Through personalized communication and sharing of resources, you’ll reach onsite and offsite employees.
Remote work offers many benefits to both employees and organizations. From increased worker productivity and lower overhead expenses to decreased employee stress and a smaller carbon footprint, the practice of remote working is growing in popularity. The 2018 State of the Remote Job Marketplace report from FlexJobs says there are now 3.9 million Americans, or 2.9 percent of the total US workforce, who work from home at least half the time—a 115 percent increase from 2005.
Still, remote work presents challenges, too, including an added level of difficulty when it comes to employers successfully engaging employees with wellness programs and initiatives.
Just like with marketing, a targeted, personalized approach works best, and that means you have to tailor the wellness experience for both on-site and remote workers.
Consider these engagement techniques when you roll out your next wellness program:
- Think digital. Traditional conference room trainings won’t cut it for your remote employees. Instead, offer live wellness webinars or video fitness presentations. By offering these in real-time, you give remote workers the chance to ask questions and encourage higher participation.
- But not entirely . . . A truly effective wellness program can’t be entirely digital. No matter where your workers are, you can offer offline opportunities such as gym memberships, participation in marathons or facilitation of groups of remote employees engaging in other wellness or fitness activities. Think big when it comes to your offline wellness opportunities and include things like flu vaccinations and health screenings. Just be sure you offer as many options as possible, so completion is easy.
- Gamify it. Providing activity trackers to all employees—those onsite and offsite—along with awards for the top performers or accomplishment of certain targets encourages participation among remote workers. It creates a wellness experience that allows all staff to interact and compete with each other in a friendly way.
Consistent, positive communications are essential for any wellness program, especially if you want to actively engage your remote workforce. Take the time to craft personalized messages for your remote workers so they feel included and not like an afterthought. Accommodate your remote staff even further by creating a digital wellness toolkit or portal that includes your digital wellness resources, helpful links and a library of healthy recipes and wellness tips.
Many businesses turn to Ulliance experts every year to help create positive work environments through Wellness, Employee Assistance and other programs. How can we help you? Visit www.ulliance.com, or call 866-648-8326.