An employee health fair can be beneficial to both employees and the company.
Hosting an employee health fair can have a two-fold advantage: it gives a side benefit to the employees and it helps employees to discover potential health problems that could keep them off the job. Employee health fairs are a way to educate and inform employees about health concerns, while teaching them improve their own health to live healthier lives. Screenings can also detect undiagnosed problems and catch them in earlier stages when conditions are easier to treat.
Instructions
Plan a Budget
1. Budgeting for a health fair is the first consideration.
Decide how much you want to spend. Depending on the extent of the health fair and what is offered, figure out how much is in the budget for such an event. See if you can get volunteer organizations to donate their services, or if you need to charge minimal amounts for certain screenings. Weigh the options of hosting the fair at the work site or at an outside facility.
2. The local fire department may be willing to give free demonstrations such as CPR.
Plan the vendor participation. Contact various vendors to see if they will volunteer their time. A good place to start is with the local hospitals and clinics. Contact your local public health department, local fire department, and local health clubs. Local groups, such as the Red Cross or the American Lung Association, frequently participate in health fairs for free. Also, if your company offers health benefits, get in touch with their representative to see if they can come up with vendors who will work at low or no costs. Occasionally, doctors who are new to the area may participate for free just to get their names out to the community.
3. Hold an employee health fair at an on-site cafeteria.
Select a location. If there is no available room on-site to hold a fair, you will have to acquire space outside the work environment. Again, consult with the local hospital to see if it has space available. Make the location easily accessible for the majority or employees. Be sure to have enough space to accommodate medical equipment and plenty of seating areas.
4. Blood pressure checks are a common screen at health fairs for employees.
Determine what activities and screenings you will offer and if you'll require any fees to the employees. Blood pressure screenings are usually free, but a cholesterol screening may entail the employee to pay a nominal fee for testing. The activities and screenings offered will determine participating vendors.
5. Providing snacks will bring in employee participants.
Provide snacks and beverages. Giving away food and drink is an incentive to get employees to the fair. The refreshments do not have to be elaborate or expensive. The offerings can be just cookies and punch or trays of vegetables and fruit juices.
6. Send follow up emails to employees a few days before the fair.
Spread the word. Be sure to have adequate publicity and lead time for the event. Flyers announcing the fair can be put in employee checks. Publicize in the employee newsletter or other internal communications devices. Send follow up emails a few days before the event as a reminder. Put up posters in hallways, the cafeteria or break room, and in elevators or the lobby.
7. Gather feedback from the event. The week following the fair, send out an email survey to employees thanking them for participating in the fair and asking them what they got out of participating. The feedback will help you make adjustments for the next year's event, and ensure an even better fair. Remember to send out thank you notes to all of the vendors who participated as well.
Tags: health fair, employee health fair, health fairs, activities screenings, Blood pressure, days before
