Why communication is important for an employee wellness program

If you are working for a business that has an employee wellness program, and you are involved in some way, it is crucial to the success of the program that a clear communication protocol is in place. Without effective communication employees will not be aware of what the employee wellness program offers, and therefore be unable to utilize it. In addition, for employees and management who are involved in the wellness program, it is also critical that communication is maintained so that participants can fully access all aspects of the program.

Most employee wellness programs are administered by a Health Promotions team. This team should focus on communication when designing all aspects of their program. There are basically two types of information that needs to be decimated. First, Health Promotion teams should incorporate into the program, information that that workers can take with them, read it when they have time, and be allowed to consider the message. Secondly, there should be a constant flow of information that will generate awareness and increase the employee's knowledge of what activities are going on within the employee wellness program. All employees should have access to this information through the use of: email, voice mail, posters, flyers, newsletter and even bulletin boards. The information should be given out in this most appropriate manner, for that group of employees.

Since most employee wellness programs focus on one topic, for awhile and then move on to something else, it is crucial that all staff is kept current about whatever health topic is the centerpiece at any particular time. In addition, the Health Promotion Team should focus on updating employees on any applicable current health trends. There should also be information give out that details the potential benefits of a health and wellness focus. This has to be done on a regular basis in order, for the program to remain consistent and for employees to remain interested and participating.
There are certain methods that have been found to be successful in decimating information, in the workplace. These methods are-

• Health and Wellness Newsletters-This type of newsletter can be developed or an existing employee newsletter can be modified and used. Many of these newsletters are used to feature an employee who has made a significant and positive change in their health. Other ideas to add include: a list of healthy food choices available in the cafeteria, fitness classes that are being held, or upcoming health screenings that will be available.


• Wellness Bulletin Boards-Bulletin boards can be constantly updated bulletin with schedules for upcoming meetings, classes, and current information. This is a great method to use, for updating employees, because so many of them are located in areas of high traffic. The Health Promotions Team can be in charge of making sure that information is put out through this method.


• Health and wellness e-mail's-Employees can be sent reminders a couple of days before a scheduled program/event. In addition, it can be helpful for employees to receive an E-mail calendar detailing that month's health and wellness events.


• Employee Wellness Program posters-You can use colorful and eye catching posters that are related to the featured health topic. Keep in mind that this information needs to be related in a way that only takes a few seconds, since few people will stop to read an entire poster. You can also contact local community resources, to see if free posters are available, for the health topic that you are featuring.


• A final note about communication is that whatever methods you use, should be rotated on a regular basis, in order to keep participants interested and attract non-participating employees to get involved. Even if your budget is limited, communication should not be overlooked as it is a crucial component of any employee wellness program.