How do you motivate employees to share their success stories 🎉
As an HR manager, you want to motivate and enthuse employees. But it works even better if employees start motivating each other. Employees always respond strongly to success stories, and someone else's story can actually spur an employee to action. In addition, you want to show the management team that your initiative is making an impact and is worthwhile. So how do you collect all those success stories? How do you get employees to share their stories of their own accord? And where do you share these stories? From conversations with 500+ HR managers, we share the most valuable insights for easily collecting great success stories from your vitality initiative.
Time to read: 5 minutes
From silent winners to loud applause: how to capture success stories 🥅
You might recognise it: you know there are employees who have benefited from the vitality initiative, but they seem to prefer to keep that success to themselves. They might tell you during a personal conversation that they feel better, but how do you make sure this story reaches the whole organisation? The first step is to make sure employees feel comfortable enough to share their experiences.
Start by creating a safe environment where employees are happy to share their successes. You can do this by organising regular informal check-ins. During such check-ins, ask questions like, ‘How has the vitality initiative improved your work-life balance?’ or ‘What positive changes do you notice since participating in the initiative?’ By having these conversations without pressure, employees will be more likely to share their success stories.
Another way to collect stories is to organise a ‘vitality moment’ during team meetings. At the beginning of the meeting, ask if anyone would like to share something positive about their progress within the vitality initiative. This not only provides space for success stories, but also ensures that employees inspire each other. In doing so, show that every story - big or small - counts.
Let your employees shine: how to get them excited to share their stories 💯
As an HR manager, you naturally want employees to share their success stories with enthusiasm, without having to ask them. But how do you get them to do this of their own accord? The key lies in reward and appreciation.
For example, consider putting employees who share their stories in the limelight. You could organise an internal competition in which employees submit their success stories. Reward the best story with a nice surprise, such as a healthy lunch voucher or an extra afternoon off. This way, you not only create enthusiasm, but also give employees a tangible reason to share their story.
Another approach is to include success stories in the internal newsletter. Ask employees to share a short quote about how the vitality initiative has changed their lives. Once they see their name in the spotlight, they will feel appreciated and may even want to share more often. Make sure the newsletter is accessible to everyone, including the management team, so they can immediately see how their investment in vitality is paying off.
Confetti, camera, action: creative ways to share success stories 📸
Once you have collected success stories, it is important to share them in creative ways. It is not only about getting the message across, but also about surprising and enthusing others within the organisation. Stories that capture the imagination have a much greater impact.
For example, consider recording short videos in which employees share their success stories. Let them tell about their journey to a healthier life, their challenges and their victories. Make sure these videos are shared not only internally via the intranet, but also on social media, so that everyone can see what the vitality initiative brings about. Videos add a personal touch and make the stories much more tangible.
Another creative way to share stories is to surprise an employee during a vitality meeting with confetti and music while sharing their success story. This spontaneous moment not only creates a fun atmosphere, but also motivates others to participate and share their story. Film this moment and share it with the rest of the organisation so that everyone shares in the positive energy. You can also create a ‘Wall of Fame’ in a central place in the office, where employees can write down or print their success stories. This visual reminder of success provides daily inspiration and motivates other employees to join the vitality initiative.
Success stories that connect and motivate others
The power of success stories within a vitality initiative should not be underestimated. As an HR manager, you have a unique opportunity to highlight and share these stories, not only to inspire employees, but also to show management how important this initiative is. By collecting personal stories, motivating employees to share their experiences and presenting these stories in a creative way, you give the vitality initiative a face and soul.
Make sure the stories remain personal and that the message goes beyond numbers and statistics. After all, vitality is not just about measurable results, but about real changes in employees' lives. If you manage to make these changes visible, commitment to the vitality initiative will only grow.