Your organization has invested in this premium benefit to remain competitive in an increasingly tight labor market, to attract and retain your industry's best and brightest, and to ensure your top leaders' health. You're able to tout that you're providing the best, but are you?
Sometimes the signs that a program isn't working or keeping up can be subtle. For example, it's easy to think your program is running smoothly because of the adage "silence is golden." Or maybe your program did work well when your organization implemented it X years ago, but now ... ?
Below, you'll find several important signs that your executive health program isn't keeping up, which ultimately means it's not delivering on your goals in the current race for top talent or your desire to improve health and ensure business continuity.
All you hear is ... crickets.
It's unlikely your top executives are shy when they're unhappy about something, so we can understand why you might think that silence is golden. But, in this case, the opposite is true. If you're not hearing a peep from people about the program, this might indicate that apathy has set in: people simply don't care. The experience hasn't been great. It hasn't been bad. It's just "meh."
Now ask yourself this: given the amount of money your organization is investing in this premium benefit, are you OK with a "meh" or "whatever" sort of reaction?
The best programs get regular rave reviews from the executives (yes, really).
Your program has low engagement.
OK, so how can you quantify your suspicions regarding the fact you're not hearing anything about the program? How can you know for sure that the silence doesn't simply indicate the program is satisfactory and your executives are simply too busy to say much about it?
Check your numbers. If your program is truly special and not only makes your executives feel valued, but also helps them on their health journey, word will get around. People will be clamoring to participate. A rule of thumb: you should have 80% participation at the very least.
While spending less on lower engagement might help your department come in under budget, it won't help improve loyalty, retention, and health. People have to experience executive health to feel valued and credit your organization with this deeply personal benefit.
Your program has low repeats.
This goes hand-in-hand with the previous point. When you first launched your executive health program, you likely had high engagement, because the new, shiny thing always attracts interest. But if your executives have "fallen off" and they don't re-enroll year to year, then this is a definite indication the program isn't working as it should be.
Effective programs inspire executives to participate in their yearly physicals because the executives ...
- Have seen the value of the physical first hand
- Appreciate that the doctor designs the physical to match the executive's particular needs
- Understand that the physical will change year-to-year, as it should, so that it can keep pace with the executive's health
- Know the experience will be efficient, stress-free, and respectful of the executive's busy work life
Not only will executives want to participate in a great program year after year, they'll also rave about it (which will motivate others to join).
You can't customize the program or the physical.
Having the ability to create tiered programs gives you the option of sharing this premium benefit with a wider population within your organization. So, for example, maybe you offer the C-suite a platinum-styled all-inclusive package. For managers and supervisors, you offer a gold package, and so forth.
Plus, you should be able to offer custom physicals as well. After all, a person's health is dynamic—it changes. Even more so in the hectic, high-stress life of a senior executive. As such, the most successful executive health programs customize the executives' physicals year-to-year, meeting people where they currently are on their health journey.
If your provider only offers one program "flavor" or a one-size-fits-all physical, then your company—and its people—are losing out.
You're doing all the work.
An effective executive health program should make life easier for your executives, and it should make life easier for you. If you find you're doing most of the work—such as billing, fielding questions, coordinating service—then that's a sign you don't have a solid provider in place.
The best providers create custom, turnkey, and streamlined processes for program participants and HR. The provider manages scheduling, makes sure executives never see a bill (because that creates even more headaches), and handles all paperwork. Superior customer service should be the only experience that you—and your executives—have.
Executive churn rates remain flat. (Or have even gone up.)
The executive health program is a premium benefit. It should demonstrate to top leadership that the organization not only cares about its leaders' health, but also is willing to make an investment in their health.
While many factors can influence retention rates, an effective health program should help boost those rates. If churn rates remain flat, or if they've gone up since the program's implementation, then you and your team should conduct a thorough audit of the program.
And remember, if the physical is the same every year—both clinically and from a service perspective—your executives won't see the value in returning.
For 16 years, PartnerMD has helped small businesses to Fortune 50 companies create successful executive health programs that are comprehensive and turnkey—they require no extra work on your part. Plus, we customize everything to meet your leaderships' specific needs. There's a reason why we have a 96% retention rate with our executive health clients. Let us show you why!
About the Author
Alicia King is the Executive Health Program Manager for PartnerMD. In this role, she works with business leaders from entrepreneurs to Fortune 50 executives to provide a truly custom experience and a seamless day of health. She regularly assists companies in the development of premium, tiered executive health programs. Ms. King also works closely with Dr. David Pong, Medical Director, Executive Health and Wellness Programs, and the PartnerMD clinical team to ensure that all executive physicals deliver the most advanced testing available. She has 9 years of experience with PartnerMD and holds a bachelor of arts degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.
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