HOUSTON – How would you like your company tracking every step you take? Thousands volunteer at BP America.
On the company's west Houston campus, new energy wears sneakers, heels and loafers.
"I'm tracking my steps," said Karl Dalal, who runs health and wellness benefit plans for BP America's 20,000 employees.
For them, how far one walks decides how much insurance costs.
"It's one thing for the company to say hey, we want you to be healthy," Teri Consoldane, an employee, said. "It's another thing for them to hand you a FitBit and really put their actions behind their words."
Five years ago, BP noticed a troubling trend.
"We were seeing our health care costs go up," Dalal said. "Even though we offer great benefits, we were noticing our employees were not taking advantage of all their health screenings."
So, his company started offering incentives. Employees get points for reaching certain healthy living goals.They can earn $100 gift cards and win a raffle for free health premiums if employees earn enough points.
However, it is BP's Million Step Challenge motivating Elizabeth Kruger.
"We compete among our team members," Kruger said.
The company offers FitBits, fitness trackers worn on wrists and waists to log steps and workouts. One million steps a year saves one person $1,000 on insurance.
"It was an incentive that finally got him moving," Kristi Slagle, another BP employee said about her husband, Cory.
He has dropped 70 pounds since the program started last year. He is still running 5k's.
"I think the best part is my husband is healthier and is going to live longer and put up with me whether he wants to or not," Slagle said.
It is not for everyone. One in four BP employees choose to not let the company track their fitness. Still, BP's workforce is healthier, which helps their bottom line, Dalal said.
"We've had a two to one payback on the investments that we do on our wellness program," Dalal explained. "But to me, the biggest reason for doing this is improving the health of our employees."
