5 ways to effectively communicate health and wellbeing benefits
In the workplace, providing health and wellbeing benefits is a must have.
Six out of ten (63%) employees feel that their employer should be doing more to support their health and wellbeing, according to Vitality’s Britain’s Healthiest Workplace Report.
While more employers are offering health and wellbeing initiatives, some appear to be facing a ‘participation gap’ where staff aren’t engaging in the support that is available to them.
Vitality data revealed that, on average, employees are aware of 70% of the interventions available to them, but they use just 25%, highlighting the need for better communication and awareness.
This is supported by data which found that one-fifth of HR leaders admitted to a lack of onboarding for employee benefits initiatives. A further fifth of HR professionals thought that workers weren’t aware of certain benefits available to them.
But this isn’t just an internal communications and awareness challenge either; health and wellbeing benefits are suffering from a lack of external exposure too. About 10% of UK employers publish health and wellbeing information in external reports, according to Vitality’s research.
Here are five tips for effectively communicating health and wellbeing benefits to your staff to help raise awareness, maximise uptake and deliver a better return on investment to the business.
1. Tell real stories
Highlight success stories from employees who’ve benefited from your wellness programme. Whether it’s someone who improved their mental health through counselling or became more active thanks to gym discounts, sharing individual anecdotes helps demonstrate the real-world impact of benefits in a more tangible and relatable way.
2. Use multiple channels
Don’t rely on a single email or intranet post, as colleagues might miss them. You need to regularly remind your team of what’s available to them and why they should take the time to explore the benefits that are on offer.
Use all of your comms channels, including newsletters, intranets, team meetings, and social media (which also lets the outside world know about all the great things you’re doing). From short video explainers to FAQ guides and editorial pieces, make sure you create a range of content to cater to different audiences.
3. Appoint wellbeing champions
Empower passionate employees to become wellbeing ambassadors. They can help spread the word, answer questions, signpost resources, and encourage participation across your workforce.
After all, it’s much more welcoming for your new starters and long-standing team members to have a friendly, human point of contact to talk about their wellbeing. Plus, it takes the pressure off you and your HR department.
4. Make it part of your culture
Integrate wellbeing into your company’s values and everyday language. Celebrate wellbeing wins, regularly share updates and ensure leadership teams are actively engaging with the benefits too. Publish your wellbeing strategy and outcomes in a report, which you can share both internally and externally.
This’ll help to boost your reputation and show you’re serious about supporting your workforce.
5. Have a central location for information
Make all your wellbeing offerings easily accessible through a dedicated employee wellness hub. It’ll serve as the central destination for all your comms, including user guides and booking forms.
This also makes it easier for employees to find and access benefits whenever they need them.
Supplied by REBA Associate Member, Vitality
At Vitality, we take a unique approach to insurance. As well as providing high-quality comprehensive cover, we provide a complete wellness package that can help boost employee engagement and productivity.
