As part of an ongoing initiative to inspire benefits-eligible faculty and staff members to lead healthier and more active lives, a host of University departments are teaming up to launch the CARROT Wellness TM program.
A kickoff event is planned for 2-4 p.m on Friday, February 3, at the Recreation Center.
CARROT TM, introduced in January 2016 by Royal Oak-based Marvel Apps LLC, is an entirely new type of health and wellness program to help organizations create the environment for real, sustainable change in the well-being of their employees.
“Having healthy faculty and staff goes a long way in achieving our top-level mission of educating students,” said Libby Ciliberti, Chief Human Resources Officer. “In addition to the individual’s health benefits, there are also health benefits cost savings when you have a healthy workforce.”
“When we heard about CARROT, we thought it made a lot of sense to implement it in addition to our other health initiative programs,” added Becky Lewis, assistant director of programs for University Recreation and Well-Being. “It’s the reward part of the program, like the ability to earn gift cards, that we think our employees are really going to enjoy.”
Driven by the free CARROT Wellness mobile app, the patent-pending program rewards participants financially through a system of “points and coins” for walking and meeting personalized activity goals. Those coins can then be turned in at a mobile Rewards Center where participants can choose exclusive incentives and instant gratification awards.
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| The app is designed to be a fun way to track your personalized activity goals. |
As part of its CARROT program, Oakland University will give employees opportunities to compete for a variety of rewards, including digital gift cards, event tickets, exclusive deals at local businesses – even VIP parking spaces on campus.
“We are thrilled to be able to provide this program to Oakland University,” said CARROT Founder & CEO (and Oakland University alum) Michael Antaran. “There’s really nothing quite like CARROT in the marketplace today. We’ve used a blend of technologies to develop a personalized program that truly motivates even the most sedentary employee."
Antaran added, “Our personalized activity goals level the playing field. From marathoners and weekend warriors to manual wheelchair users, everyone can compete equally for rewards on CARROT.”
Since its introduction less than a year ago, several organizations, including Henry Ford Health System and Macomb County Government, have launched CARROT Wellness programs.
Find out more about the program by visiting the University Recreation and Well-Being website or by calling Stephanie Willis the University Recreation and Well-Being program at (248) 370-4968.
About Oakland University
Oakland University is a Carnegie classification R3 doctoral research university located on 1,443 acres of scenic land in the cities of Rochester Hills and Auburn Hills in Oakland County, Michigan. The University has 132 bachelor's degree programs and 138 graduate degree and certificate programs. Oakland is a nationally recognized public university. Academics include programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business Administration, School of Education and Human Services, School of Engineering and Computer Science, School of Health Sciences, School of Medicine and School of Nursing.
About CARROT
CARROT was created by Marvel Apps LLC, an independent software development company based in Royal Oak, Michigan. CARROT is a mobile health and wellness program that motivates participants on an individual level. Its proprietary algorithm allows all staff members to compete equally for rewards, providing instant gratification for meeting personalized goals. In November 2016, CARROT took top honors as the most innovative solution to connect millennials with health care in Crain’s Detroit Business’ inaugural “Healthy@Work” competition. More information is available at http://CARROTwellness.com/about.
