A guide to elevating employee wellbeing through strategic internal communication
Employee wellbeing is vital for a positive work environment and productivity.
Hardly a headline-grabbing revelation, we know. But while we’re all aware that a focus on wellbeing is a must in the workplace, how to make it happen is less widely understood. Where do you start? What do people value? Who’s going to take ownership?
Like all great movements, communicating with your people is where it all starts. And from there, it takes root, grows, and blooms. So let’s look at how strategic internal communications can elevate employee wellbeing in a way that pays off for everyone.
Foster a culture of open communication
Employee wellbeing starts with an environment where communication is open and ongoing. It should be a conversation that keeps on bubbling and drawing people in, with voices from every part of the organisation taking part, being heard and adding insights, so that everyone feels inspired.
Think of the ways you already communicate openly with employees – regular team meetings, feedback sessions, forums for voicing opinions, ideas, and concerns. Does everyone have an opportunity to take part and share their views? Do leaders note challenges and respond to them? Do they pick up on great ideas or bursts of inspiration from employees, and find ways to take them to the next stage?
In other words, are your communication channels working hard for you, or do they need some fine-tuning? Do you need to do more to show colleagues how much you value their ideas and input? Create more opportunities for two-way dialogue? Upskill your people managers to listen empathically?
When we think of wellbeing, it’s not always obvious that it includes listening to people and letting them know they matter. But it’s hard to make other wellbeing projects work if employees feel they’re only ever ‘talked at’ with broadcast messaging, instead of being an integral part of the discussion.
According to studies, employees who feel heard are more likely to feel empowered and motivated to perform their best. That’s wellbeing at its simplest – but also most powerful.
Keep your internal comms aligned with wellbeing activities
You might have announced a new programme, or shared employee benefits in onboarding packs. But how do you keep wellbeing at the fore?
Internal communications should align with your organisation’s wellbeing focus, at all times. You can play a key role in connecting your wellbeing activities together, so your people understand each benefit or programme you offer has been carefully curated to look after colleagues physically, mentally, socially and financially.
Once people understand the bigger offering, regularly remind people about the availability and benefits of wellbeing programmes such as gym memberships, employee assistance programmes, mental health awareness training, or counselling services. How? It’s that conversation again.
You could run quick and simple surveys with just one question, for instance, about plans for mental health first-aid training, or asking anonymously how often people use your online counselling platform. Appoint a team of ambassadors or cheerleaders to spread the word about what’s on offer.
Most importantly of all, if you have events, workshops and programmes, keep people updated. Don’t assume they’ll go looking for the info – offer reminders, so if they’re putting it off, or it’s just slipped their minds, they can benefit from the ‘exposure effect’. And even if people don’t want to take part just yet, they know it’s happening and it’s there when they need it.
Use digital tools for accessibility
While you’re keeping people updated, think about the best tools to do that. Digital communication platforms can give employees quick and simple access to the information, resources, and wellbeing programmes most relevant to them. So they can easily and discreetly access any wellbeing support they need, when they need it.
Think about how you support social wellbeing too through the tools and channels you provide for connecting colleagues. Tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams let everyone collaborate in real time and wherever they’re located, fostering engagement and inclusivity.
Consider incorporating gamification techniques into your comms, to encourage participation and reward employees for their involvement. Not only can this add some fun, but it’s also eye-catching, a great conversation starter, and it’s proven to boost engagement. Gamification, say psychologists, satisfies our need for satisfaction.
Design wellness challenges
We’re keen advocates of wellness challenges at H&H. They’re motivating and engaging, and brilliant for building camaraderie between colleagues.
Encourage employees to set challenges focusing on physical, mental, and social health.
Can we collectively walk a marathon in the office or our homeworking spaces? Who will win Buddy Bingo by connecting with colleagues in 10 different teams, countries, or job roles?
Use your internal communication channels to track progress, share resources, and recognise colleagues’ achievements. Prompt people to share pictures and videos from their walks, runs, gym sessions, or bike rides, and compile them into a highlights clip so everyone can see the fun others are having – and just might feel compelled to conquer their FOMO and join in.
Activities like this are especially good in workplaces where people might not otherwise meet or connect with some colleagues. With wellbeing challenges they can build bonds with anyone in the organisation – virtually or in person.
At H&H we keep each other motivated with our ConnectWell community. Earning points via our trackers, we work towards monthly targets (set by the World Health Organization, no less) by doing whatever exercise we choose – running, climbing, weights, cardio classes, or even working movement into hanging out the laundry. If it gets us moving, it gets us points – it all counts! There’s no penalty for slacking off and missing our target for the month, but it’s a whole lot more fun if we’re all in the zone together, acing our team challenges, sharing photos of how we choose to get moving, and providing messages of encouragement to keep each other motivated. Just get in touch here if you’d like to find out more about ConnectWell.
Promote peer-to-peer recognition
Let’s hear it for a job well done! Most people enjoy being noticed and appreciated, because it brings value and purpose to their work – and adds a little kick to the day. But don’t wait for annual reviews, company events, or managers’ awards. Recognition can be even more powerful when it comes from our peers, because they often have a deep understanding of the work we do each day.
Encourage peer-to-peer recognition through your internal communication platforms, and you’ll inspire employees to acknowledge each other’s contributions. We have a weekly ‘Cheers for Peers’ celebration at H&H, where through the week we send ‘cheers’ to a colleague who deserves kudos. Then, we announce all these lovingly crafted words of praise (and quirky gifs) to the whole team, to spread a little joy.
Having an established comms platform for hailing our colleagues drives motivation, job satisfaction, and overall wellbeing. Sharing success stories and recognising achievements helps develop a culture of appreciation and support. And it’ll be hats off to you for setting it all in motion.
Harness the power of internal storytelling
Storytelling – in its many forms – through internal communications can evoke emotion, inspire action, and build a sense of community. Psychologically, stories that capture our attention trigger a burst of oxytocin, making us more inclined to trust others and build connections. Consider creating groups or channels where colleagues can share personal stories, experiences, and challenges with their peers. You could use blogs, team newsletters, or video testimonials, and share stories throughout the organisation.
It’ll help colleagues feel part of a diverse and connected community, further encourage them to bring their true selves to work and help them build stronger connections with their peers by getting a deeper insight into who they are and what matters most to them.
Prioritise mental health support
Mental health has a significant impact on overall employee wellbeing, so keep the topic out in the open.
Think about how you can use internal communications to discuss mental health issues, encourage conversation, and provide information about available resources and support networks. You could facilitate workshops or webinars focused on mental health awareness and stress management. Share information about training to become mental health first aiders. Have an intranet portal or MS Teams channel dedicated to articles and resources about mental wellbeing. Invite mental health professionals as guest speakers, to offer guidance and support.
There are stacks of timeless tips here about ways IC can support colleagues, create open dialogue around mental wellness and promote events such as Mental Health Awareness Week. Being clear about what support is available, and guiding employees towards valuable resources, can go a long way towards raising wellbeing levels.
Consider self-development and opportunities for personal reflection
Knowing that there are regular opportunities to receive (and give) feedback can be fundamental in driving confidence and building self-awareness. At H&H, we work with our proprietary and unique profiling tool, PRINT®, which instead of just stating what people do, PRINT® uncovers the reasons why they do it, and provides insights to help keep individuals in ‘Best Self.’ Whilst PRINT ® doesn’t tell you anything about a person’s competencies, skills or knowledge, it provides the perfect building block towards productive and high-performing ways of working, keeping everyone feeling happy and fulfilled.
Measure and evaluate impact
So you have everything in place and working nicely? Great! Now, let’s make sure you measure and evaluate your activity regularly to ensure people are really feeling the benefit. This is crucial for continuously elevating employee wellbeing through strategic internal communications. Use feedback mechanisms and data analysis to assess engagement, satisfaction, and the impact of your wellbeing programmes. It could be a short feedback form after a wellbeing event, a regular pulse survey to take a temperature check on colleagues’ happiness at work, or asking wellbeing-focused questions in your annual employee survey.
Measurement can easily be overlooked when you’re working so hard to deliver your comms activity. However, it’s important – not least in showing how much of a difference you’re making to the people and performance of your organisation. ‘Measure what you treasure,’ advises Rachel Miller of All Things IC, whose podcast offers advice for doing just that.
Employees’ wellbeing is one of the bare necessities of a successful organisation. Internal communication can support and enhance it, so keep a careful eye on its impact.
If you track, gauge and evaluate your wellbeing comms, you can see what’s working, what needs to change, and where people are getting the most benefit.
Armed with those insights, you can keep refining your strategies, and be confident that all your hard work is having a meaningful outcome for employees.
Now doesn’t that give you a boost?
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