Asset Health Wellness Programs
Role
UX Research Consultant
Domain
Health Technology
Duration
12 weeks
Team
Shreyas Karnad
Vaishnavi Venkataraghavan
Sophie Stenroos
Shreyas Karnad
Vaishnavi Venkataraghavn
Sophie Stenroos
TL;DR
TL;DR
Problem
Problem
Workplace wellness programs struggle with self-selection bias. They tend to attract employees who are already health-conscious or highly motivated. But employees managing chronic illness face real barriers to participation due to their health challenges. As a result, they remain less represented in wellness programs, even though they could benefit most
Workplace wellness programs struggle with self-selection bias. They tend to attract employees who are already health-conscious or highly motivated. But employees managing chronic illness face real barriers to participation due to their health challenges. As a result, they remain less represented in wellness programs, even though they could benefit most
My responsibilities
My responsibilities
I moderated 1 interview, created the interview protocol, and collaborated with 3 team members to synthesize 150+ codes of data into insights
I moderated 1 interview, created the interview protocol, and collaborated with 3 team members to synthesize 150+ codes of data into insights
What we learned
What we learned
Enrolling and participating in wellness programs is high effort because medical care history isn't streamlined and current incentives fall short of their needs
Enrolling and participating in wellness programs is high effort because medical care history isn't streamlined and current incentives fall short of their needs
THE BRIEF
Who is Asset Health?
Who is Asset Health?
Asset Health is a wellness and technology organization providing technologies, program-design, and coaching to employers. My Problem-solving with Information class partnered with them to conduct discovery research with their end-users (employees) to identify ways to improve Asset Health's wellness programs
Asset Health is a wellness and technology organization providing technologies, program-design, and coaching to employers. My Problem-solving with Information class partnered with them to conduct discovery research with their end-users (employees) to identify ways to improve Asset Health's wellness programs
They provide services including:
They provide services including:
They provide services including:
Personalized ongoing wellness communication
Personalized ongoing wellness communication
Mental health sessions and seminars
Mental health sessions and seminars
1-1 sessions with health coaches
1-1 sessions with health coaches
Our task:
Our task:
How do you build a culture of well-being and success for the future of work?
How do you build a culture of well-being and success for the future of work?
STAKEHOLDER INSIGHT
The idea behind a culture of wellbeing
The idea behind a culture of wellbeing
The belief is that improving the health of employees through wellness programs makes them healthier and happier individuals, which improves their workplace well-being and productivity
The belief is that improving the health of employees through wellness programs makes them healthier and happier individuals, which improves their workplace well-being and productivity
One of Asset Health's challenges in cultivating wellness was self-selection bias in employee participation. Their program attracts health-conscious employees and active employees interested in health, leaving a gap in data on those with chronic illnesses who could benefit most. This means that the employees who need health interventions are least likely to engage in wellness programs
INITIAL CHALLENGE
Starting off with a fuzzy problem
Starting off with a fuzzy problem
Asset Health aims to build a culture of wellbeing for the workforce. One of their challenges in their wellness programs was self-selection bias in employee participation. Those who choose to participate tend to be health-conscious employees who are interested in wellness, leaving a gap in data on employees who are less interested in wellness who could benefit most
One of Asset Health's challenges in cultivating wellness was self-selection bias in employee participation. Their program attracts health-conscious employees and active employees interested in health, leaving a gap in data on those with chronic illnesses who could benefit most. This means that the employees who need health interventions are least likely to engage in wellness programs
One of Asset Health's challenges in cultivating wellness was self-selection bias in employee participation. Their program attracts health-conscious employees and active employees interested in health, leaving a gap in data on those with chronic illnesses who could benefit most. This means that the employees who need health interventions are least likely to engage in wellness programs
Our fuzzy goal:
Our fuzzy goal:
How might we increase the participation of medically underrepresented employees in wellness programs?
How might we increase the participation of medically underrepresented employees in wellness programs?
BACKGROUND RESEARCH
Employees with chronic health conditions
Employees with chronic health conditions
Multiple reports revealed that chronic health conditions specifically put a major toll on employees in the workplace
Multiple reports revealed that chronic health conditions specifically put a major toll on employees in the workplace
37%
37%
of workers with heart disease
of workers with heart disease
20%
20%
of workers with asthma
of workers with asthma
18%
18%
of workers with mood disorders
of workers with mood disorder
Missed one or more work days annually due to their condition
Missed one or more work days annually due to their condition
How do wellness programs address chronic health conditions?
How do wellness programs address chronic health conditions?
Employees with chronic illnesses qualify for fewer incentives than their peers. Oftentimes wellness programs do not offer incentives for disease management
Employees with chronic illnesses qualify for fewer incentives than their peers. Oftentimes wellness programs do not offer incentives for disease management
Narrowing our scope
Narrowing our scope
We decided to narrow our problem scope from medically underrepresented employees to barriers in participation among employees chronic illnesses. Employees with chronic illnesses miss more workdays due to their condition and face long term health challenges, making them a more actionable population to focus on
We decided to narrow our problem scope from medically underrepresented employees to barriers in participation among employees chronic illnesses. Employees with chronic illnesses miss more workdays due to their condition and face long term health challenges, making them a more actionable population to focus on
We re-framed our research question:
We re-framed our research question:
How might we encourage the participation of employees with chronic illness in wellness programs to increase employee wellness, motivation, and engagement?
How might we encourage the participation of employees with chronic illness in wellness programs to increase employee wellness, motivation, and engagement?
Our research plan
Our research plan
Research goals:
Research goals:
Increase the participation of employees with chronic conditions participation in wellness
Improve active engagement in wellness activities
Increase employee motivation to participate in wellness activities and programs
Increase the participation of employees with chronic conditions participation in wellness
Improve active engagement in wellness activities
Increase employee motivation to participate in wellness activities and programs
Methodology:
Methodology:
5 User Interviews
5 User Interviews
1 Survey
1 Survey
1 Stakeholder Interview
1 Stakeholder Interview
Secondary Research
Secondary Research
Timeline:
Timeline:
ANALYSIS
Extracting insights
Extracting insights
3 core insights emerged from from 5 interviews and 150+ codes of data
3 core insights emerged from from 5 interviews and 150+ codes of data
Employees with chronic illness trust professional, credentialed healthcare providers
We consistently found that employees with chronic illness already have a set of existing healthcare providers, making wellness programs feel redundant
We consistently found that employees with chronic illness already have a set of existing healthcare providers, making wellness programs feel redundant
“I rely on healthcare providers for advice because they’re more realistic”
Current incentives fall short
Employees with chronic illness want personalized support in order to better suit their health needs rather than a one-size-fits-all incentive structure
Employees with chronic illness want personalized support in order to better suit their health needs rather than a one-size-fits-all incentive structure
“The $150 they give me doesn't really matter much compared to the health benefits”
Participating in wellness programs is high effort
Enrollment is long and rigid, and goal deadlines aren't flexible for chronic illness, making it hard to enroll and keep up with the program
Enrollment is long and rigid, and goal deadlines aren't flexible for chronic illness, making it hard to enroll and keep up with the program
"Signing up for the program should be quick and easy. I can't concentrate long enough to complete the forms"
These insights helped re-frame the problem:
These insights helped re-frame the problem:
Employees with chronic illness aren't less engaged in wellness programs because they lack motivation, but because the program doesn't fit how they manage their health
Employees with chronic illness aren't less engaged in wellness programs because they lack motivation, but because the program doesn't fit how they manage their health
Programs duplicate health support they already trust elsewhere, offer rewards that don't reflect their needs, and demands more effort than reasonably expected. We decided to focus our recommendations in addressing these gaps
Programs duplicate health support they already trust elsewhere, offer rewards that don't reflect their needs, and demands more effort than reasonably expected. We decided to focus our recommendations in addressing these gaps
Translating insights into recommendations
Translating insights into recommendations
We developed and presented 2 recommendations to stakeholders:
We developed and presented 2 recommendations to stakeholders:
Integrating medical care
Integrating medical care
Reduce the effort required for program enrollment by integrating previous medical care history in wellness program enrollment
Reduce the effort required for program enrollment by integrating previous medical care history in wellness program enrollment
Personalized incentive structure
Allow users to choose from a range of varied company incentives that support employees' unique needs
Allow users to choose from a range of varied company incentives that support employees' unique needs
Impact
Impact
During our final research presentation, client stakeholders appreciated that we targeted self-selection bias, a real problem they faced, and enjoyed that our solution focused on a high-touch approach, aligning with their core values
Although implementation was beyond the scope of this project, Asset Health validated our 2 proposed recommendations, and our team hoped the research informed their future wellness program design
During our final research presentation, client stakeholders appreciated that we targeted self-selection bias, a real problem they faced, and enjoyed that our solution focused on a high-touch approach, aligning with their core values
Although implementation was beyond the scope of this project, Asset Health validated our 2 proposed recommendations, and our team hoped the research informed their future wellness program design
Takeaways
Takeaways
Given a broad problem scope, I learned how to explore a problem space and narrow it down into a focused problem statement through the research discovery and definition process. Stakeholder touch-bases and peer feedback sessions taught me to deliver data and research findings in a clear and meaningful way
Given a broad problem scope, I learned how to explore a problem space and narrow it down into a focused problem statement through the research discovery and definition process. Stakeholder touch-bases and peer feedback sessions taught me to deliver data and research findings in a clear and meaningful way