Marketing Your Wellness Program

According to a study by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP), 80% of employers that offer wellness programs get only half or fewer of their employees to participate. More than a third reported participation of only 10 to 25%, and nearly one in five employers had less than 10% participation.

No matter what your level of employee involvement, however, it pays to sell wellness. The IFEBP survey found that among employers that measured results for their wellness plans, return on investment (ROI) ranged from $2 to $5 for every dollar spent.

How can you get more employees to take part in your wellness programs? Be a savvy marketer:

• Use multiple channels. Broadcast your messages through both print and electronic mediums if possible. A letter to employees should land in mailboxes or paycheck envelopes at about the same time as a Web banner ad appears on your intranet. Advertise the program in common areas like lunch rooms, rest rooms, and elevators. Get people talking about it — word-of-mouth marketing is very powerful.
• Maintain frequency. Don’t rely on a once-a-year announcement during open enrollment. Tie your programs to monthly national health observances to get a health message out every month. For example, offer foot massages in April for Foot Health Awareness Month, or promote fitness during Bike to Work Week in May. For complete list of month-by-month observances, visit healthfinder.gov/nho/default.aspx. Use any relevant opportunity to tout elements of the program.
• Offer incentives. Health club discounts, flexible scheduling, free fitness classes — the easier and more attractive you make it for employees to participate, the more likely they will. Tip: Establish a relationship with a local health club or chain; they may offer extras such as free classes or clinics to generate new memberships.
• Cultivate leadership. Leading by example can be a powerful advertisement for your wellness programs. Get your organization’s higher-ups to visibly participate in your health promotions, and others will follow suit.

These steps can help you raise visibility and gain a stronger ROI for your wellness efforts. Try some or all of them to give your promotions a professional marketing push.

Related Information:

• How to Promote Your Wellness Program (pdf)
• The use of marketing tools to increase participation in worksite wellness programs
• VHA Employee Wellness Program Start-up Guide (doc)