Health Fair

Health Fair: Developing and Planning The Event

Developing a health fair for your company can be a challenging task but using the information and recommendations below, will help eliminate a bit of the stress!

One of the critical things to remember when designing a health fair is to ensure that you have senior management's support. An effective event will require financial resources for staff member health screenings, health risk appraisals, follow-up wellness consultations, and other supportive measures and interventions.

Health Fair: Determine Your Budget

Once you have the support of senior management, decide how much money you will be able to use towards the health fair. Identify the target population (workers only, spouses, children, retirees) and who will be included in wellness fair. This is one of the most important steps in organizing this type of an event. Will you offer snacks or juice, wellness incentives for participation, or any other programs? All important things for you to consider.

Health Fair Committee

You should recruit 4-5 people from your wellness committee that will serve as your planning committee for the health fair. These people will help with event planning, marketing materials, scheduling vendors and events, etc. This sub-committee should meet at least every two weeks in order to be certain everyone is following through on their duties. You will probably need to meet more frequently as the event gets closer.

Health Fair Participants

Request bids or wellness quotes from local health fair vendors, health risk appraisal vendors, and other medical care providers. Be sure to communicate frequently with your wellness vendors and send them a confirmation notice several weeks before your event to make sure they are planning on attending!

Health Fair Timeline

Determine your timeline, the date of the event, time, and location. Be sure to allow yourself and your wellness committee at least four to six months of planning time. Trust me, you will need it! Depending on the size of your target audience, be certain to use an event location that's large enough to accommodate your group, vendor booths, and other health stations you plan to have as part of your health fair.

Health Fair Marketing

Determining which marketing materials you will use to promote your health fair and to educate workers about all of the important information (when, what, how, where, etc). Develop a timeline when you will begin sending out information via paycheck stubs, newsletters, or fliers. Using methods that have worked well for other corporate events will ensure proper communication. Make sure to inform workers if they'll be receiving any wellness incentives or compensation for attending the event in advance.

These are just a few recommendations about designing a health fair for your company. Giving these events is critical to the success of your wellness program. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to plan accordingly.