How To Plan An Employee Wellbeing Training Session

Over the past few years, there has been much greater awareness of employee wellbeing in the workplace. Better health outcomes for workers leads to improved productivity, higher workplace morale, and fewer sickness absences. However, many organisations still do not have an effective employee wellbeing strategy in place.

Here are some suggestions for planning a staff wellbeing training session that is suitable for the needs and preferences of your organisation.

Carry out a needs assessment

The first step is to conduct a needs assessment to assess the needs and challenges of the workforce in terms of their mental and physical wellbeing. 

This could be done through surveys, polls, interviews, or requests for feedback and insights from team members. Find out if there is any relevant existing data about employee wellness and review it to identify any issues that need to be addressed. 

Set measurable objectives

Define clear and measurable objectives for the training session. These might include physical wellbeing issues that relate to health and safety in the workplace. For example, a lack of sleep is associated with worse concentration and low moods or irritability, which can increase the risk of accidents and damage working relationships.

Poor diet, too much alcohol, smoking and a lack of exercise can all affect the health and mental wellbeing of employees, leading to reduced performance and productivity. Other challenges might include stress, financial worries, and achieving a good work-life balance.

Put an agenda in place

Select relevant topics for the training session, such as nutrition advice, stress management, financial management, emotional resilience, time management, or mental health awareness. Device material based around each topic, with a balance of interactive elements, talks, workshops, and so on.

Find a suitable venue

The venue should be centrally located so that it is easily accessible to everyone who wants to attend the training session. Look for a purpose built venue within a convenient distance of major roads, railway stations, and other public transport routes, and provide clear instructions about how to get there.

This will ensure that all the attendees arrive in good time and that their journey is not too stressful. Consider issues such as step-free access to all relevant areas, and extra assistance for those with impairments or learning difficulties, such as audio-descriptions or sign language.

Make sure you have appropriate resources

Augment the training session with appropriate training materials such as handouts and links to digital resources. Ensure that you have the appropriate technology in place to deliver the training, such as LED screens and platforms that can incorporate virtual participation. 

Facilitate participation and feedback

Encourage an inclusive and supportive environment so that all attendees feel comfortable participating. This could include educational games, icebreaker activities, and working in pairs or smaller groups. 

Afterwards, gather feedback to help evaluate the effectiveness of the training and plan future sessions. 

Plan follow up and support sessions

When you have had time to evaluate the feedback, put support programmes and wellbeing initiatives in place to help foster a positive and healthy working environment.