How to implement a successful and effective wellness programme

Unknown speaker

Hello and welcome to this month’s Zevo Health webinar. I’m Emma and today I’m joined by Chris Gilmore. Chris is Business Development Director for Zevo Health and has over 15 years experience in the health and wellness industry.

Unknown speaker

So today we’re going to be talking about how best to implement a successful and effective health and wellness program into your business. So thank you for joining us Chris. My pleasure. I suppose before we kick off if you’d like to you know just give us a little bit of a story about how you got into the health and wellness industry.

Unknown speaker

I got into it well. I’ve been in the health and wellness area for about over 15 years now. So in about 2002 I would have been involved in I suppose designing and managing employee assistance and well-being programs.

Unknown speaker

So it’s not been enough to sort of deal with an awful lot of companies in different sectors and development programs for them. So I’m an outpatient psychologist by that’s my trade and but I suppose whenever I was looking at wellness you’re not really it’s not really dedicated to one particular sector or one particular demographic.

Unknown speaker

So what I love about it is really this I get to go into companies and they could be large or small and they could be across all the different sectors of the industries and that’s it. Very good, very good.

Unknown speaker

So Chris what’s the biggest change you’ve seen in the wellness space? Well I suppose the main change that I’ve seen is that companies are actually taking well seriously and they’re starting to invest in I suppose tailored approaches and I suppose before it would have been maybe a soft touch approach.

Unknown speaker

But certain progressive organisations have seen that wellness programs can actually have a good impact and are really investing in that. And I suppose like a decade ago, it was really mental health was coming to the fore and organisations acknowledged that mental health was having an adverse impact in certain employees’ lives.

Unknown speaker

And in that time, employee assistance programs and counselling supports were being put in place as a method of supporting that and they are really, really good supports to put in place. But I suppose even in 2005, there was a duty of care element put into it.

Unknown speaker

So there was the Safety, Health and Welfare Act in 2005 and organisations in that period not only had to look after the physical risks associated with the person working in the job. they also had to now look at the psychological impact that that was having and so I suppose from that aspect when I was doing a conference in 2014 there was a HR director as well and was looking at some of the stats around that.

Unknown speaker

It’s quite kind of sobering stats around stress and anxiety so I think even in 2009 which is obviously a decade ago some of the stats was only 10 million days in the UK were lost due to mental health and anxiety, depression and stress.

Unknown speaker

In 2011 stress actually was noted by the CAPD as being the main reason for long-term illness and that had actually taken over from muscular skeletal and illnesses such as cancer and back pain, plaque back pain.

Unknown speaker

So I suppose we’ve gone from that element of having what changes there. In a way there hasn’t been a change in necessarily the stats but there has been a change in how organisations have actually addressed that and I do remember even back in 2008 I’m sure in my age now there was a PwC report and it looked into what were progressive organisations was 55 organisations that had put in place the stress and wellbeing programme that actually showed that there was a decline in turnover,

Unknown speaker

there was a decline in absence of accidents and there was an increase in job satisfaction and productivity and the reason that they I suppose came to the common denominator was that when you put in a wellbeing programme that addressed a particular need then you’re going to have a successful outcome.

Unknown speaker

So it doesn’t sound like rocket science but in a way really the stats and the industry facts have started to really have an impact in organisations and they’re saying well this isn’t just a duty of care thing to put in place anymore, it’s actually quite needed and thankfully there’s been a big shift culturally as well so now we’ve seen the standard of excellence started to in the last few years the likes of the Keep Wellmark,

Unknown speaker

where companies can be rewarded, I suppose, for putting the well-being of their employees first. And even at the company-wide level, we have Healthy Ireland has been taking place and it’s a government-led initiative to help improve the health and well-being of all citizens in Ireland.

Unknown speaker

So I think we’ve moved away from that duty of care element, but really organisations are taking note in their investment, now more in the wellness programmes, to have that positive impact on their employees.

Unknown speaker

And so why do you think well-being is now more important than ever? Well, I suppose the work environment is really changing an awful lot. There’s an awful lot that asks more of employees in terms of productivity.

Unknown speaker

They’re working longer, they’re working harder in the way to unrealistic deadlines, and they’re not logging off. So where before there was a definite… subtraction from where your work is and where your personal life begins.

Unknown speaker

Now there’s a little bit of a motive to walk the waters and so particularly people who are bringing home work in laptops or their phone and they’ll be answering emails or they could be doing taking calls.

Unknown speaker

So in actual fact now 66% of us are saying that the workplace dress is now being carried into their own night and that’s having a negative impact in their relationships at home and 66% are losing sleep due to workplace stress and there’s 16% of people who are equipping because of the stress that that is having in their lives and the consequences are so serious.

Unknown speaker

I suppose the World Health Organization has decided that stress is the health epidemic of the 21st century so I suppose in that regard it’s pretty much imperative that we’re able to put in programs to support those employees and to negate those types of stats.

Unknown speaker

So that may be one aspect. I suppose the other part is that employment is so low here and thankfully and that there’s a competition I suppose to attract and to retain staff and actually whenever employees are looking to maybe move to another organization 87% of those said thus they would actively look at the health and wellness packages and that would have an impact on the decision making processes but also work off employees said that they when they looked at their own organizations health and wellness packages and it would affect them staying.

Unknown speaker

So in terms of keeping hold of the key talent that you have and trying to acquire a new talent then wellness can provide a very big part of that and also I suppose what the workplace is actually now a vehicle and to improve the health of the nation so the World Health Organization has identified the workplaces playing a pivotal part in helping to improve the health and wellbeing of employees.

Unknown speaker

actually 61% of employees said that they needed healthier life-sign changes and habits because of the wellness programme that they had in place in terms of exercise, in terms of nutrition and mental health.

Unknown speaker

So it was not just about the employee but equally the workplace and benefit obviously from having a really engaged workforce that are healthier and happier. And what better I suppose thing to put in place for staff is to have the benefit of health.

Unknown speaker

Absolutely, yeah. What do you think the main reasons companies are approaching Zevo to kind of help them out with the wellness programme? Yeah, I suppose there’s a few reasons for that in my experience that I’ve been with Zevan for about a year and a half now and they’re really seeing the sleepers in the field.

Unknown speaker

Constantly I suppose putting out that thought leadership in the wellness space. But really it comes down to two to three different aspects. One is really the team that we have here and the in-house expertise and that passion that I think that exists from everybody across all the different aspects.

Unknown speaker

Yeah you really, I feel like you really need that to kind of work in this space. Yeah so whenever you’re doing, whenever you have such a strong in-house team both in terms of exercise, nutrition, mental health, really whenever you’re looking at providing a program it has to be tailored so there isn’t really that one side fits all or not the shelf and organisations are supposed to be a little bit daunted by going how do we even approach this because that soft touch approach doesn’t really happen anymore and then maybe you might think this is going to be an awful lot of resources and a lot of time and effort to actually put this in place.

Unknown speaker

So the fact that Z-book has done this and has a proven track record and has the I suppose the ability and the internal team to be able to do that. Like here with the like the internal team are you kind of talking about people that work in the office or are there people that are out on the road?

Unknown speaker

Yeah I suppose they’re all complementary so while an awful lot is research driven and evidence-based and some of our PhD team are doing research projects and talking about outcomes of the wellness journey so they’re putting best in practice approaches but you can have the best program but it’s not actually sort of to the needs so having I suppose that methodology and that’s driven from Richard as a well down.

Unknown speaker

Yeah. We really do take a research approach so it’s that maybe we are a trusted wellness partner so it’s the three to five year plan not just a quick fix. A kind of quick fix off the shelf you know one size fits all yeah it’s really kind of a bespoke sort of wellness program.

Unknown speaker

So in terms of whenever we’re going through the journey and that’s really what it is your journey with the organisation it takes a little bit of time to understand the needs of the organisation and maybe six to eight weeks of research driven finding out.

Unknown speaker

and what is going on with them, their employees, with their organizations and nuances to themselves. And then we could come up with a strategy and collaboration with their team and to show how this can be rolled out.

Unknown speaker

Of course, it has to be comprehensive as well. So to go across all aspects of maybe, as I said, the exercise, nutrition, mental health, sleep, but also kind of complement the onsite with offsite and technological.

Unknown speaker

What would be your advice if a company felt kind of daunted in taking that first step? Yeah. Well, first of all is, I suppose I will always meet with them, and that’s what the team do here. Obviously, they have an initial call.

Unknown speaker

And it is sometimes, it’s very important to go out and see what is the organization and to understand for the location, the demographics and all that. Whenever you talk, everything is so fast-paced nowadays, and email and Slack and fast communication, a lot of the time it’s just…

Unknown speaker

then time understanding and getting to know the people that’s involved in the organisation and help them draw their own internal stakeholders and get them on board. And we have a drive and test method and that can be tailored.

Unknown speaker

So I think it does definitely take out that pain that they may think that’s going to happen whenever it’s this big project. In actual fact we can help them every step of the way. Yeah, yeah, definitely.

Unknown speaker

So I suppose it’s really kind of the research elements that Zevo do and then the team that’s there behind the scenes. Yeah, and then we’re back to talk about a great marketing and communications team also and delivery.

Unknown speaker

So I mean across the board from the design to rolling out, it could be an office space, it could be in the field, it could be ones that are in one location or multiple locations or they’re all off-site.

Unknown speaker

So having our marketing colleagues and editorial team to be able to help and be able to come up with all the posters and emails and all the customised wellness circle is the monthly newsletter to talk about what goes on and what goes out communication wise.

Unknown speaker

So that’s a great team to embrace all the aspects of that. Yeah, good question. So I suppose the big question, how does a company implement a successful wellness programme? Good question, Emma. I suppose in our and Zevo Health and all our experience, we’re drawing on experience from all the decades of experience of the individuals and the companies that we deal with.

Unknown speaker

But really there’s nine essential elements whenever you feel like a framework that we work towards and we can use our expertise to help organisations put that in place. And I suppose first and foremost, you have to start off with commitment.

Unknown speaker

So in terms of getting buy-in from key stakeholders and that also as we’re talking about around the monetary and commitment as well. So to know that there is going to be a good impact for putting in place a well-being program but to allocate resources, investment and in terms of time as well.

Unknown speaker

Yeah, and would you see companies now, would they be putting a budget aside for health and wellness or do you feel that it’s something that, let’s say the individuals and businesses that are passionate about it, like do they kind of struggle to kind of get to the management team?

Unknown speaker

I suppose it’s really, it’s up to the management team to make that decision. Yeah, well it’s a mixed bag. Yeah, okay. Really, in terms of what I mean, at the end of the day, we have to help organisations where they’re at.

Unknown speaker

So it’s better to be in something than to be doing nothing at all, but all the stats that we’ve seen has shown that if you are able to have a commitment and invest properly in the program and identify the need in a methodical way, then you’re going to get outcomes.

Unknown speaker

So you can’t do… I suppose things internally that will maybe not cost as much money and use internal staff around that and we can help, I suppose, market some of the things it’s already been doing internally but to put it into a wider context and professional outlook, I suppose.

Unknown speaker

So I suppose the commitment is around that. We can help that internal dialogue so along the conversations I’d be having with it. Well, it still probably sits in the re-ment of HR, occupational health and health and safety.

Unknown speaker

More and more we’re seeing maybe organizational leaders taking a stand and driving that internally and I suppose moving on from the commitment part then is really the leadership and I suppose with Zevo Health coming in with that trusted wellness partner approach we’re able to bring that internal conversation to help gain the commitment in a way.

Unknown speaker

You’re talking sometimes to the converters in HR, occupational health, that’s about giving them the language and the stats and things to help to move that along. So I suppose then the leadership aspect we’d work in defining what success would be and showing well if you put in place what is and what will we hope to expect from the outcomes of this wellness program in the long term capacity in three to five years.

Unknown speaker

We’ll put the milestones along the way that we can define success and we can show that it’s actually making the difference. So in terms of data shift that’s very important and I suppose then the next one is the relevance aspect.

Unknown speaker

I suppose that’s where you’re really looking at the health needs of the organization. So when you focus on health needs you’re looking at like mental health, physical health, nutrition, sleep, working environments, personal lifestyle choices and I suppose we do that.

Unknown speaker

I suppose that’s really the research phase where you’re really looking at the health needs of the organization. taking 68 weeks, but you’re really getting to whether it be… Yeah, figure out exactly what the organization needs and…

Unknown speaker

So it can be a mixture of online surveys and we’d corroborate the information around and the results of that with maybe focus scripts. So you’re really getting to understand what’s going on for organizations and their employees.

Unknown speaker

And it can’t be after the six or eight week process that there’s some red flag issues that we need to be addressed first and we’d be able to strategize then to say, okay, this is what all the information is telling us and we can help them put in place a strategy then to deal with those issues as well.

Unknown speaker

So making it relevant to the organizations and staff is important. Yeah, big one. Yeah, especially when everybody asks staff and you engage in staff, then they’re actually bought in as well. Yeah, they’re more receptive to it as well.

Unknown speaker

Yeah, so being able to give ideas and to give their feedback then whenever you’re actually coming back then with a program that’s still of training, then it’s great, you know, to do that. Thank you. And I suppose it’s one thing being relevant and the other part is having a comprehensive program.

Unknown speaker

So not just to be a one-trick pony or to have it to harbor on one area, but you mentioned that it covers exercise, nutrition, mental health, psychological well-being, sleep, communication. Yes, it has to really be an integrated approach to have the wellness.

Unknown speaker

And a mixture then of their own communication methods, on-site talks, upskilling, but also having online and digital content as well, and application-based activities. And I suppose a part of having a comprehensive well-being package then and program that you would look and see what’s happening for this year and for the next two or three years, the other aspect is then to implement that.

Unknown speaker

So a big piece of work that we can take off is obviously the research base and the strategy, and then we can eat it and actually roll it out the program and make it real for staff for management as well.

Unknown speaker

I suppose different aspects will need different types of information around that. So again, it helps with the buy-in for your key management team, for all stakeholders, engaging in any groups that already exist already.

Unknown speaker

So it could be running or walking groups, or it could be people that are involved in operation transformation and all that kind of stuff. And we do that every January, or with whatever national events are happening.

Unknown speaker

So we can come up with a very comprehensive implementation program in real life. And I suppose that would work. And is that something, you know, how does kind of Zevo communicate that to the client? Is it generally like you’re going in, sitting with the HR team and saying, look, this is the results of the research piece.

Unknown speaker

This is what we think would work best. Do you kind of provide, let’s say, kind of options and they will choose what they want to do? based with what is their best practice and how do they normally communicate with that and what are they, maybe the blockages or what can maybe be put in the way of something being rolled out so that you’ll be able to get everybody with the accent.

Unknown speaker

So you mentioned communication, so communication is another aspect of the essential elements and you feed that in to make sure that obviously with the launch you’re going to get an awful lot of engagement and it’s as important to think about what happens every quarter and what happens six months down the line and the following year.

Unknown speaker

So it’s about the communication and again with our marketing department we’re able to customise a lot of the internal communication that they draw and put out to staff and then to organise events. So with our application, I suppose the workplace wellbeing app we’re able to accomplish challenges and that’s one of the things that We constantly see employees love us.

Unknown speaker

Yeah Yeah aspect to it so and it’s not just about You know trying to get somebody to run 10k or a marathon whatever it is. It’s really getting to each individual What do they want for themselves? So if success with that individual person is doing the coach the pain create it could be when I started Myself was I want to go right and be able to kick a ball with the kids or a play button with you know Yeah,

Unknown speaker

the family so you what people want is very different. Yeah And so the application they can kind of set their own individual Yeah, so they tailor to themselves. So whether the micro level group you’re getting all the The benefits of what both of the organization as a whole each individual and can tailor to what their needs are As much as I suppose whenever I mentioned the the company challenge is great Particularly at the launch time but also in the terms of engagement because it’s a for a two-week period You’ll get into teams and it could be based in departments or it could be different locations Whatever it may be,

Unknown speaker

but you would have your average score of them. So you’d be it’s iOS and Android Compatible and also with some of the bit bits and garments as well But say for the two weeks you get points for maybe the steps that you’d have but also the nutrition and in terms of mental health a little bit off a lot of meditations on the up and Also with webinar say and stress miso ends or work-life balance or things like that So yeah,

Unknown speaker

so people can really do that in their own time. Yes. Yeah, I think it’s for last It’s great because there’s things there that you know when they can get to work. You can have Guided mindfulness techniques or trying to get to sleep or wherever maybe Suppose if that initial launch time you’re really getting people to be familiar.

Unknown speaker

I used to the with the app Because it’s a competition, it’s very on-line, but there’s no one through it, and they’re figuring out, well how you can use that. And it’s habit farming as well, so that’s the two weeks or the three weeks.

Unknown speaker

So I suppose we have touched on some of the main challenges, so let’s say buy-in, investment in an actual wellness programme, but for an organisation who is completely new to this, are there other challenges that an organisation that you’ve seen can experience through the process?

Unknown speaker

I think really we’ve touched on that, as you’ve said. The main challenge is getting the buy-in and getting the wellness programme put in place in the first place, because once you do put a programme in place and it’s done properly, then you need to…

Unknown speaker

Everybody sees the benefits of it, and the good thing about it is, I suppose, it is not just that it’s, okay, we will come in and do the strategy and roll out for the year or the three-year plan. You have to review it constantly, so it’s a living thing.

Unknown speaker

It’s not just static, and then that’s it. You can’t strategize, and you can’t have a calendar of events for the year, but you really do need to. It has to be agile, and it has to be very flexible to be able to work with maybe things that are coming up within the organization, things that happen nationally and internationally.

Unknown speaker

And it’s really important to do that, so I suppose the other challenge is really, I suppose it feeds into that, is keeping employees engaged. So you can do that, but I suppose we have an awful lot of different modalities to use, so whether it’s onsite, making it fun.

Unknown speaker

So while a lot of the initiatives we have are very research-based and evidence-driven, it’s fun. There can be fun as well. So you can address upskilling programs like resilience and stress and resilience, but in a fun manner.

Unknown speaker

And if you’re involved in the National Wellbeing Day that we had here in Zegel, and we had the bongos, we had the rehabilitation, and I suppose it’s really about, there’s no, we’re just in stigma, even attached to some of these things.

Unknown speaker

Yeah, kind of shaking it up a bit. And people can say, gosh, it’s not just that it has to be the same approach, it combats the lively, but if you then, I suppose it’s rolled out in different ways across the year, keep your finger on the pulse.

Unknown speaker

I suppose as well with an organization, it’s about trying different ways and seeing what suits the organization, you know, so yeah. And again, it’s not really us that we do that for the organization, so it’s how do we reinvent all this?

Unknown speaker

It’s all the support through the market, through editorial, through ourselves and the current management, but also the delivery team as well to try and keep it fresh. And we’re also looking to what’s happened over in America and the UK and what’s been asked to practice and what’s happened.

Unknown speaker

Yeah. And it’s great that we were involved. over to the US as well and showing what we are doing here to organisations that maybe have a net office there too. One of the things that’s come up in the last year too has been the link into their corporate social responsibility.

Unknown speaker

I don’t mention the two week challenges but often times now it’s really a company challenge. Say there’s the company charity and get everybody bought in so whenever there’s a walk to Tokyo or whatever it may be then you can do that as part of the launch or you can do it and the team act together to raise the money and once they reach that goal then that’s the money that’s gone.

Unknown speaker

No one gets a free trip to Tokyo. No, no exactly that. So there’s different ways and I suppose the other aspect, one of the other challenges I suppose is often times you’ve got multinationals and you’ve got even in smaller organisations you’ve got a lot of different nationalities, different cultures.

Unknown speaker

different demographics, and it’s about trying to make it real for everyone. I suppose having a comprehensive program addresses all those needs. I do remember having that in-house especially in the health coaches that we have, it means that whenever we’ve thrown some curveballs going, we have a team that has experienced this particular issue, that we can come up with a program or a solution that actually doesn’t exist.

Unknown speaker

So I suppose that’s certainly one benefit to whatever you do, you have such a diverse workforce to try and have different solutions and initiatives that address all those different needs. As they want to put a program in place, it’s harder to put the program in place in the first place, and then once you do see that benefit, then it’s more easier to renew.

Unknown speaker

Very good. So Chris, thank you very much for joining us this afternoon. It’s been really insightful and certainly learned a few things. So look, I suppose for any organization that’s looking to take that next step and to implement a wellness program, can they contact you directly or?

Unknown speaker

Absolutely, yes, of course. I’m also available at Nickden or you can email hello at zuhealth.com, and we’ll be more than happy to engage. Brilliant. Thank you. Thank you.