A Health and Wellness Fair is a outstanding way to shake your staff members out of the doldrums and into better awareness of their health and wellness. A Health and Wellness Fair brings your organization together to discuss Worksite Wellness Programs, examine Health Insurance and “cafeteria” plans, explore health savings accounts, publicize Worksite Wellness Program Programs and share success stories and challenges.

Some common Health and Wellness Fair desired outcomes include:

better awareness of the health services and resources available to staff members, both from their employer and from local, state, regional and national health services;
increased motivation for improving health behavior
increased participation in Worksite Wellness Programs, commuter and carshare programs and health savings accounts
better awareness of individual health status through Health Screenings, Health and Wellness Fair activities, displays, handouts, and demonstrations, and
better information on what staff members are seeking from their employer’s health management initiatives, and which staff members are interested in participating.

Planning a Health and Wellness Fair

Planning a Health and Wellness Fair is a lot like beginning an Worksite Wellness Program on a smaller scale. Just like an Worksite Wellness Program, your Health and Wellness Fair will need publicity, logistical planning, programming, targeted goals, in-house marketing and of course, executive approval. Festive touches like free food, kid-friendly activities, live music, art displays, talent shows and other community-minded fun will help cement the appeal of your Health and Wellness Fair and ensure that the Health and Wellness Fair becomes a welcomed, annual event.

You can find some Health and Wellness Fair planning tips at the Family and Consumer Sciences site of Texas A&M University. These Health and Wellness Fair tips are aimed more at community and non-profit organizers, but you can discover many useful Health and Wellness Fair ideas at the site.

Health and Wellness Fairs and Worksite Wellness Program Recruitment

Many Worksite Wellness Program planners find that Health and Wellness Fairs are the primary reason why staff members sign up for walking Worksite Wellness Programs, health savings accounts and other pro-Worksite Wellness Programs.

Don’t forget – not only do staff members value these programs highly, but the increased energy and decreased sick leave associated with Worksite Wellness Programs also saves your company money. The Worksite Wellness Program Statistics are clear – healthier corporations work harder and pay less in Health Insurance premiums.

Membership of your Health and Wellness Committee

Aim for a committee of a manageable size (no more than 15 members, depending on your organization’s size). Your Health and Wellness Committee should represent all employee groups (e.g., full-time and part-time workers, managers and front-line staff, salary and hourly workers, union representation, HR, marketing or communications, legal, and occupational health/safety).

Here are some additional considerations:

• Health and Wellness Committee members can be selected by leadership or can be selected from among volunteers.
• Determine in advance how long Health and Wellness Committee members will serve and how new members will be selected. Balance the need for continuity with the need to bring fresh ideas and energy to your organization’s Worksite Wellness Program.
• It’s not necessary, or even desirable, to have your healthiest workers on the Health and Wellness Committee. Ideal Health and Wellness Committee members are those who best can represent their peers, motivate others and support the implementation of the Worksite Wellness Program.
• Consider providing an incentive or recognition to Health and Wellness Committee members. It legitimizes their positions and encourages participation. Some organizations that have started stipends have generated enough worker interest that the selection of Health and Wellness Committee membership becomes a competitive process. The Health and Wellness Committee responsibilities become a formal part of the member’s job accountabilities.

Role of your Health and Wellness Committee

In some organizations the Health and Wellness Committee is responsible for the implementation of the Worksite Wellness Program. In other organizations, the Health and Wellness Committee plays an advisory role. In either case, the group members can be asked to:

• Attend regular meetings of the Health and Wellness Committee.
• Help establish a vision and name for the organization’s Worksite Wellness Program.
• Represent their peer group by sharing ideas, needs, concerns and feedback from their work areas and colleagues about proposed Worksite Wellness Program Procedures, policies, and programs.
• Offer feedback on the possible barriers to proposed Worksite Wellness Program Procedures and offer suggestions for addressing those barriers (e.g., how does a proposed policy fit with the schedules of workers?).
• Suggest effective Worksite Wellness Program communication Procedures and solutions to challenges. For example, what is the best way to communicate with workers who work the third shift? How will workers react to a proposed message from leadership?
• Be a voice of support for a culture of health, carrying the message from the Health and Wellness Committee to their work areas and colleagues.

Functioning of your Health and Wellness Committee

Meet. Schedule regular Health and Wellness Committee meetings on paid work time. Your Health and Wellness Committee may want to meet very often at first, then slightly less often as your health improvement strategy is more established. If your Health and Wellness Committee is new, it might be useful to ask members to provide information about themselves and their interests.

Communicate. Set up frequent and regular channels of communication with Health and Wellness Committee members so they are up to date and engaged. An email list is often the easiest way to do this. Encourage communication to flow both ways: from Worksite Wellness Program coordinator to members and from members to coordinator.

Check-in. At least once a year, determine how effectively the Health and Wellness Committee is functioning. Is the Health and Wellness Committee serving its original purpose? Ask committee members for their feedback. Do they feel like their work is making a difference? Do they feel like their input is valued and taken into account when planning and implementing initiatives? Do they understand their expected Worksite Wellness Program roles and responsibilities? Are there members who want to rotate off of the committee? How will new members be selected?