5 Blind Spots in Your Wellness Program

Movie quotes edition.

Did you know August is National Wellness Awareness month?

Personally, I think manufacturing is one of the most neglected industries when it comes to wellness. Awareness is a lot higher than it used to be but we’re still not seeing enough holistic care focused on the real-world areas employees are dealing with daily.

So, I decided to do a little reflection, drawing on our experience and exposure to the industries we’re active in. What are some of the biggest blind spots manufacturers are facing right now with their health and wellness programs? The things posters and message boards don’t cover? The areas where simply acknowledging that more is needed can start to move the needle?

I picked five that stood out to me. To make them a little stickier (and to have some fun) I tied each to a movie quote. See what you think about the areas I think you should be focusing on:

1. Nutrition

“I’m hungry. Let’s get a taco.”

-Mr. White, Reservoir Dogs

This quote from Mr. White to remind us…if you’re going to run a nutrition campaign, make sure you are providing access to the right kind of snacks and healthy options. Do you have enough refrigerators? Do they work? What about water stations? (Clean) microwaves?

This is an area where a little bit of TLC can go a long way.

2. Sleep

“Did you sleep ok last night?”

“Great! I got a full 40 minutes.”

Emily and Buddy the Elf, Elf

Rotating shifts wreck sleep, and the consequences show up as safety incidents and poor quality. Add in the fact that 50-70M Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorders (CDC) and fatigue is a real health and wellness issue that you need to manage.

The companies making progress do it structurally: forward-rotating schedules, predictable schedules posted further out, limits on consecutive doubles. Beyond shift structures, sleep hygiene requires ongoing education and awareness. If it isn’t a core piece of your current plan, consider making it a priority when outlining next year’s.

3. Access to medical care

“You can’t treat that with Coca-Cola or Bisquick. We’re gonna have to use real medicine this time.”

Dr. Benjamin Stone, Doc Hollywood.

The biggest equity gap in manufacturing today? Preventative care during the workday. Salaried employees run out for an appointment. Line workers? Burning a PTO day. Not every company is in this position, but it may be time to consider onsite screenings, mobile clinics, telehealth and access to preventative care like flu shots.

Some straight talk: this is an area where it is possible to bite off more than you can chew. Just start small – pick one thing. Employees will always value the action over the words.

4. Financial literacy

“Show me the money!!”

Jerry Maguire, Jerry Maguire

It's one of the most commonly cited stressors in hourly workforces and rarely lives under "wellness." Earned wage access, credit union partnerships, straightforward help understanding the 401(k) match—these are all simple wins that companies are leaving on the table.

If you want to get ahead with the next generation of workers, this is a program to invest in. Offering access to online courses, a help line with your financial provider or holding (paid) monthly lunch and learns are easy ways to find and nurture a connection with employees who may not have the financial literacy their experienced counterparts do.

5. Mental health

“Relax. You’ll live longer.”

Douglas Quaid, Total Recall

Manufacturing has real stigma around mental health and wellness. And I’m sorry to say…sometimes corporate wellness language makes it worse.

What does work is plain framing. Think of what we’ve discussed to this point: stress, sleep, money worries. Talking about these things with peers rather than HR make them more human. The issues real and the solutions more attainable. Seeing others who have gone through it and learning from them is a lot stickier than motivational phrases and posters.

Consider peer groups. Access to shared resources like ERGs. And opportunities to give back if you’ve gone through a tough time or situation. At the very least you’ve opened up the conversation to show you are willing to shed light on a very real challenge..and it’s acceptable to talk about it.

“Building the habit, is the win.”

Ben Brugler

The closest I’ll ever come to having my own movie quote, this line can be applied to life in so many ways. In regards to our discussion today, you can lean into these topics if you feel you need to start somewhere. (There is no ‘wrong’ way to get started when it comes to caring for your people.)

Of course, no Insights blog is complete without one basic reminder–these are opportunities that can be addressed and managed through a communications strategy. What you’re trying to do; why you believe in it; making it matter to employees…without a strong communications strategy that drives programs forward, you could have the strongest wellness initiatives ever—that no one will ever hear about.

The fastest way to find your blind spot is to ask your own people which of these five areas gets talked about least. That answer will tell you where to start. If you want help turning that answer into a real communications plan, reach out.

We can start with an audit. A discussion. A focus group. But the time to put your employees first, in every aspect, is now as human care and connections become more precious.

Thanks for reading. Want to talk more? Check the form below or email me!