Reconnecting During COVID with our Virtual Health & Wellness Fair

Mandy Enright, Wellness Concepts resident Registered Dietitian, Yoga Instructor, and Mindfulness Expert

I have been an on-site Registered Dietitian and yoga instructor with Wellness Concepts for almost five years. My absolute favorite part of this job is going to various companies and having the opportunity to interact with employees during events and presentations. I’ve worked from home for the past few years, so I personally thrive on human interaction and meeting new people. When COVID hit its peak in March and forced companies to close their offices and employees to work from home, we all entered into a New Virtual World. I was beyond thrilled when Wellness Concepts came up with the idea to run Virtual Health Fairs. It opened a new way to help employees adjust to life working from home while maintaining personal connections. And I’m no longer confined to just working with people or companies near my home in New Jersey - I can expand my reach working with people and companies based anywhere.

It’s no secret working from home is an adjustment. And while there are certainly positives like no commute time, one of the biggest aspects we miss out on is interaction with our coworkers and colleagues. For me, I have transitioned to delivering lots of webinars, but it’s not quite the same as doing in-person Lunch & Learns. And I sure many of us can agree a Zoom call is just not the same as being together in a meeting room or having coffee with a colleague.

The Virtual Health Fairs created at Wellness Concepts have truly aimed to maintain a personal connection during the events. Unlike other online worksite wellness events that can be a series of pre-recorded videos, we have strived to run LIVE events during each of the health fairs. The sessions are personalized to the interests of each company. As a presenter, my energy is boosted knowing there are people watching and engaged on the other end. Instead of hiding behind a PowerPoint, you get to meet me. At Virtual Health Fairs I can present as if I was there in person. Interaction with the audience through live Q&A sessions is always a highlight for me.

The virtual booth component of the Health Fair is unique as well in the way we encourage interaction, not just with the subject matter but with each other. They’ve almost become a “Virtual Water Cooler” with the discussion that takes place among co-workers sharing their favorite smoothie combos and pantry staple items. As a practitioner it enables me to establish a connection with employees through interaction by reading and responding to comments.

We’re all craving connection during this time of COVID. Caring for our mental well-being is as important as our physical health these days. Take the opportunity to connect with both your colleagues and healthcare professionals in a unique and personalized virtual setting. I look forward to meeting you soon at a Virtual Health Fair!