Boosting Emotional Well-Being: How Employers Can Help
Workforce mental health is a hot topic. Employers around the globe are moving quickly to ensure benefits and services are in place to boost emotional well-being and meet the needs of increasingly stressed-out employees. But scenarios like the following are all too common — ask around… you’ll hear the stories. Imagine this: You’ve acknowledged that […]
Is There a Gender Bias in Wellness?
Is there a gender bias in wellness? There may be a leaning one way or the other at a given organization. Here’s why, and here’s what you can do about it. Listening, communicating, paying attention to detail, following through, and showing empathy — all are vital skills in a successful wellness career. Though not limited […]
Case Western Reserve University Well-Being Programming Gets Personal
Spend a few minutes chatting with Elizabeth Click and Mary Ann Dobbins about Case Western Reserve University’s well-being program and you come away thinking this is how workplace wellness should be done. While initial discussions began in 2011 — spurred by rising incidences of chronic conditions and associated expenses ― the formalized effort is just […]
Take Advantage of Wellness Program Recognition
As the humble leader of an employee well-being program, it may be tempting to sidestep the spotlight by not taking advantage of wellness program recognition. Do you choose, for example, not to apply for awards — dismissing the public praise often bestowed on award-winning programs? Do you pass up opportunities to present at conferences or […]
The Hidden Risk Factor: How Adverse Childhood Experiences Influence Adult Well-Being
It’s no secret that well-being is subject to a kaleidoscope of variables, but biology, socioeconomics, environment, and lifestyle are just a few we know about. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are lesser-known factors getting more press these days. Understanding their nature, prevalence, and profound influence on adult well-being is vitally important to health enhancement professionals. While […]
Honesty Is So Refreshing
I’m a creature of habit, retreating to Starbucks every few weeks to purchase a small coffee and write for 4-6 hours. But on this visit I had some extra minutes in line and a new drink on the menu caught my eye, so I asked the barista about it. “To be honest, I think it’s […]
Are Your Messages Undermining Motivation?
Inspiring people to take action toward lasting well-being is our collective aim as wellness pros. But sometimes what we — or our participants — think is motivating actually ends up undermining motivation. With careful attention to reading between the lines and avoiding unintended consequences, you can craft messages that truly motivate while cultivating a mindset […]
5 Tips to Spark Word-of-Mouth
You’ve probably heard that word-of-mouth is the best form of advertising. That’s true, but it doesn’t materialize out of thin air; you have to make it happen. I’ve taken well-being programs from “busted” to “booming” using 5 word-of-mouth techniques. No matter your current level of success, these techniques are like a fuse you can light […]
Don’t Hire a Wellness Vendor Until You’ve Answered These Questions
Ever had a less-than-ideal wellness vendor experience? If you don’t get what you bargained for, they probably misrepresented themselves (read I Don’t Believe Anything a Wellness Vendor Says…) or you didn’t do your homework — or both. Before you even start shopping, take some time to answer these 5 questions, then scrutinize each vendor carefully […]
The 4 Ps of Modern Wellness Programs
Marketers are familiar with the 4 Ps of marketing — price, product, promotion, and place. Today’s best-in-class well-being programs have their own set of Ps to guide design and execution — purpose, pride, partnership, personalization. Let’s take a closer look at each. Purpose Reducing risk and lowering healthcare costs are not driving today’s top well-being […]