How wellness will impact your brand/business in 2022

Mental health was very much a buzzword before the pandemic but the need for wellness has amplified over the past two years.

Wellness is much more than self-care Sunday; the pandemic with its spin off effects, has increased the stress levels of many individuals whilst at the same time, reminded persons of the fragility of life. These said individuals include consumers and your employees – yes, 2021 was a tough year for both groups and many are wondering what lies ahead in 2022. Coincidentally, Pfizer, defines wellness as the act of practicing healthy habits daily to attain better physical and mental outcomes, so that instead of just surviving, you’re thriving.

Think about this, how is your brand shifting its strategy to prioritize the needs of your customers/employees and their health and wellness? If you think it’s not your responsibility to do so, unfortunately you are out of touch with the needs of the market. As an employer and as a supplier of products/services, you have a responsibility. Ask yourself, why should the public support your brand if your only interest is to sell or to promote your service? How can your team or employee perform better, have overall mental fitness, and improve teamwork, if there is a lack of focus on their mental health or wellness? Global brands such as Nike are already leading the way in consumer wellness and whilst you may not be a ‘Nike’, you can take steps to begin prioritizing wellness into your brand. Here are three ways to do so:

Understanding the areas of life that ‘wellness’ affects:

Wellness looks different for everyone but bear in mind the definition. It can be broken down into physical (exercise, nutrition) and mental & emotional (stress management, mindfulness). Experts say the best way to achieve wellness and peace of mind is by eating nutritious food, drinking water, exercising, sleeping well and being happy in a holistic way. For success all areas need to be considered so it might be beneficial to survey your team and your customers to solicit feedback on what’s most important to them e.g., work life balance or eating healthy etc. Any way your brand can contribute to any of these areas is a move in the right direction.

Employee wellness policy and internal branding campaign:

Before rolling out an external wellness campaign, launch an internal one. Both Marketing/PR and Human Resources can collaborate to make this happen. A comprehensive employee/corporate wellness program should be developed and can include but not be limited to subsidized gym memberships, mindfulness sessions or even wellness workplace challenges. This will contribute towards building a culture of wellness amongst the team; with employees working towards shared fitness goals for example, there will be increased teamwork which can improve the customer experience which by extension results in positive word of mouth for your brand. An impactful, internal branding campaign that highlights the benefits of the wellness program to employees should also be on the agenda. Prioritizing the wellbeing of your team is a sure way to gain consumer trust and show your employees that you genuinely care.

Customer wellness initiatives & brand communication:

You don’t need to be a spa or a wellness brand to promote wellness and to show that you genuinely care about the wellbeing of your customers. You may not be able to do everything on a grand scale but start small; consider what you can reasonably offer. Whilst there are many things that can be done, ensure initiatives remain aligned with your brand values and mission.

Candice Sealey is the Founder & Principal Consultant at Ignite! a Full-service Marketing & PR Consultancy that helps businesses/brands to stand out and communicate the right message to the right people at the right time through Strategy, Marketing, Media services and Design solutions. She is also a freelance content writer, advertising copywriter, voiceover talent, media personality. Follow us on FB & IG 784-432-2223. Email: igniteresults@gmail.com