HopeHealth.com
Strategies forCreating Fun, Effective,
& EngagingEmployee Communications
Jen Cronin, Managing Editor
4 Common Challenges in
PromotingHealth at the Workplace
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1. Budget
2. Time & resources
3. Lack of participation and engagement
4. Under utilization
6 Costly Practices of Traditional Wellness Programs
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1. HRAs
2. Biometric screenings
3. Extrinsic incentives
4. Wellness portals
5. Coaching
6. Wellness vendor fees
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• Overcomes these obstacles
• Changes your perspective
A BetterWay
Embrace aCommunications-First
Philosophy
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Prepare toHave Fun!
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Talk & work WITH employees
not
AT employees
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Regular, positive communication with employees sends the message that you value employees as whole people.
The Principles
areSimple
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Strengthens the employee-employer relationship.
The Principles
areSimple
Everyone wins – employees, employer, customers, clients, and/or patients
The Principles
areSimple
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The BenefitsAre Many
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Engages and excites employees
The BenefitsAre Many
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Helps employees appreciate and understand the benefits you offer
Provides a way to update employees about company news and events
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The BenefitsAre Many
The BenefitsAre Many
Fosters trust and openness
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• Develop a communication strategy
• Evaluate resources
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Where to Begin
Develop a Strategy
Look at wants and needs from the employees’ perspective – not management’s.
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EvaluateResources
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• Cost
• Time
• Employee commitment
Set a Budget
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• Writing
• Editing
• Design
• Implementation• Print – printing & mailing• Digital – web hosting fees &
software costs (including subscriptions to cloud-based services)
Time
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Keep in mind the amount of lead time required for consistent, polished communications.
EmployeeCommitment
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• Determine the number of people who will need to be involved.
• Break down the project into components.
• Figure out manageable time periods for each task
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5-Person Employee Communication TeamMonthly 8-Page Newsletter
Action No. of Team Members Time
Planning of content 5 1-2 hours
Research 2 4-6 hours
Writing & editing of content 2 8-10 hours
Medical review by experts 1 3-5 days
Layout & design of content 1-2 6-8 hours
Proofreading & link checking 1-2 8-10 hours
Project Manager 1 20-25 hours
Distribution 1 2 hours
Wrap up and review of employee feedback 5 1-2 hours
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Employee Communications…To Outsource or Do Insource?
Here’s how to decide.
Outsource In-HouseYou have limited staff time available to dedicate to communications.
You need ready-to-use content that has been vetted, written for a consumer audience, and medically-reviewed.
You want the confidence of knowing the communications you send are done by an organization specializing in employee concerns and issues.
You want a professional team of writers and editors to conduct interviews, use credible sources for research, write, and edit your content.
You want a multi-media approach (newsletters, posters, brochures, blogs, videos, and/or social media, etc.), but lack the skills to deliver.
You seek the confidence of having seasoned professionals handle all of the details for you.
You have an in-house design and communications team that can assist with your communications.
You have writing and editing experience, and feel comfortable in this role.
You have access to a medical review team to review all medical information.
You have a dedicated project manager or team to handle the day-to-day duties and distribution of the content.
You know exactly what you want and have a strategy. You have a generous budget for producing your communications.
You have a seamless distribution system in place at your company.
• Know your audience
• Create schedule
• Plan content
• Determine formats
• Repurpose content
• Create an editorial calendar
• Craft content
• Design
• Distribute
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The Nitty Gritty of
Content Creation
Know Your
Audience
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Address employees as whole people
Know Your
AudienceCreate content in partnership with employees
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Know Your
Audience Offer relevancy & respect
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Customize content for your culture
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Know Your
Audience
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• Physical wellbeing
• Emotional/mental wellbeing
• Financial wellbeing
• Community wellbeing
• Career wellbeing
Address EmployeesAs Whole
People
Create Content in Partnership
withEmployees
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• Feature employee success.
• Hold mini-focus groups.
• Use employees as topic experts.
• Ask for feedback.
Offer Relevancy
andRespect
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• Ask, “Why would an employee want to read/view this?
• Offer short articles, tips, and information with links to addition content online.
• Remember that people are motivated in different ways.
Customize Content For YourCulture
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• Free, generic content is not specific to your organization.
• Employees are not part of creating it.
• It lacks company branding.
• It may not be accurate.
Create an EditorialCalendar
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Determine how often you want to communicate with employees.
Create an EditorialCalendar
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Keep in mind that you need to include scheduling for communications in different formats & distribution.
ContentPlanning
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• Think seasonally and seasons of life.
• Consider company events and important deadlines.
• Plan for the unforeseen.
Determine Relevant Media
for Your Audience
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• Newsletters
• Posters
• Email & Texts
• Blogs
• Social Media
• Videos
YourNewsletter
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• Ownership
• Familiarity, brevity & focus
• Relevancy & ease-of-use
• Regularity
• Inexpensive
• Multi-media friendly
• Production
• Customization
RepurposeContent
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• Allows you to get out messages several times in different ways.
• Use newsletter content throughout the month on posters and social media, and in emails & texts.
www.HopeHealth.com
Employee-VolunteerPowered
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• Ask employees for help.
• Provide a forum, structure, tools, and working philosophy that makes participation natural, time commitment minimal, and experience rewarding.
6 Ways to Unlock the
Talent & Energy of Employees
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1. Sell the purpose
2. Provide structure & autonomy
3. Empower
4. Mastery
5. Social connections
6. Celebrate & acknowledge
Wellness & Wellbeing Programs
Need Not Be Expensive
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• Focus on social engagement – relationships, events achievement, & support
• Access free resources – at work, in the community, at the state level, and from the federal government & national organizations
Evaluate Efforts Using
“ROAR”*
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• Return
• On
• Allocated
• Resources
*Michael O’Donnell, president and editor in chief, American Journal of Health Promotion
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• Feeling great
• Helping other people feel great
• Utilization of assets
• Participation
*Michael O’Donnell, president and editor in chief, American Journal of Health Promotion
Evaluate Efforts Using
“ROAR”*
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• Figure out how much you could save
• Form a small group
• Recruit employee volunteers
• Use an editorial calendar
• Evaluate available resources
• Evaluate media
• Use ROAR
Action Steps
to Consider
2 FREEeBooks:
Download at
HopeHealth/Reports
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ContactInformation
• Jen Cronin, Managing Editor
• 616.610.2546
• HopeHealth.com
• blog.HopeHealth.com
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