For most, health benefits are only a priority during periods of open enrollment or in times of medical need. This is something Harris County, TX — which employs over 17,000 employees — was hoping to change. But how could it get its employees to put their health first and make the most of their benefits package, especially when health benefits aren’t always easy to understand?
Comic-book-style calendar featuring real Harris County employees.
To keep health benefits top of mind, Harris County partnered up with PM to create an engaging — and ongoing — health and wellness experience that would motivate employees (and their families) to take steps toward living happier, healthier lives.
Facebook cover photos (top) and event giveaways (bottom).
Knowing that the average employee has a hard time understanding the ins and outs of their benefits package, PM first worked with Harris County to rebrand the Benefits & Wellness department and create an identity that proved benefits are more than just paperwork. Next, the team worked to develop a website that was simple to navigate and provided easy-to-understand information about wellness and benefits-related topics. To promote the County’s wellness program (which was part of the overall benefits package), PM developed an attention-grabbing superhero campaign that would appeal to male employees — who carried the highest percentage of dependents (expense) on their insurance. We later evolved the campaign to feature real employees being their own health hero. Finally, we streamlined communications across all channels and incorporated fun games and giveaways to boost engagement at Harris County events and health fairs.
Custom coloring book and healthy-eating cookbook.
Harris County understood that the communications and materials surrounding a strong benefits package are just as important as the benefits themselves. And the updated branding, out-of-the-box superhero campaign and enhanced benefits communications all played a crucial part in motivating employees to take more active roles in their overall health and wellness. As a result, nearly 50% of employee households accessed the Harris County website in the first quarter. Harris County also saw a 50% increase in social media followers, a 68% increase in registrations for the annual 5K run — one of Harris County’s largest health and wellness events — and a sustained increase in the number of employees who qualified for the Healthy Actions Medical Plan.
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