Company health fairs can teach employees about health issues in a manner that is both effective and inexpensive. Health fairs are special, company-wide events that provide employees with ways to learn more about health issues while on the job. Select activities that can be interactive and hands-on for employees. Offer door prizes and contests during the company health fair to encourage participation. This article outlines some strategies for organizing, conducting, and funding such health fairs.
Health Screening
Health screening is one type of health fair that can be done any time of the year. Contact a local physician's office, which has on-site lab services, to set up a health screening area at your company. The physician can conduct blood tests, weigh employees, take blood pressures, and have employees fill out medical questionnaires. Employees can then meet with the healthcare provider to go over the health screening results. Educational brochures for various common health problems can be given out during the screening, as can small items aimed at improving employee health (such as pedometers or food pyramid refrigerator magnets).
Healthy Back Seminar
Back problems are a leading cause of workplace injury. To encourage employees to take better care of their backs, have a local chiropractor come in to give tips on have a healthy back. This type of health fair would be especially good for companies that have many sit-down positions or employees who regularly lift heavy items. Ask the chiropractor to bring a 3-D model of a spinal column that employees can hold and touch. Schedule small blocks of time for a discussion of proper ways to protect and take care of the back. Don't rush employees back to work -- give them ample time to ask questions at the end of the discussion.
CPR Workshop
The skills for properly applying CPR can save lives, and having employees with CPR training makes sense in any type of business. Call your local fire department or hospital to set up an on-site CPR demonstration at your company. Ask the EMS or EMT worker to demonstrate CPR techniques. Encourage employees to register for CPR Red Cross certification, or provide incentives for employees t get certified.
Foot Care
Many employees stand for hours on their feet in improper or worn-out shoes. Some companies have working environments in which proper footwear can result in fewer employee accidents and injuries (examples include manufacturing plants and hospitals, where employees spend a lot of time on their feet). Have a local podiatrist come in to discuss proper foot care, to discuss the best shoes for your type of work, and so forth. Ask them to bring 3-D models of the feet and ankles that employees can interact with.
Health Booth Scavenger Hunt
A health booth scavenger hunt, with prizes, is a great way to encourage participation when your company has a health fair with multiple health-care providers in-house at a given time (for example, if all four of the above-mentioned ideas were implemented on the same day). Make a list of specific questions that can only be solved by visiting the different health fair stations. At the end of the day, have employees turn in their booth scavenger hunt sheets. Have someone check the sheets for correct answers. The following day, award prizes and gifts to employees for participation and correct solutions to the health fair booth scavenger questions.
Funding options
Investing in employee health is its own reward, but some companies may need to figure out ways to help defray the costs of health fairs. Allow local healthcare providers and agencies to advertise their business with business cards, magnets, pens and so forth in exchange for setting up a booth for your employees.
Tags: health fair, your company, about health, about health issues, booth scavenger, company health fair, employee health
