A Q&A with Lesley Lesch, vice president, programs and services, StayWell Health Management
An effective, long-range communications strategy can increase employee acceptance and understanding of your company’s health management program. But even the most savvy employers often have questions about how to design and implement a communications strategy that specifically promotes employee health management. As vice president of programs and services at StayWell Health Management, Lesley Lesch works with large employers to design and implement new programs and to enhance and improve existing efforts. Following are a few of the most common questions that she receives from employers regarding communications strategy.
Q. What are the main components that should be included or considered when developing a communication strategy?
A. A communication strategy is dynamic and should grow and change over time. However, you should keep in mind several things when developing your strategy:
• Start with a thorough understanding of your employee audience and how to best convey your program messages to them. Be sure to consider employee demographics like age, education level, ethnic mix and geographic location. You also should understand what your employees currently know about health and wellness and the corporate wellness program, if one currently exists.
• Develop program messages that are clear and concise and written in language that appeals to your work force. Key messages also should reflect and reinforce the culture that you’re trying to foster within your organization.
• Make sure your communication strategy spans the life of your wellness program. This will help to build long-term engagement and understanding of your program.
• Develop clear, measurable objectives that tie to the overall program objectives. This is crucial to keeping your communication effort focused.
• Plan for evaluation at the outset of your program, rather than later in the year. This will ensure that you track the appropriate quantitative and qualitative feedback along the way.
• Use communication channels that employees are familiar with, such as newsletters, internal team meetings, workplace signage or internal web sites. And, realize that you may need to customize messages to fit different channels and segments of your population, or to complement existing channels with new mediums that will be most effective in your population. The key is to communicate in a variety of ways and over a period of time.
Q. How can employers address diversity in many workplaces today?
A. Today’s workplace is very diverse. Employers are balancing a wider variety of age groups, ethnic backgrounds and professional experience with a broader mix of available communication mediums. To address the disparities in your workplace, follow these tips:
• Customize the message to the medium. The message in a newsletter article will be different than how you communicate in an email or a poster.
• Personalize communications, when possible. You may even be able to personalize communications based on health assessment results and/or screening data.
• Tailor messages to different segments of your population. For instance, use on-site and written communications for production workers, online or electronic communications for employees in an office setting, and don’t forget materials mailed to homes for spouses or partners.
• Make use of translation capabilities that your health management partner can provide.
Q. What level of communication support should an employer expect from their health management partner?
A. Your health management partner can provide valuable support and expertise that complements your internal team structure. More specifically, you should expect to receive:
• Communication strategy and planning that is integrated with your overall program
• Customization of communication materials, including branding and design
• Printing and delivery of promotional materials to participants
• Development of campaigns and related promotional materials for specific locations, health topics, risk areas or prevention campaigns
• The key is to communicate in a variety of ways and over a period of time
• Personalize communications, when possible
• Tailor messages to different segments of your population
• Customized online communication, including personalized web sites, social media and customized e-messaging campaigns that target specific health risk factors.
As vice president of programs and services for StayWell Health Management, Lesley Lesch oversees StayWell’s program management staff, while directing the development and implementation of internal processes and delivery systems for customized programs for StayWell clients. She can be reached at lesley.lesch[at]staywell.com.