Maximize Employee Turnout

1

 Create Awareness

You can secure food, interactive vendors, biometrics, flu shots, and a lot of neat stuff -- but if you don’t create awareness and spread the word, it’s pointless, because employees are not going to show up to the health fair. As soon as you know the date, time, and venue of the health fair, post the flyers in high volume foot traffic areas such as bathrooms, break rooms, cafeteria, elevators, etc.

---

2

 Spread the Word

Make sure you’re telling employees about the health fair long before it occurs. It’s also a great idea to get a “cheerleader” for your health fair. By cheerleader, we mean someone into wellness and close to your department with enthusiasm who likes to corral people. Also, this person needs to be someone who people don’t like to disappoint. Know who this might would be?

---

3

 Secure Food

This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to spend money. Many catering companies are happy to cater for FREE (as a loss leader for future catering opportunities) for the first time as long as they know you’ll use them in the future. Don’t abuse them, instead be mindful of their contribution. If you don’t usually cater at your office, don’t attempt to secure food for free. If you’re unable to find a caterer willing to help, get a small budget ($250-500) for hand food or fruit. Ask brokers or carriers to help with the cost of food if you cannot find a budget.

---

4

 Flu Shots and/or Biometrics

Biometrics and flu shots also increase employee turnout for health fairs and work the other way around. This doesn’t mean have the health fair the entire duration of the biometrics or flu shots. Have the vendors stay during the lunch hour, in the middle of flu shots or biometric screenings, so those employees who already received their flu shots or biometrics come back through for food and goodies.

---

5

 Lunch Hour

Leverage the lunch hour and ensure food is provided at the health fair through a catering company or vendor(s) that’s offering samples of some sort. Employees normally have a 30 - 60 minutes break around the lunch time, and it makes it easy for them to be able to attend the health fair. Also, pick a day for the health fair when a majority of your employees will be on site. If there not onsite, it’s not likely they’re going to show up.

---

6

 Make it a Family Day

Family members can be leveraged to increase the number of employees who turnout and can be the deciding factor for some employees to attend the health fair. If your organization is open to it, invite the employees’ families to attend the health fair.

---

7

 Leverage the Day of the Health Fair

Email employees on the day of the health fair to remind them of the health fair. If you’ve secured food, schedule an email to go out when food arrives. Remind your employees as many times as possible when needed to ensure success. If you have the means, make an announcement via intercom once the health fair has started.

---

8

 Schedule Open Enrollment on the Same Day

Make computers available for employees to do open enrollment while at the health fair.