Work Proposal, Get paid to bike!

[cbr shadow]

I saw yesterday here on the forum that there is a member whose employer pays them $2 per day to ride their bike to work.  I could see how this could be a win/win for everyone.  The employer wins by having a program that people want to participate in, lower insurance premiums and healthier employees.  The employees would benefit by being encouraged by the money to participate which would at least get some people started in biking to work.

Anyways, I'd like to propose this idea to the HR department of my company.  I think it could go over really well here since they're always looking for ways to increase participation in the goofy health events (such as walking club at lunch etc).

Has anyone else done some kind of official proposal like this?  I'm terrible at this type of thing, but I'm hoping that my fellow mustachians can help me out with the proposal.  If someone could get a "standard bike to work proposal" going they could post it here and other people could use it.  With such a "bike to work" culture on this forum I'm sure many people would benefit by submitting it to their own employer.  Just think.. this proposal wont only possibly get rewards for mustachians already biking, but new mustachians and coworkers of mustachians could all benefit from this.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Ryan

[mrpress]

This is a great idea! My company has a "Wellness" group that also does goofy walking events and such but participation is pretty low (I'd rather walk the dog alone after work, quite frankly). I would like to pitch something like this to them as well, especially since we have a bike path right outside the door and showers in the basement, and it would give me the motivation to get my ass commuting by bike. Unforunately I'm also terrible at this kind of stuff so I'm not much help :(

[TrulyStashin]

Snoop around to find out who, in the HR department, is in charge of the Wellness program.  Give them the idea and let them develop the pitch.  They know how to do it and have the best shot at making it reality.  Plus it saves you the headache.

[cbr shadow]

I see what you're saying but I'd really like to get more involved, not less.  I know if I mention it to the wellness people it might get mentioned in their meeting but the idea would probably fizzle out and die.  I'd rather push for it myself.  Since I started biking to work 3 other people also started and I've had probably 10 people talk to me about biking and at the end of the conversation say "wow I think it would be doable for me to bike to work.  I need to do it one of these days".

My only issue is coming up with a nice professional looking proposal.

[swick]

The proposal would depend a lot on the culture/size of your company and how receptive upper management would be. When they would be evaluating a proposal they would want to see all the hard numbers and that they come out in favor of the program. 

There might be someone on staff or part of the wellness dept who could help you frame the proposal in the way that it would go over best - but you should do all the leg work. Gather as many stats either general or company specific if you can about the total cost to the company regarding sick days/medical expenses for "Preventable" health problems and any stats you can find about the benefits of daily exercise (biking specifically)

Create an interest list of employees to demonstrate that the idea would be accepted and is a soft perk that the employees would really like and use.

Also, please include in the proposal that it is mandatory to wear helmets, the cost of a immediate treatment and ongoing support of brain injuries are astronomical. Perhaps the company could have a bulk order and anyone who signs up gets a free helmet?

Good Luck, I think this is an awesome idea!