Organizations have become increasingly global, which means well-being strategies need to address the needs of employees beyond the company’s headquarters or home country. In this week’s blog, we discuss how to ensure your well-being strategy reflects your global well-being priorities, while also taking into consideration the local norms and customs that will ensure a relevant experience for all employees.
We’ve all heard the term “think global, act local,” which urges people to think about the health of the planet while taking action to protect the environment in their own cities and communities. The same maxim applies to a well-being program.
Organizations who see the best results from a global well-being program tailor offerings to employees that reflect the local culture and practices. You might call it a “glocal” well-being approach, which is characterized by both global and local considerations.
How can you employ this “glocal” approach in your organization? Here are some things to think about:
Understand the difference in how well-being programs are viewed.
In the U.S., because most citizens receive healthcare through their employers, there is a financial incentive to improve population health outcomes through well-being programs. Overseas, where healthcare is largely provided by the government, well-being programs are seen more as a means to enhance worker productivity, engagement, and talent attraction. Wellness challenges and activities that drive a culture of health and enhance community may therefore be more important than individual health metrics.
Look for a vendor who offers segmentation and personalization capabilities.
Segmentation allows you to customize a well-being program so you’re offering employees in other countries only the programs that are most locally relevant. This is perhaps the most important feature to ensure the success of a “glocal” well-being program. The ability to personalize a well-being program is also important, allowing participants to shape their experience based on unique preferences, interests and health goals.
Consider a single global vendor who can address all your needs.
Once you go global with your well-being strategy, you’ll want things to be as simple and streamlined as possible. A single well-being provider can make administration easier, saving valuable time and resources. A single vendor also ensures equity of offerings and a consistent employee experience across your population.
Gain support from local leadership.
Leadership buy-in is critical for any well-being program. When leaders support well-being initiatives the organization sees greater engagement with the program and better results. Demonstrate to leaders how the well-being program will benefit their population, citing things like improved engagement and retention, better productivity and a greater sense of community.
Enlist the support and input of local well-being champions.
Identify employees in each country or region who are passionate about well-being and convene them to discuss what local employees want and need in a well-being program. Later, call on these individuals to help you with implementation, communication and drumming up enthusiasm for the program. Finally, solicit feedback from them often to find out which local initiatives are working and which aren’t.
Employ cultural sensitivity and awareness.
A “glocal” well-being program must understand and respect the cultural norms, values, and beliefs of diverse populations and how they influence discussions about health. For example, in some Asian cultures , people may avoid seeking mental health help for fear of bringing shame on their families, while in Europe people are much more open to talking about mental well-being. You’ll want to be sensitive to things like religious fasting periods or key holidays, taking care not to plan wellness challenges or launch new initiatives during this time.
Localize language and communication tactics.
English is the official language of business, but when it comes to well-being it’s best to communicate in the local language. You may be tempted to rely on machine translation for this task, but human translators are important when dealing with clinical or health information that requires more nuance. Likewise, tap into relevant communication vehicles and employ a look and feel that is authentic and appropriate for the country or region.
Tailor incentives.
Incentives are an excellent tactic for encouraging initial participation in a well-being program as well as sustaining that participation. However, if your incentives are geared around U.S.-centric rewards (like health care premium reductions), you’ll need to spend time customizing them for a global population. Well-being champions can be a good resource for understanding what incentives will resonate.
Do your research on local policies and regulations.
Some countries may have certain rules that prohibit employers from addressing various health and well-being needs. Work with your HR department to ensure well-being program offerings don’t run afoul of local laws and regulations.
Developing a well-being program that motivates employees across the globe to make positive changes to their health takes a little extra effort and research. But, those extra steps to ensure that the program is relevant and meaningful to employees at the local level will pay off. If you’d like help expanding well-being program access to your global populations, contact us at connect@webmd.net.
