Have you ever put a fantastic wellbeing workshop on the calendar, only to be met with low attendance or passive participation? Simply scheduling a workshop isn’t enough. The real magic happens when you ensure your team feels prepared, curious, and motivated to participate from the very beginning.
Amy, our Client Success Manager, always emphasises that this is a key element of a successful wellbeing programme. It’s not about complex marketing, but about simple, consistent pre- and post-workshop communication that sparks interest and reinforces learning. This approach boosts training effectiveness and can make a significant difference to enhancing team skills and driving results.
The Top Tip: Create a Clear, Compelling Narrative
The single most effective way to supercharge engagement is to focus on creating a clear, compelling narrative around a workshop. Your team needs to understand, in simple terms, exactly why a particular workshop is relevant to their daily experience. Frame it as a solution to a problem they already have, not just an optional event.
Here’s how to put this into practice, turning a simple event into an active, impactful experience:
Before the Workshop: Spark Curiosity and Set Expectations
- Don’t just send a calendar invite. In your initial communication, ask a thought-provoking question or highlight a key benefit. For example, for a time management workshop, you might ask: “Feeling like there aren’t enough hours in the day? This session will give you back 30 minutes every day!”
- Keep it human. Use personal and relatable language in your emails. Share a short video message about why you’re excited for the session. This helps build anticipation and shows the human value behind the event.
- Provide a “What to Expect” guide. Give a brief overview of the topics covered and the format. This helps manage expectations and reduces anxiety, making it easier for people to commit to attending.
During the Workshop: Foster Active Participation
- Ensure the content is as interactive as possible. Focus on small group discussions, real-world case studies, and practical exercises over a one-way lecture.
- The more your team members feel a part of the learning process, the more they will engage with the content and retain the information.
After the Workshop: Reinforce Learning and Embed Skills
- The forgetting curve is real! Don’t let the momentum fade. Send a follow-up email with key takeaways and a link to supporting resources (e.g., a relevant article, a summary video, or a practical worksheet).
- Encourage your team to take one small, tangible action immediately. This helps bridge the gap between theory and practice, making the new skill stick.
- Create a space for ongoing discussion. This could be a dedicated channel or a brief check-in at the next team meeting to ask what people are using from the session.
Tying It Back to the Stress Matters Pillars
This tip is a practical application of our Engagement pillar, which focuses on making sure your team is ready and willing to participate in their wellbeing journey. The post-workshop reinforcement is also a key component of our Support pillar, ensuring that learning is consistently backed up with resources and a culture that helps it thrive.
By using this approach, you move from simply putting on workshops to strategically building a programme that genuinely resonates with your team. This creates a powerful and impactful experience that enhances team skills and drives tangible results.
While these tips are a fantastic place to start, consistently creating and managing this level of pre- and post-workshop content and follow-through can feel like a significant undertaking. The true expertise lies in making this seamless and impactful, removing the administrative burden so you can focus on the big picture.
Ready to explore how our Wellbeing Workshop Programme can ensure high engagement and deliver true impact for your team?
