A wellness program should generate endorphins

According to Merriam-Webster, the term “endorphin” refers to any of a group of endogenous peptides (such as enkephalin) found especially in the brain that bind chiefly to opiate receptors and produce some pharmacological effects (such as pain relief) like those of opiates. Translation? Endorphins are those feel-good chemicals that blood-pumping activities like exercise can release. If you’re familiar with the “runner’s high,” that’s the power of endorphins at work.

Sounds great, right? The problem is, many wellness programs out there don’t generate these giddy chemicals. They check a box without offering incentive, excitement, or value to actually participating. What’s the fun in that? Wellness programs should not only encourage habits that release feel-good energy, but they should also provide opportunities for developing and sustaining those habits long-term.

Employees should want to participate in their corporate-wellness programs because they give off good vibes and happy energy. Programs like ours offer customizable, relevant, and fun opportunities to not only interact with your colleagues, but to also improve your daily health-habits. And we help you celebrate milestones along the way! Worksite wellness should include more than one-time assessments, bribe-style menus of incentive activities, stale education, and simplistic contests – there are no endorphins to be had in static programs.

So how and where is Sonic Boom different? How are we eliciting endorphins in all of our members?

1. Customizable contests. If members don’t relate to pre-loaded contests from their employer, they can create their own! What gets them out of bed in the morning and excited for that day? Member-created contests put the power and interest back in the hands of the member to dream up personalized, endorphin-loaded competition.
2. Caught Ya. When a member finishes a grueling-yet-satisfying workout, they can post a photo of the activity in their Sonic Boom social feed. Colleagues can then like and comment on said photo, and the instant gratification the poster feels can help inspire them (and others) to do it again tomorrow.
3. White-glove client/member support. Our dedicated team at Sonic Boom is here to serve our clients and members with unmatched levels of white-glove service. We’re excited when you’re excited, which keeps the energy up throughout the year (no boring check-in calls allowed!). We don’t want you to sign on the dotted line and be left to figure out the rest on your own – we bring creative ideas to you and want your employees to look forward to opening their app every day.
4. Our founders. If you want to see endorphins and energy in action, look no further than our co-founders, Bryan and Danna Van Noy. They live and breathe what “generating endorphins” means. Don’t believe us? Here’s some more about them — or just watch this short video from Danna, literally from a snowy mountain in Utah!
5. Challenges-of-the-Day (COD). The topics (which range from fitness and nutrition to stress management and sleep and everything in between) are applicable to all members, from health-habit newbies to dedicated athletes. If you’re signed up to receive our daily COD emails, the anticipation of knowing that a new topic will be coming each day is enough for a little pick-me-up in energy. The momentum gained from a consistent, five-days-a-week challenge elicits its own category of endorphins.

Are you looking to improve your employees’ wellbeing at work? Click below to find out how Sonic Boom’s comprehensive, fully customizable wellness programs can help!