Effective internal communication is critical to driving high employee participation in worksite wellness programs. Unfortunately, in today’s work environment of information overload, employees are inundated with messages. Human Resources and Health Promotion professionals have to cut through the noise of other competing messages and work priorities if they hope to have success with their wellness efforts.
Here are some ideas for effective worksite wellness communication that can cut through the clutter and drive employees to action:
1. Personalized Messaging
Through the years, wellness professionals have learned that generic calls to action elicit low levels of participation. But marketers know that customized, personalized communication increases response rates by an average of 34%. So borrow a page from consumer marketing and target your wellness communications to specific audiences. One size will not fit all - tailor the communication for locality, health status, demographics and specific health issues. Also, find local wellness champions who can reach employees with specific communications and updates.2. Easy-to-Follow Instructions
You don't want to make employees think too hard about what it is that you're asking them to do. So create specific calls to action. Think back to your school days and the basic formula of the 5 W’s of writing. Including the Who, What, Why, When, and Where will increase the chance of employees understanding what is expected of them.
3. Tap into New Technology
Still communicating with your employees using newsletters and bulletin boards? It may be time to think more creatively about how to use technology to improve communication. Blogs, online support groups or discussion boards, videos and even screen saver messages are a great way to support your worksite wellness program. Remember to make messages easy and scannable – you only have a few seconds to capture their attention.
4. Appeal to Both Sides of the Brain
Consider how the brain processes the information that comes at it – often wellness communication is filled with statistics and studies but lacks sentiment. Your employees are motivated in different ways – some by logic and reason, some by emotions and some need both. The most successful communication incorporates information in a way that appeals to both sides of the brain:
Left Brain – What do you want them to know?
Right Brain – How do you want them to feel?
Overall, you want to work towards creating communication that connects your employees with valuable, relevant, customized content that engages and motivates.
Photo Credit: Delta407
