How to Organize a Corporate Health Fair

A successful corporate health fair can be an asset to any business. Each year, absenteeism due to illness accounts for more than 22 million sick days. Arming employees with the information on how to live healthier lifestyles can decrease that number. By providing information on such things as local fitness centers, smoking cessation programs, benefits of health insurance programs, stress management and wellness programs, employees appreciate the opportunity to gain insightful information to enrich their lives at work and at home. Following these tips, you can plan and host a successful corporate health fair.

Instructions

• 1

  Recruit volunteers to help you organize the event. It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes an organized committee to plan and host a successful corporate health fair. You'll need a reliable team to help pull together details before the event as well as on event day. Confirm that your team members can dedicate the time.

• 2

  Set a date and time for your event and determine the appropriate location. Good locations can book up early, so time is of the essence. Once you have set the specific details of your event, sit down with your team and plan a budget so everyone knows the event's goals and objectives. Don't let cost overruns tarnish the shine of a successful event.

• 3

  Determine the hard costs for your event, for example, special tents, security, table rental, extra parking, refreshments. You can defray these costs by inviting vendors to participate. Ask a health club to share the cost of a tent or ask a health food shop to provide free smoothies and nutritious snacks.

• 4

  Choose a theme for your event. Most corporate health fairs include ample information about employee benefits as well as wellness campaigns. A catchy theme will be memorable and also convey the ideas behind your event.

• 5

  Finalize your vendor list and make sure they reflect the theme. Ask to review a vendor's plans or make suggestions. Remember--the more successful event they have, the more successful event you will have.

  Don't limit your health fair to booths. Keep it interesting with talks by local healthcare providers, free chair massages or five-minute yoga classes.

• 6

  Place advertisements two to three before your event. Flyers, posters and social media (Facebook or Twitter) are excellent and inexpensive ways to get the word out.

• 7

  Assign team members different tasks so no one is overwhelmed. Communicate with your team--make sure they know what to do and have the tools to do their tasks. Work out the logistics of your event, which can mean the difference between a great event and a chaotic one.

  Determine when you will start setting up your health fair. Remember to leave room in the schedule for tables to be set up and table skirts and signage to be arranged. Prepare a chart of who will be located where. Make plenty of copies so everyone is aware of the setup.

• 8

  Prepare an event planning fix-it kit with tape, scissors, push pins, markers, pens, money, labels, batteries, extension cords and power strips.

• 9

  Create an exit survey. Ask your attendees to give their feedback and ideas for making the event successful. A short survey, dropped into a basket on the way out of the event, can help you plan for next year.

• 10

  Create a wrap-up plan for your event. Arrange for trash removal. Confirm that vendors have time to remove their materials, that tables and linens are picked up and your location is returned to an acceptable condition.

  Hold a post-event wrap-up meeting with the team. Review attendance and discuss ways to increase it in the future. Review your budget. Ask for suggestions on how to do things differently.

  Don't be surprised if things didn't go exactly to plan. Few events do. This follow-up meeting will allow you to make adjustments, where necessary and prepare for next health fair.