New Year’s resolutions are tough to keep. The motivation often starts off strong in January, and slows down as the year goes on. Why is that? Maybe the resolutions weren’t specific enough. Maybe there were too many of them. Or maybe there wasn’t a solid support system in place.
As an employer of over 6,500 associates, we feel a special responsibility to empower the people we hire. To help them live their life and meet their health and wellness goals. To be the support system that keeps them motivated throughout the year – not just in the first few months. Since so many New Year’s resolutions revolve around health and wellness, here are a few of the ways that Nelnet benefits can help.
Annual Health Screenings
Across the board, Nelnet associates participate in health screenings, where trained professionals measure things like blood pressure, body mass index, and cholesterol levels. If associates meet their goals for all of those measurements, they can earn free health premiums for themselves and discounted premiums for their family members. On-site associates can even get a free flu shot while they’re getting screened.
This one is huge for motivation. Since your health determines the amount you pay for health premiums, it’s another incentive for you stay active and eat right throughout the year.
Since 2020 led to nearly all associates working from home, we decided to waive this year’s screenings. Instead, associates can choose to use their measurements from last year (and check it out: we’re offering waivers so associates can still get their flu shots for free.)
The Nelnet Wellness Program
Health is serious stuff. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Throughout the year, our wellness team puts on challenges that keep associates motivated. Monthly walking contests, mindfulness events, and weekly virtual wellness classes make being healthy a team effort.
It’s one of the reasons so many resolutions fail – they’re seen as a chore and not as a fun way to improve your life. Plus, there’s an extra layer of incentive for Nelnet associates to participate in these wellness events. They can earn points for every step they take and challenge they meet. And if they earn enough, they’ll get a $100 bonus every quarter. (And if they’re sending it to a health savings account, they’ll earn even more.)
Reimbursement for Wellness Expenses
Another reason that so many health-related resolutions go unfulfilled? Money. Fitness gear is often…pricey. And though you don’t necessarily need a $1,000+ home gym to live an active lifestyle, having the right tools for the exercises you want to do is still important.
To make things a little easier for our associates, we give them $300 to use on wellness-related expenses every single year. That money can be used for things like gym memberships, smartwatches/fitness trackers, and home workout equipment. Peek behind the curtain: I even used 2020’s reimbursement to buy a brand-new bike at around 50% off.
If you’re planning to try out a New Year’s resolution in 2021, you aren’t alone. And if you stumble along the way, you aren’t alone either. Try breaking your resolution into smaller milestones. Focus on them day by day, week by week. You don’t have to be a Nelnet associate to live an active lifestyle. (Though, if the benefits you just read sound pretty cool to you, we’d love to have you on the team.)
Stay strong. Stay healthy. And know that people you love will support you the whole way through.
