Ideas to use at your employee wellness fair

An employee wellness fair, or a benefits fair, connects your organization’s employees to various benefits providers. This fair is not just a platform to connect the two, but it also educates employees about the benefits plans available to them. Benefits help attract talented employees and increase retention rates. This is why it accounts for up to 38% of employers compensation budgets. 

However, 82% of employees are confused about benefits. They lack the ‘benefits literacy’ to maneuver such a complex topic. A benefits fair is the best opportunity to get them acquainted with relevant knowledge. 

When employees are scattered globally, hosting a virtual benefits fair to maximize reach is the best approach. But what can you do to attract employees to the benefits fair? You need to engage and educate participants so they get some valuable learnings out of the virtual employee wellness fair you have organized. 

Here are some ideas to help you get started with your employee wellness fair. 

WEBINARS ON BENEFITS PACKAGES 

Benefits providers invited to the event can conduct webinars on the benefits packages that they offer. These webinars can act as educational sessions. Here employees are given relevant information about the benefits, their importance, and even how they work. Surveys show that most times employees are unsure about what benefits packages mean. 

Hence, webinars present the perfect opportunity to get them comfortable with available benefits plans. These include health, fitness, meditation, hospital indemnity, critical illness and other coverage options. When employees are better equipped with the relevant information they will be able to make an informed decision.  

In addition to benefits providers hosting webinar sessions, HR can also host sessions informing employees of any changes in plan contributions, or about wellness challenges, and how they can participate in the virtual employee wellness fair to earn points. 

These webinars can be live, semi live or pre-recorded. By being available on demand, employees can listen to webinars with their spouses to make the best decision for themselves. 

INTERACTIVE AND EDUCATIONAL BOOTHS AT VIRTUAL WELLNESS FAIR

Benefits providers can set up customized and branded booths, hosting relevant informative content for visitors. For instance, a booth on eye care benefits can help visitors find a doctor or offer information on how to keep eyes healthy. 

Other more interactive booths can offer a variety of programs. These can include fitness classes, yoga and meditation sessions with timings displayed upfront. Attendees can sign up for them to participate. Benefits booths can also focus on nutrition, or offering workshops and demos at their respective booths. This will help draw in visitors.

Furthermore, booths can be set up that educate attendees about mental health. In addition this they can offer techniques and strategies to reduce stress and anxiety, improve mental focus etc. 

Participants can also book 1:1 sessions with booth reps if they want specific guidance on health and wellbeing, in addition to scheduling chats through meeting schedule tools. 

SURVEYS AND KNOWLEDGE CHECK SURVEYS 

To ensure employees understand the benefits being provided a knowledge check survey can be added, which tests employees knowledge about the benefits packages. These can include questions on topics covered in the webinars. For instance, how to use a benefits plan, how does it work, how is it tied to the compensation plan etc. 

Another survey can be added into the virtual employee wellness fair. This can focus on understanding what people struggle with in terms of benefits. The HR and benefits providers can then focus on educating employees and communicating more on those topics. 

LEADERBOARD TO BOOST ENGAGEMENT 

The gamification feature of the virtual event platform can encourage employee participation. Scavenger hunts, or trivias can be organized by HR. Moreover, awarding points can encourage attendees to cover more virtual ground. For instance, by taking the knowledge check survey, or by attending a virtual yoga session they can earn points. Visiting all the booths in the exhibit hall could earn them even more points. Points can earn attendees various prizes. For instance, healthy meal recipes, free exercise sessions or even wellness points added to their health savings account. 

Employees are working remotely. If they are unable to come to the office, companies are bringing office culture to them, virtually. A virtual employee wellness fair offers convenience. It allows employees to participate in their own way, from home and with their spouses, at their own schedule. As benefits plans cover and affect spouses, many times, employees prefer to attend these with them. 

Hillrom hosted a successful virtual benefits fair with vFairs. They incorporated benefits booths to cater to 22 benefits providers. They also made sure they checked their employees’ knowledge on the benefits plans available. Hillrom also tied their virtual event platform to the wellness program. When employees earned points, these were added to their health savings account. Hence, incentivizing it helped Hillrom boost engagement and achieve their objectives.