Comments on: “Employees Loved It” and Other Signs You May Be Doing the Wrong Thing

By: Dean

Dean — Wed, 31 May 2017 00:38:54 +0000

Hi Tricia – thanks for the question; it sounds like your program is on the right track. I’ll point you to a couple of our white papers that address moving from extrinsic motivators to setting the stage for intrinsic motivation to grow: 1) https://hesonlinedotcom.wpcomstaging.com/free-stuff/whitepapers/wellnessqol, 2) https://hesonlinedotcom.wpcomstaging.com/free-stuff/whitepapers/rewards and lastly, here’s a relevant blog post (an excerpt from #2 above) https://hesonlinedotcom.wpcomstaging.com/blog/wellnesssolutionsarchive/376-boostintrinsicsmotivation
Hope that helps; keep up the great work.

By: Tricia Zamora

Tricia Zamora — Tue, 30 May 2017 22:26:17 +0000

Do you have suggestions for organizations like mine who want to thoughtfully make a shift from extrinsic to more intrinsic?
Currently our program is completely voluntary. Nobody is given a device or forced to wear one. Nobody is penalized for not participating. 60% of our population are on board with 47% more heavily engaged, having fun and feeling more motivated. Some are sharing about their wellness journey online as well as the intrinsic value it brings to their life. Everyone is appreciating the extrinsic benefits. Help!

By: Dean

Dean — Wed, 17 May 2017 16:00:03 +0000

In reply to Melissa Bondy. You hit the nail on the head, Melissa; we're not aware of any such research. Extrinsic incentives work only for simple, short-term behaviors, like completing an HRA; they're ineffective for addressing the complexities of lasting lifestyle behavior change.

By: Dean

Dean — Wed, 17 May 2017 15:55:50 +0000

In reply to Danielle.

Thanks for the feedback, Danielle. There are many ways to set the stage for intrinsic motivation; I’ll point you to a couple of our resources: https://hesonlinedotcom.wpcomstaging.com/blog/wellnesssolutionsarchive/376-boostintrinsicsmotivation and
https://hesonlinedotcom.wpcomstaging.com/free-stuff/needtoknow/incentives

By: Melissa Bondy

Melissa Bondy — Tue, 16 May 2017 21:33:14 +0000

Just wondering what research actually shows long term behavior change with extrinsic incentives?

By: Danielle

Danielle — Tue, 16 May 2017 21:14:14 +0000

Great work pointing out that it’s not always about incentives, the latest gadgets, and highlighting those that are succeeding in the program. It would be helpful if the article followed up with actions that do lead to greater engagement instead of just communicating what doesn’t work. The research shows that incentives, gadgets, etc. do increase participation, but in terms of hitting the intrinsic motivation, or true engagement, what do you recommend?