Wellness Communications Campaign to Reduce Healthcare Costs and Turnover
Client:
Thomas & Betts
Thomas & Betts (now part of ABB) is the designer and manufacturer of connectors and components for the electrical and communication markets. They have 4,000 U.S. employees in 17 locations performing a variety of operations. Their US headquarters is located in Memphis, TN. Most of the employees located at corporate headquarters hold professional jobs in HR, accounting, IT, etc. Outside of Memphis, there are 16 other locations that operate a predominantly production environment. Thomas & Betts invited RedRover to partner with them in improving the health of their employees.
T H E C H A L L E N G E
Like with most companies, employees didn’t take a very active role in managing their health. As a result health risks and healthcare costs were on the rise. Thomas & Betts set out to buck the trend in the manufacturing industry of a largely unhealthy workforce at high risk for serious health conditions. Not only was there an opportunity to reduce healthcare costs and employee turnover, but they saw a greater opportunity for their wellness strategy — resulting in a happier/healthier workforce — to become an industry differentiator.
T H E D R E A M
To develop a comprehensive and effective communication strategy designed to build awareness and interest in the company’s wellness initiatives and to specifically drive participation in Health Risk Assessments, Biometric Screenings and annual physical exams as a first step in getting the employee population focused on living a healthier lifestyle.
T H E S T R A T E G Y
Omni-Channel Internal Communications Campaigns
Our approach was to educate and inspire employees to take wellness to a deeper level in four areas of wellness – prevention, fitness, nutrition and stress management. Each quarter, a comprehensive internal communications campaign — leveraging a unique set of unique guerilla communications tactics designed to engage a largely non-digital manufacturing employee base — would focus on a new area of wellness to ensure there was enough time for the frequency of the message to affect wellness habits.
Identifying and Arming Internal Influencers
Next, we worked to build internal employee-led wellness committees, as these would be our champions or influencers for all wellness initiatives. We armed them with supplemental materials and activities to leverage in engaging their local employee groups.
Not Your Average Health Fairs
Then we promoted camaraderie and a sense of community through team and community-related activities including unique and inspired health and wellness events that were far from your average health fairs. Each event featured fun, team-building activities that reinforced key wellness strategy messages.
Video Storytelling Drives Screenings
Lastly, we drove markedly increased completion of biometric screenings, health assessments and annual physical exams through education, sharing of success stories and communication regarding the role these tests play in overall health. One of the most popular pieces that drove the most significant participation in these screenings was a video book fashioned after the game Operation — featuring a once fearful employee who allowed the cameras to follow him through the screening process to educate his peers.
T H E R E S U L T S
All 17 locations now have wellness committees made up of employees who have a passion for wellness and are charged with promoting the company’s wellness programs.
Our clients sought 20% employee participation in the Health Risk Assessment — compared to a baseline of just 4%. We far exceeded this goal with 63 percent of employees completing a Health Risk Questionnaire which was the first step toward understanding an employee’s current health risks and how to address them.
