Among many other things, 2020 was a year of learning. As consultants, we always strive to be in the know and to guide our clients to the best options based on our years of experience. Last year, our world tipped upside down and we had to pivot on a dime. We successfully brought virtual events to life for our clients who traditionally have onsite health fairs but had much to learn along the way.
Viewpoints from Claire Letourneau
Key takeaways from 2020 fairs give us an advantage going into 2021 planning.
Here are our top recommendations for this year:
- Start NOW – Select your health fair vendor right away and set tentative dates. This will give you priority with the vendor and smooth out the coordination process.
- Weigh onsite versus virtual – Many vendors will coordinate either type of fair, or even a hybrid event. If you’re not sure about your return-to-work date, consider one of these vendors so you have the flexibility and can start your planning.
- Consider structure – Virtual fairs that mirror in-person fairs may seem like the obvious choice, but they don’t work well due to the nature of virtual interaction being more “public.” Spread events out over a week or two and include recordings of sessions so the structure isn’t prohibitive for employees with busier jobs.
- Begin building your event website now – This limits the number of last-minute changes you need to make. We realize there are many decisions to make during Open Enrollment, but if you know some things won’t be changing, get those set up early.
- Talk to your employees!– See what they want in a virtual health fair; more wellness events, more benefits presentations, one-on-one opportunities with benefits providers, better raffles. Ask what prevents them from participating; timing, childcare, eldercare, workload, lack of manager support, the topics being discussed.
While many things are still up in the air and difficult to plan, we collectively learned a great deal from 2020. Our Wellness & Health Management team is ready to help you navigate the uncertainty of 2021 and beyond.
Register for tomorrow’s webinar on workplace mental health and wellness at 1 pm ET on March 24, From Survive to Thrive: A Mental Health Playbook for Law Firms in 2021
EPIC offers these opinions for general information only. EPIC does not intend this material to be, nor may any person receiving this information construe or rely on this material as, tax or legal advice. The matters addressed in this article and any related discussions or correspondence should be reviewed and discussed with legal counsel prior to acting or relying on these materials.
