Humans are hard-wired to be social. People crave communication and interaction. These connections then often lead people to be more energized and enjoy life more, which is what wellbeing is all about. With this in mind, why not make communications a priority for your wellness program?
Set a budget and start small to ease into
a communications-based wellness program
Embracing a communications-first strategy for your wellness program means communications is a first thought – not an afterthought – when you’re considering what you want your wellness program to accomplish.
For instance, say you want to reduce the level of daily stress that participants feel. Ask yourself: How can the organization use communications to help reach this goal?
Shifting to a communications-first wellness program doesn’t have to be tricky, time-consuming, or costly if you use this simple two-step strategy:
1. Set a budget. Figure out how much you want to spend on your communications. Knowing how much you have to work with will help you determine what media to use.
It may seem electronic would be cheaper than print, and in many cases it is, but be sure you consider the costs before you invest the time and energy in a particular strategy.
Whichever way you go, think about using employee volunteers and free resources. A creative group of employees may be able to pull off communication production without spending much, if any, money (other than their time).
2. Start small. Don’t feel like you need to have all the communication components (newsletter, posters, social media, video, etc.) in place from the get-go. Pick one approach and grow from there.
You may want to ease your way into a communications-first approach by creating a new employee newsletter or revamping an existing one. A newsletter can serve as the foundation from which you can build communication for all other platforms later on. When it comes to a newsletter, you can go with:
- A traditional print version.
- A PDF that allows the reader to open and view it on a device, or print it.
- An eNewsletter that can be read on an electronic device.
Check out this infographic for important elements you need to include in your newsletter.
As your communications-first program evolves, you could add more media and events, and still keep your budget to a fraction of what a typical workplace wellness program costs today.
Keep it real and consistent
Whether you focus your communications-first wellness efforts on a newsletter or some other platform, be sure to distribute your communications on a regular schedule so employees and their families come to rely on getting it from you. Also, keep it real by addressing topics of interest to your employees and company news.
To help you make employee communications a priority, Hope at Work dedicated a 4-part series to the topic. Here are the 3 other articles for you to check out:
- “Why employee communication needs to be your top priority in the coming year”
- “Why make employee communication a priority”
- “Feed employees with communication that nourishes their overall wellbeing”
What to do now:
- Save this infographic for elements of a successful newsletter.
- Check out these success stories of how your colleagues are making communication a priority in their companies.
- Read this FREE eBook, “How to Put Communication First in Workplace Wellbeing,” for expert advice on how to implement a “communications-first” approach at your workplace.
What communication challenges are you facing? I can help find a solution that works for you. You can reach me at whaan@hopehealth.com or 800-334-4094.
