The power of emotional storytelling in promoting wellbeing benefits

Employee wellbeing has emerged as a top priority for HR and business leaders over recent years, but as organisations continue to invest heavily in these benefits, one key challenge remains: getting employees to utilise them. 60% of employees believe that employee benefits are extremely or very important, so the interest and demand is there. So what’s stopping them from being accessed?

One key issue could be awareness, with 42% of employees not knowing about or understanding their employee benefits. In addition, 65% don’t fully understand the value of their health and wellbeing benefits or get a tangible sense of how they could impact their lives. Lots of companies are now realising that simply stating what your people have access to is often not enough.

An aspect of the current communication that seems to be lacking is storytelling. In the world of consumer behaviour and advertising it’s well known that storytelling, and the emotion it provokes, can play a huge role in an individual’s intent to buy or engage. Advertising research reveals that the consumer’s emotional response to an advertisement has a far greater influence on their reported intent to buy a product than does the ad’s content. It therefore makes sense, in the world of internal communications and employee engagement that it’s often the emotional connection employees have to these services that plays the most crucial role in their engagement.

When used effectively, emotional storytelling can be the bridge that connects employees to their wellbeing resources, encouraging them to take advantage of what’s available and get a real sense of how they can help them.

Moving beyond facts to feelings

Language is more than just words. It’s a powerful tool that can shape perceptions, inspire actions, and evoke emotions. HR professionals often rely on facts and figures when communicating the details of wellbeing programs: benefits are listed on intranets or linked to policies and guidelines, logistics and eligibility are usually outlined. However, this informational approach might not always resonate with employees, who may already feel overwhelmed by workplace demands and life stressors.

Emotional storytelling, on the other hand, taps into human feelings and motivations. It goes beyond listing the details of a benefit package and instead paints a vivid picture of how these benefits can change lives. Rather than saying, “You have access to mental health counselling,” an emotional story might describe how one employee, once on the brink of burnout, found life-changing support and healing through the company’s wellbeing benefits, ultimately becoming more engaged and productive at work. By using empathetic language that focuses on outcomes and personal transformations, HR leaders can foster an emotional connection with their audience, making it far more likely that employees will feel motivated to utilise the available resources.

Employees need to feel that these services are not just benefits, but essential lifelines for their mental, physical, and emotional health.

Leadership as role models

Leaders play a key role in setting the tone for wellbeing in an organisation. When leaders demonstrate vulnerability by sharing their own stories of struggle, resilience, and the ways they’ve utilised wellbeing benefits, it sends a powerful message to employees. It shows that no one is immune to the pressures of work and life, not even those in top positions. This kind of transparency breaks down the stigma surrounding mental health and personal challenges, opening the door for employees to follow suit.

Imagine a senior executive sharing their personal experience of feeling overwhelmed and how the company’s wellbeing resources helped them regain their footing. This not only normalises the use of wellbeing services, but also creates a culture of openness and trust, where employees feel more comfortable seeking help when they need it.

HR leaders can try to encourage managers and directors to share their experiences in town hall meetings, team huddles, or even internal communications. These leaders become role models for the use of wellbeing programs, making it easier for employees to embrace these resources themselves, as well as see the impact they have.

Personal stories

People connect to people, not to policies. That’s why personal stories are such a powerful tool for promoting wellbeing benefits, and potentially easier to source than from business leaders. Sharing stories of real employees who have successfully used benefits and resources can have a profound impact on others. These stories can be shared in newsletters, videos, or through internal social platforms, and should focus on diverse experiences to ensure a wide range of employees feel seen and represented.

An inspiring and emotional story about an up-and-coming employee, who began to struggle with imposter syndrome and confidence issues, and overcame these through professional coaching, can highlight to other employees exactly how coaching can support them. Similarly, a story on how a staff member’s challenge with getting pregnant was helped by fertility benefits, enabling them to have their first child, could be hugely more impactful that stating what’s available.

That said, as HR professionals, we know that getting Gerry from IT to talk about his struggle with addiction is naturally going to be difficult. While it’s worth the effort to find these real-life examples there are other ways to ensure your internal promotion activities drive engagement:

1. Use Fictional Scenarios

Create fictional but relatable scenarios that illustrate the benefits. These can be crafted to resonate with common experiences within the workforce. For example, you could describe a day in the life of an employee who uses the benefit and how it positively impacts their work and personal life.

2. Customer Testimonials

If the benefits are similar to those offered to customers, use customer testimonials. These can be just as powerful and provide a different perspective that employees can relate to.

3. Video Animations

Create animated videos that depict the benefits in action. These can be more engaging and easier to digest than written stories, and they can evoke emotions through visuals and music.

4. Quotes from Industry Experts

Incorporate quotes from respected industry experts or thought leaders about the importance of the employee wellbeing. This can add credibility and a sense of importance to the message.

8. Narrative-Driven Internal Communications

Craft internal communications with a strong narrative arc. For example, start with a challenge or problem that employees face, introduce the benefit as the solution, and conclude with the positive outcomes.

Some example phrasing for Internal Communications could be as follows:

• “Imagine a workplace where every employee feels supported and valued. With our new wellness program, this vision becomes a reality…”
• “Picture yourself in a role where you have the flexibility to balance work and life seamlessly. Our flexible working hours make this possible…”
• “Think about the peace of mind that comes with knowing your health is a priority. Our comprehensive health benefits ensure you and your family are well taken care of…”

By humanising wellbeing programs through storytelling, HR leaders can transform benefits from abstract concepts into relatable, real-life solutions. Employees who see others like themselves benefiting from these resources are more likely to view the benefits as relevant to their own lives.

Making the message stick

Even the most emotionally powerful stories won’t have the desired impact if they’re not communicated effectively. HR professionals need to be strategic in how they share these stories to ensure they resonate with a wide audience. Here are some key communication strategies to consider:

1. Tailored communication: Not all employees are the same, and neither are their needs. Segment your communications to target specific employee groups. Younger employees may resonate with stories about mental health or personal growth, while older employees might connect more with stories about managing chronic health conditions. Tailor the messaging based on demographics and job roles.
2. Multimedia approach: Different people consume information in different ways. Some employees might prefer reading emails, while others engage more with video content. Using a variety of formats, such as videos, podcasts, blog posts, and infographics, ensures the message reaches everyone and taps into those individuals that more traditional promotions can miss.
3. Consistent & micro-messaging: The goal for any internal communications strategy specifically around benefits engagement is for, in those moments when an employee needs support, they know exactly where to go to find it. This means that emotional storytelling and communication should not be a one-off tactic. Create a steady stream of stories throughout the year, aligning them with key dates such as Mental Health Awareness Month or Menopause Awareness Week. Regular reminders help keep wellbeing programs top of mind for employees and give you a reason to shout about specific benefits available to your workforce.
4. Inclusive language: Ensure the stories and language used in communications are inclusive, reflecting the diverse experiences and backgrounds of your workforce. This increases the likelihood that employees from all walks of life will see themselves in the narrative, which might involve telling similar stories in different ways. (To understand the differences in marketing approaches by gender click here).

A catalyst for change

Wellbeing benefits are only effective when employees feel empowered to use them. Emotional storytelling has the unique ability to create a personal connection, break down barriers, and inspire action. For HR, this tool can be a catalyst for positive change, fostering a healthier, more engaged workforce.

By utilising the power of language, engaging leaders in authentic storytelling, and effectively communicating these messages, organisations can ensure that employees not only know about their wellbeing benefits but feel motivated to take advantage of them. In the end, it’s not just about telling stories — it’s about creating a culture where wellbeing is prioritised and championed.