Health Promotion and Wellness Communication

Businesses have come to realize the importance of their employees’ health as a competitive advantage. Key to creating a culture where employees can thrive is establishing and engaging in meaningful dialogue on a topic not usually reserved for business hours. Health must be brought into the culture – and companies that make it a strategic business strategy will gain a lasting advantage for its community, its customers and most of all, for its workforce.

These companies know that better health leads to a host of benefits for all: lower turnover; reduced absenteeism; increased productivity; greater employee engagement; higher satisfaction and lower overall health benefits spend. As a result, investments in workplace wellness programs are at an all-time high. Often these investments are large, as is their promise.

But not all investments return equal rewards. The critical variable determining the success of workplace wellness programs is securing a high level of employee engagement, which requires motivation, education, positive reinforcement and sustained participation. Even the best-designed program will achieve its full potential and maximum ROI only if it is carefully managed from design through implementation and evaluation. At the heart of this effort -and its success- is communication that will truly resonate with employees.

As a certified corporate wellness specialist ®, Susan Kolon works with health and wellness companies, benefits consultants, corporate executives and their HR departments to design and implement management and communications strategies for wellness programs that increase participation, engagement and satisfaction. An innovative communications expert and team performance leader with more than 20 years’ experience at national companies and nonprofit organizations, Susan’s business acumen and approachable, high energy and engaging work style translate into wellness program design and communications that is customized for each employee population’s unique culture, mindset and environment.