It’s about continually acting in appropriate and affordable ways to build and maintain a good relationship between employer and employee. Alasdair Thompson, Chief Executive, EMA

 It’s about continually acting in appropriate and affordable ways to build and maintain a good relationship between employer and employee. Alasdair Thompson, Chief Executive, EMA

The activa card can be used to purchase/pay for:

  • Prescription reading glasses
  • Vitamin and mineral supplements
  • Sports clothing and equipment
  • A massage at the physio
  • A session with a personal trainer
  • A session with a nutritionist
  • Sunglasses
  • A hearing or eye test
  • A doctor or dentist appointment
  • Prescription medicines

The activa card can be used to purchase/pay for:

  • Prescription reading glasses
  • Vitamin and mineral supplements
  • Sports clothing and equipment
  • A massage at the physio
  • A session with a personal trainer
  • A session with a nutritionist
  • Sunglasses
  • A hearing or eye test
  • A doctor or dentist appointment
  • Prescription medicines

activa health management accounts

What is activa?

activa is many things rolled into one very useful package. activa is a health management account (like a bank account) that comes with an activa card, which can be used at nearly 4,000 health and wellbeing retailers throughout New Zealand.

How does activa work?

  • You choose which employees are eligible for an activa account
  • You decide how you want to customise activa to meet the needs of your business
  • You decide the contributions – regular payments, lump sum, as an incentive/reward, or ad hoc
  • Your employees can choose which health and wellbeing products and services they want to purchase.

Take the ‘activa for business’ quick tour >>

HEALTHY PEOPLE HEALTHY BUSINESS
Each employee has an activa health management account – which is additional to their wages or salary. You set the annual amount, then your employees use their activa card to pay for things related to health and wellbeing. Employees feel rewarded and looked after, which increases their motivation to work effectively.
Employees use the money in their activa accounts to pay for health-related expenses at participating health and wellbeing retailers and providers throughout New Zealand - everything from doctors, dentists and physios to pharmacies, gyms and sports shops.

The range of choices means employees are able to use their activa card in a way that is relevant to them.
activa accounts help to ensure that employees can afford to look after their health. If they’re feeling well, they’re more likely to be productive at work.

As an employer, you are able to offer an employee benefit that offers more flexibility and greater personal choice.

activa is a low maintenance benefit programme that requires little administration.

A few popular ways to use activa

  • As an innovative enhancement to an employee benefit package activa is a way to differentiate your employment offer; it also makes it easy to control how much each employee gets. The growing network of health and wellness providers now accepting the activa card is proof of the programme’s wide appeal.
  • Gen Y
    Businesses wanting to appeal to their Generation Y employees’ desire for instant gratification find that activa offers all-round flexibility and choice. It’s a great way to keep Gen Y engaged.
  • Bonus or reward
    A lump sum can be paid into employees' activa accounts, either on a regular basis or when a reward is earned. You could deposit an amount every year, then top the account to the original level at the end of the year. This system encourages employees to spend on their health and wellbeing. Some employers choose to use activa to reward staff loyalty.
  • Incentive programme
    This works well with staff on variable pay. It involves setting up activa accounts for each employee, then a lump sum if they reach/exceed their monthly or annual targets.

Tried and tested by our own team

Switch2Well, Southern Cross' own health and wellness programme, uses activa health management accounts to reward participating employees. Switch2Well encourages employees to take part in various fitness and health initiatives, gradually working their way up levels of rewards. Read more about Switch2well.

Charges, exclusions, limitations and other terms and conditions apply to the activa account and are subject to change.

Contact your Southern Cross Account Manager, call 0800 323 555 or email healthybusiness@southerncross.co.nz

activa is brought to you by Activa Health Limited. The activa account and related banking services are provided by ASB Bank Limited. Activa Health Limited receives services fees from ASB Bank Limited and Southern Cross Medical Care Society. Neither Activa Health Limited nor the Southern Cross Medical Care Society is a registered bank. A copy of ASB's current Disclosure Statement is available free of charge at www.asb.co.nz

activa health management accounts

What is activa?

activa is many things rolled into one very useful package. activa is a health management account (like a bank account) that comes with an activa card, which can be used at nearly 4,000 health and wellbeing retailers throughout New Zealand.

How does activa work?

  • You choose which employees are eligible for an activa account
  • You decide how you want to customise activa to meet the needs of your business
  • You decide the contributions – regular payments, lump sum, as an incentive/reward, or ad hoc
  • Your employees can choose which health and wellbeing products and services they want to purchase.

Take the ‘activa for business’ quick tour >>

HEALTHY PEOPLE HEALTHY BUSINESS
Each employee has an activa health management account – which is additional to their wages or salary. You set the annual amount, then your employees use their activa card to pay for things related to health and wellbeing. Employees feel rewarded and looked after, which increases their motivation to work effectively.
Employees use the money in their activa accounts to pay for health-related expenses at participating health and wellbeing retailers and providers throughout New Zealand - everything from doctors, dentists and physios to pharmacies, gyms and sports shops.

The range of choices means employees are able to use their activa card in a way that is relevant to them.
activa accounts help to ensure that employees can afford to look after their health. If they’re feeling well, they’re more likely to be productive at work.

As an employer, you are able to offer an employee benefit that offers more flexibility and greater personal choice.

activa is a low maintenance benefit programme that requires little administration.

A few popular ways to use activa

  • As an innovative enhancement to an employee benefit package activa is a way to differentiate your employment offer; it also makes it easy to control how much each employee gets. The growing network of health and wellness providers now accepting the activa card is proof of the programme’s wide appeal.
  • Gen Y
    Businesses wanting to appeal to their Generation Y employees’ desire for instant gratification find that activa offers all-round flexibility and choice. It’s a great way to keep Gen Y engaged.
  • Bonus or reward
    A lump sum can be paid into employees' activa accounts, either on a regular basis or when a reward is earned. You could deposit an amount every year, then top the account to the original level at the end of the year. This system encourages employees to spend on their health and wellbeing. Some employers choose to use activa to reward staff loyalty.
  • Incentive programme
    This works well with staff on variable pay. It involves setting up activa accounts for each employee, then a lump sum if they reach/exceed their monthly or annual targets.

Tried and tested by our own team

Switch2Well, Southern Cross' own health and wellness programme, uses activa health management accounts to reward participating employees. Switch2Well encourages employees to take part in various fitness and health initiatives, gradually working their way up levels of rewards. Read more about Switch2well.

Charges, exclusions, limitations and other terms and conditions apply to the activa account and are subject to change.

Contact your Southern Cross Account Manager, call 0800 323 555 or email healthybusiness@southerncross.co.nz

activa is brought to you by Activa Health Limited. The activa account and related banking services are provided by ASB Bank Limited. Activa Health Limited receives services fees from ASB Bank Limited and Southern Cross Medical Care Society. Neither Activa Health Limited nor the Southern Cross Medical Care Society is a registered bank. A copy of ASB's current Disclosure Statement is available free of charge at www.asb.co.nz

RESEARCH

Vaccinate 2008 survey

Although vaccinated and non-vaccinated employees considered themselves to be the same in their general health and well-being, there is clear evidence...

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A New Zealand Study into the Hidden Costs of Unhealthy Employees

A recent Southern Cross and TNS Conversa study found that employers are likely to be paying a surprisingly high cost for the poor health of their em...

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ARTICLES

Southern Cross takes wellness home with SWITCH2WELL

Southern Cross wishes to kindly acknowledge Management magazine for allowing us to provide the following PDF articles.

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Killers and cures - healthy minds in healthy corporate bodies

There’s been a lot of hype about future flu pandemics but what about today’s obesity epidemic? What are the biggest threats to a healthy workforce in...

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