How Polly’s Pancake Parlor Fosters Employee Health with YuMuuv
Polly’s Pancake Parlor is a historic breakfast restaurant founded in 1938, nestled in rural northern New Hampshire. Despite its modest location in a town with a population of only 600, Polly’s serves up to 700 meals per day during peak summer months, making it a popular tourist attraction. Known for its maple syrup products and customizable pancake options, Polly’s blends traditional charm with a modern approach to hospitality.
Workforce Snapshot:
Polly’s employs approximately 60 staff members, with 35–40 actively participating in YuMuuv challenges. The restaurant faces common challenges in the food service industry, such as seasonal staffing, last-minute absences, and promoting healthy habits in a demanding work environment.
YuMuuv Implementation:
In January 2024, General Manager Chris Cote introduced YuMuuv as part of an initiative to enhance employee health, reduce sick days, and improve overall engagement. The app was selected for its affordability, non-invasive nature, and voluntary participation model, allowing employees to engage at their own pace without additional cost.
Program Design and Execution:
Goals:
1. Incentivize health and wellness among staff.
2. Foster a culture of consistency and engagement.
3. Provide a fair and enjoyable platform for wellness challenges.
Challenge Structure:
Polly’s designed a series of monthly challenges, with 7–10 activities focused on achievable goals such as hydration, sleep, exercise minutes, and personal wellness habits like flossing or community giving. Prizes are awarded through a raffle system, encouraging participation regardless of individual performance. Gift cards to local businesses, valued at $30–$50, serve as motivational incentives.
Key Benefits:
1. Increased engagement among staff, driven by the opportunity to win prizes and the flexibility of challenge selection.
2. Healthy competition, with staff members naturally engaging in friendly rivalries.
3. Marginal health improvements, even among those participating for short periods.
Employee Feedback:
Employees have expressed enthusiasm for the program, appreciating its flexibility and potential for rewards. Some suggestions for improvement include adding profile photos for personalization, expanding challenge options, and streamlining administrative tasks for managing challenges.
Challenges and Opportunities for Improvement:
Streamlining challenge management, such as the ability to copy and edit monthly challenges, would reduce administrative overhead. Limited budget constraints restrict the ability to offer more incentives, but YuMuuv’s integration of new features, such as Health Connect for Android, is expected to enhance the experience.
Notable Insights:
Polly’s has successfully integrated non-fitness challenges, like community giving, to broaden the scope of wellness and appeal to a diverse workforce. While participation varies, even minimal involvement has contributed positively to the workplace culture.
Looking Ahead: 2025 Initiatives
Chris plans to leverage new YuMuuv features to increase engagement, foster team-building, and recognize top participants for their efforts. New Year’s resolutions will serve as a springboard for reigniting interest in the program, encouraging broader participation.
Client Testimonial:
Chris Cote reflects, “If I took the app away tomorrow, there would be a hole. People would notice and complain. It has become a subtle but significant part of our culture, setting us apart in a competitive industry.”
Conclusion:
YuMuuv has proven to be an effective tool for fostering a culture of wellness at Polly’s Pancake Parlor. By tailoring challenges to the needs of their small team and leveraging incentives strategically, Chris has successfully integrated the app into the restaurant’s operations, providing employees with a platform for consistent health improvement and engagement. This partnership showcases the power of flexibility and innovation in workplace wellness, even in a small business setting.
