Having trouble planning your wellness program? Here are a few steps to help you give it shape.
Define the program
Why is the program being run? What is the problem that you are trying to solve?
Get leadership involved from the ground floor and construct a program that answers the above questions. Break up the solution into the relevant pieces and tie them together. Example – a wellness program can break down into physical, emotional, financial and leadership wellness. You can also add sport into this mix. Run a survey to understand the key issues, set up baseline metrics to get a pulse of the solutions expected. This survey sets the tone and course for your activities. Matching your program to the needs of your employees can ensure higher participation and a successful outcome.
Deliver a well-branded employee experience
Having an umbrella brand name and brand vision under which the activities can be housed is needed for better recall. This will tie all the pillars together. Start with a catchy but relevant name for your program. Get all stakeholders to agree on the philosophy and vision of this brand. Yes, it is an internal brand but its philosophy needs discussion and agreement.
Ensure that brand guidelines are adhered to. Over-communicate the brand. Deliver to employees the brand promise with the same intensity that you deliver to customers. Make the program visible using mailers, standees, danglers etc. Communicate these ubiquitously to create recall and positive expectations.
Calendarize your program
Leave no room for surprises. Your employees should know what’s planned for them. Map your program to let everyone know what’s coming next and when. This will reduce the stress of planning among all the internal and external partners involved too. This gives enough time to plan for what can go wrong and save you from making any gaffes during the execution phase of any program.
Have a digital backbone
A good program is anchored on either a website or a mobile app. Creating a digital backbone like an online portal makes it a one stop shop for employees to register, get information and submit all their queries. It also makes it easy for HR and managers to measure program effectiveness.
Measurable outcomes
Revisit your baseline survey when you conduct your next survey in 6 months. See where your program is lacking and re-evaluate the calendar if needed. Look for hard data (awareness, adoption, efficacy and advocacy) and soft data (anecdotes, feedback). While keeping a tab on the number of participants, also look out for changes in the employees’ overall state of wellness. This simple measure speaks volumes about the success of your program!
Need more guidance on planning your employee engagement program? Click here to watch the webinar by our CEO Arvind Krishnan on what it takes to deliver a successful program.
