We got into the Halloween spirit today by participating in ShapeUp’s fun and spooky webinar, Wellness Horror Stories, alongside Penn State's Dr. Matthew Woessner. The webinar was hosted by ShapeUp Founder and CEO, Dr. Rajiv Kumar.
What is a wellness horror story?
We’ve all heard a wellness horror story—something goes terribly wrong, you encounter unforeseen obstacles, or confusion leads to all-out chaos. Rajiv shared stories collected from the community and we heard from Dr. Woessner, who made headlines this fall over Penn State’s very public wellness debacle.
We wrapped up the webinar with tips for wellness success—these are not magic potions, they are communications and change management best practices. And, here for you, with their Halloween theme.
Tricks or treats?
Carrots or sticks? Incentives are just penalties by a different name. Be cautious with how you frame them—rewards, discounts, surcharges. How are you explaining the whole program? Does the incentive/reward make sense in context? Don’t get so caught up in loss messaging that you create a punitive program out of something that could be positive.
Don't hide your eyes…even when things are scary
Create two-way communication channels to help your audience engage in meaningful dialogue—even if you don't always like what you see. Conduct focus groups. Solicit employee feedback. Dig into demographic data. The more you know about your audience, the more targeted and, ultimately, effective your communications will be. Make sure you’re collecting feedback before, during and after a launch and have a plan in place to respond promptly to any concerns.
Beware of tangled webs
Keep it simple—from the actions you require, to the language you use, to the systems needed to complete required activities. Make it simple for your employees, and you'll see higher participation numbers. The best communications campaign in the world can’t make up for broken processes.
Looking into the crystal ball?
There is no silver bullet when it comes to communication. You need to invest in communicating year round, in every channel that you have access to. Wellness info isn’t just important right before your program's activity incentive deadline—healthy living is a lifestyle choice that's made every day.
Avoid terror!
What's scarier than the latest horror flick? Thinking your employer knows all of your health history. Privacy concerns are all over the news these days and many people avoid wellness programs because of privacy concerns. Ease fears around privacy with detailed, clear information about how information is handled and used.
Thanks to ShapeUp for hosting this great webinar!
Wishing everyone a safe and happy Halloween!
