Several years ago, company health fairs were all the rage. Now they’re making a comeback, with a slight twist.

In the past, the fairs often better served the provider(s) who came onsite than the needs of the hosting corporation or their staff members. More recently, companies have refined the planning of the events to serve namely to launch or promote a health promotion program.

To be successful, the events need to serve two purposes –  improveing employee education and building their enthusiasm to participate in the health promotion program.

To make sure you and your employees get the most out of a health fair, it assists to be aware of the plusses and minuses – and some little touches that can mean the difference between a so-so event and a hit.

Health Fairs –  Double-edged sword

On the plus side, employees received easy-to-grasp information on key wellness topics like illness detection, symptom control and smarter medication practices. They also receive important services like free blood-pressure screenings.

On the down side, some experts said the more newfangled events were more like “disease fairs” than “health fairs.” In other words, the tone was little too somber and staff members weren’t in particular tuned in because they weren’t enjoying themselves.

Health Promotion program consultant Dr. Ron Goetzel believes that the savviest firms strike a balance in their wellness fairs. Stick with the screenings, but also feature exhibitors who offer “lighter,” more enjoyable services. Examples –

• a booth from a local health-food store

• a chair-massage station

• elder-care info from the AARP, or

• a “complimentary medicine” info booth (e.g.,a chiropractor or an acupuncturist).

Offering incentives

In many cases, workers still need an incentive to attend the fair and get the desired screenings, also to doing the fun stuff. Some real-life programs that’ve worked –

• a contest offering prizes to workers who visit every station

• quizzes and prizes based on info from different vendors’ literature

• flex-scheduling or time-off incentives for getting screened (e.g., a comp day or an extra afternoon off), and

• cash incentives (as little as $20 and as much as $100) to people  who voluntarily participate in various screenings.