Your how-to: Training on the use of digital tools for wellness engagement
Training on the use of digital tools for wellness engagement at your place of work is an educational initiative designed to empower employees through the effective use of modern technology. It is a scheme that focuses on developing your employees' digital skills so they can utilise wellbeing programs and resources that are readily available on digital platforms.
The training includes tutorials, workshops and interactive sessions on how to use a variety of online platforms, mobile applications and other digital resources that offer services in physical wellness, mental health, stress management, and more. It might also include understanding how to integrate wearable technology and health tracking apps to monitor and improve their personal wellness.
In the context of Australia, this training would need to be in compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988, ensuring all digital tools used protect user's health information.
The goal of this training is to foster a proactive approach to health and wellbeing within the workplace, promote digital literacy and encourage employees to take charge of their own health by leveraging the convenience, personalisation and accessibility that these digital wellness tools provide.
Step by step instructions
Identifying the Need and Set Clear Objectives: Start by clearly stating why the training is required. Survey your employees to gain insights into their current digital literacy, their familiarity with wellness apps, their wellness needs, and their interests. Be clear about what you aim to accomplish with the training, including improving digital competency, fostering healthier work habits, or promoting use of company wellness applications.
Develop the Curriculum: Create a comprehensive training program that addresses each selected digital tool and its wellness benefits. Segregate sessions for interfaces, functionality, benefits and personalisation. Remember to include ‘on-hand’ tutorials that walk through the features of each digital tool, enabling effective learning.
Schedule the Training: Plan the training schedule taking into account employees' workloads, ensuring minimal disruption. It may be beneficial to offer multiple sessions at different times to cater for all shifts and working patterns.
Review and Evaluate: Assess the effectiveness of the training by asking for feedback from the participants. Review their performance and application of the knowledge they’ve gained. Monitor usage of the digital wellness tools over a set time frame post-training to evaluate uptake.
Select Relevant Digital Tools: Research and select the digital tools that are most suitable for meeting your wellness objectives. In addition to regular apps, consider integrative tools that encompass physical wellness, mental health, stress management and more. Ensure the selected tools comply with the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988.
Plan Delivery Method: Decide whether the training will be in-person, online, or a blend of both. It can be in the form of workshops, seminars, or webinars. Plan for interactive sessions that will allow employees to practice and explore the digital tool under guidance.
Conduct the Training: Ensure the training delivery method selected creates an engaging and interactive environment. Encourage questions and discussions to make the sessions interactive. Gather feedback at the end of each session to refine future sessions.
Offer Ongoing Support: Offer support after the training to help employees further understand and navigate the digital tools. This could be in the form of a helpline or dedicated intranet FAQs page.
Use this template to implement
To ensure you can execute seamlessly, download the implementation template.
Pitfalls to avoid
Needs Not all employees will have the same levels of technological literacy or wellness needs. Hence, a one-size-fits-all approach to this training might exclude some employees and reduce the overall effectiveness of the programme. To avoid this, survey your employees to understand their current skills and needs and tailor the training content accordingly.
Before initiating the training, ensure that comprehensive knowledge about the digital tools used for wellness engagement is available. An inadequate understanding of the tools can lead to unproductive training that leaves employees more confused than enlightened. Both the technical aspects and functionalities of these tools are important.
The setting up, scheduling, and management of training can be an administrative challenge if not planned in advance. Inadequate planning could lead to disruptions and dissatisfaction among employees. Make sure you have a defined structure and process in place before the training begins.
Digital tools that handle personal health information must comply with Australia’s Privacy Act (1988). Non-compliance could not only lead to legal trouble but also erode employees' trust. Therefore, ensure that the digital tools used comply with all relevant Australian laws and regulations.
Technology is always evolving. While you might do excellent training on a digital tool today, an update or new version could render the information obsolete tomorrow. Make sure you establish a process for ongoing training to keep employees up to date with the latest features and updates of the digital tools.
Even with training, employees may face technical issues while using digital tools for wellness engagement. Without a robust, responsive tech support team, these issues could discourage employee engagement, undermining the entire purpose of the training. So, ensure that tech support is easily accessible and well-equipped to handle any employee queries or issues.