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Too often, organisations (and employees for that matter) expect to see instant results from their health and wellness programs. Employers are wanting to see immediate improvements in productivity and moral, whilst employees are wanting to instantly feel better and see improvements in their overall health.

As a society, we have become accustomed to instant gratification and immediate results. We are used to seeing immediate changes and improvements, be it a change in behavior, or more tangible outcomes such as; improved productivity, less sick days, reduced stress levels and improved moral around the office. However, real change takes time. It is said that to break a habit and form a new one takes 66 days.

For many organisations, health initiatives such as health checks, health expos or wellness consultations are run once a year. While these initiatives are an excellent way to promote health and wellness in the workforce, research would suggest that in order to remain front of mind, people need to be exposed to any given message approximately 5 to 7 times. Therefore, it can be said that the best way to make the wellness message stick is to take a drip-feed approach with a steady flow of information and positive health messages.

Whether your company goal is to provide employees with biometric screening, education on mental health and resilience, or encouraging them to engage in healthy behaviors throughout the year, effective and consistent communication is essential.

Below are our top 3 tips to effectively communicate a wellness message in the workplace

  1. Keep it simple.Health and medical jargon can be confusing and many people simply don’t understand it, so use words that make sense to everyone. Try different ways to say the same message by making use of visuals, infographics, bullet points and FAQ. Don’t over overwhelm the reader with too much information.
  2. Keep it engaging.Without engagement, the message simply doesn’t get heard. The greater the engagement the better the overall outcome. Make sure to;
  • Be relevant: successful programs listen to employees’ interests and concerns.
  • Be social and supportive: take the ‘we’re all in this together’ approach.
  • Be positive: a positive approach to improving employee’s health and wellbeing works better than a hostile approach. Remember always reward rather than penalise. Help people feel good and give them the courage to tackle the issues at hand
  1. Communicate, communicate, communicate.and make it a two-way street. Think beyond health check registrations and course sign ups. Try to have regular touchpoints (surveys, evaluations & feedback, monthly meetings) to check in with employees and see how their wellness goals are progressing. Have they fallen off the bandwagon? Do they need extra support? Are they on track and feeling motivated?

Think outside the box to keep the lines of communication open. Make use of social media platforms, for example, by creating a Wellness Facebook page where employees can voice their concerns, ask questions, share their wins and feel truly supported.

At the end of the day, there is no fix quick when it comes to employee wellness. You have to be willing to put in the time, effort and resources to get your workforce healthy, and keep them healthy.

Did you know?

Our Well at Work newsletter covers all three aspects of workplace wellness:

Body nutrition and exercise

Mind – mental health and resilience, stress reduction and positive psychology

Safety – occupational safety issues and first aid

Each issue covers expert, up-to-date health information on hot topics of today. An informative read with eye catching pictures and graphics, making it easy to understand and suitable for all employees over a variety of industries.

Incorporating a newsletter into the workplace is a perfect way to drip feed your wellness message across the whole organization. We have flexible delivery options – monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly and the best bit is it costs less than $2 an issue!

You can use it as stand-alone wellness initiative or compliment your existing wellness program.

To discuss or if you would like a quote please email ask@healthworks.com.au

Healthworks

Author Healthworks

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