Expanding Employee Wellness with Motion Connected

CASE STUDY

YMCA of WNC

Background

The YMCA of Western North Carolina is a nonprofit organization focused on strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, serving the Asheville region through fitness, childcare, and community health programs.

Industry: Nonprofit Fitness

Active Participants: 130

Highlights

Expanded Engagement – made wellness more accessible by including their largely part-time workforce.
Boosted Participation – with creative incentives like a PTO reward tied to wellness achievements.
Developed a Health-Centered Culture – with challenges, wearable integration, and evidence-based resources that employees actively use.

View and Share PDF

Introduction

When the YMCA of Western North Carolina (WNC) set out to strengthen its employee wellness efforts, the goal was clear: they wanted to create a program that truly engaged staff, supported their wellbeing, and built a stronger sense of community across a largely part-time workforce.

Building a Foundation for Wellness

In 2021, the YMCA of WNC partnered with Motion Connected to bring that vision to life. What started as a new initiative quickly became the foundation of their employee wellness program.

Over time, participation steadily grew. What made the biggest difference? Expanding access and encouraging part-time staff—who make up the majority of their workforce—to join in. That shift helped transform wellness from a small initiative into an organization-wide movement.

WHY MOTION CONNECTED?

Great Support – They value the ongoing partnership with the MC team, who help problem-solve and find solutions quickly.
Easy-to-use Platform – employees appreciate how easy the platform is to navigate, making it simple to get started and stay engaged.
Excellent Content – they benefit from evidence-based resources that support meaningful health and wellness education.

Motion Connected Gave YMCA a Comprehensive, All-in-one Platform

Addressing Key Challenges

Before Motion Connected, the YMCA of WNC was looking for ways to:

Increase engagement around health and wellbeing
Provide a centralized way to track wellness activities
Create a stronger sense of community among staff
Offer meaningful, evidence-based education

The Motion Connected platform gave the YMCA of WNC the ability to track key wellness metrics like steps, fitness activities, preventative screenings, and participation in challenges and educational events, all in one place.

But beyond the data, it created something even more valuable: connection.

Employees began coming together through team challenges, shared goals, and friendly competition. The platform also provided access to high-quality, evidence-based educational resources and surveys, helping the organization better understand employee needs and tailor programming accordingly.

THE OUTCOMES

Creative Programming made a Positive Impact

The impact of the YMCA of Western North Carolina’s wellness program is reflected not just in participation, but in meaningful behavior change.

Over the past year, more than half of participants (57%) reported increasing their physical activity, while others made strides in improving nutrition (29%), prioritizing stress management (33%), and enhancing sleep and overall health habits. These shifts point to a program that goes beyond awareness—helping employees take real, sustainable action toward better wellbeing.

Just as importantly, employees are motivated to continue. Participants reported a strong average motivation score of 8.6 out of 10 when it comes to improving their health over the next year, signaling lasting engagement and long-term impact.

Combined with high satisfaction rates and strong alignment that the program positively influences health decisions, the YMCA of WNC has built a wellness culture that not only drives results today, but sets the foundation for healthier behaviors well into the future.

EMPLOYEE FEEDBACK

“I love a healthy challenge!!! It helps keep me motivated.”

“Appreciate the steps the Y is making toward helping us all to improve our health!”

“I plan to make wellness a top priority in 2026.”

What advice do you have to others looking to implement a similar program?

"Motion Connected is a one-stop shop to address numerous needs around staff wellness programming. It’s customizable to your organization’s needs, and the support from MC is top-notch!"

Laura // Health Director

View and Share PDF