walktober is something I look forward to every year to remind me how beautiful it is outside and how nice we feel when we get moving.”
Jerald P
“I’m relatively young to have osteoporosis but was diagnosed in my early 40s. I have had a few false starts with sustained exercise, the most dramatic being when I had brain surgery in 2012 — that set me back for quite a while. Despite the setbacks, Walktober has set me on a path to success! My kids need me to be healthy for many more decades, and I need myself to be healthy as well! Thanks for the inspiration of this opportunity ― the stories of my colleagues have moved me right along!”
Karen D
“I’ve lost 8 pounds without dieting. I simply walk 10,000 steps a day and/or exercise 30 minutes a day. I am happier and more energetic because of it. Loved this challenge.”
Funda R
