Sessions

How Trust and Belongingness effect Organizational Change

Taking time for open dialogue and creating space for difficult questions are foundational to building trust. Still, some view concepts of social disenfranchisement, belongingness and trust as being too removed from business leaders’ imperative to deliver on their organizational key performance indicators, those critical KPIs. This panel challenges the premise that trust is too fluffy of a topic for battle tested business executives. We explore research demonstrating the keen relationship between employee engagement and the achievement of KPIs. Too often, organizational experts are called in to support organizational change at a time when businesses are struggling. This panel aims to share creative ways to push trust and belongingness upstream and relate how organizations can proactively build trust rather than face the daunting work of regaining trust? We discuss how collective well-being is much more attainable with the help of robust professional networks and review the factors that will help us better identify causes of health disparities, that can redress social determinants of health and, ultimately, that will advance best practices in employer-led well-being efforts throughout the nation.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Describe how a framework for building trust and psychological safety can be used in support of positive organizational change.
2. Identify the business case for advancing precepts of companionate love and belongingness into a workplace culture.
3. Discuss cases from workplace settings where social connection and a heightened sense of belongingness were attributable to improved business outcomes. 1.25 ADV CECH Available

People with low health literacy have healthcare costs 4 times higher than those with high health literacy, are less adherent to treatment recommendations, more likely to use the emergency room, and have higher rates of readmissions. Today’s health and patient education materials continue to be written and communicated in a unidimensional, hard to understand, non-engaging format. There is a major gap in the current approach to improving personal health literacy as it typically lacks the use of behavioral science and learning theory, it tends to not be personalized or highly relevant, and it lacks multimedia formats including video, infographics, and deep format content. This highly dynamic panel will set the context for the role health literacy plays in engagement, belonging, and well-being and provide specific employer and community examples. The panel will present experience with gaming casinos' engagement with Native American employees and their community's use of a health literacy platform and resulting impacts on key metrics such as health knowledge, confidence to navigate the system, and health behaviors. Another example of health literacy in action will be based on the experience with a community-based health literacy initiative that serves both underserved populations as well as the business community by building a healthier population, a sense of belonging, and a stronger employee base.

Learning objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the 3 pillars of health literacy 2.0 and the link between health literacy and belonging.
2. Explain how health literacy can support underserved populations.
3. Discuss the business case and applications of health literacy initiatives for employers. 1 CECH Available

As Kaiser Permanente’s effort to address workforce health equity continues to evolve, their ability to track and address disparities in well-being outcomes within the employee population has advanced. This session will describe a novel approach to measuring health equity in the employee population and how they use this information to guide their health equity strategy. Utilizing several different data gathering mechanisms, including employee surveys and direct access to the electronic medical record, they can collect and analyze employee population level health outcome data, employee perceptions of the culture of health and well-being within the organization, and employees’ self-reported well-being across a variety of indicators. All this data can be broken down by demographics such as race/ethnicity, age, and gender. The data is analyzed to inform the overall health equity strategy and direct efforts towards employee sub-populations that are experiencing disparities in health and well-being outcomes.

A multi-departmental collaboration between the Workforce Well-being; National Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity; and Talent and Organizational Performance departments guides these efforts to address health equity within the organization. Primary means of reaching different employee demographic populations with programs and resources is through Business Resource Groups (BRGs), which deliver culturally relevant health and well-being messages to diverse employee populations. The BRG program is comprised of 10 unique communities. This session will conclude by describing a specific example of how one of the BRGs has provided mental health supports catered specifically for their constituent population.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the mechanisms Kaiser Permanente employs to understand health disparities and equity within its workforce.
2. Articulate the importance of being able to measure and track health equity metrics as an essential component of an employee well-being strategy.
3. Apply learnings to their own organization’s efforts to measure and address health equity within their workforce. 1 ADV CECH Available

In order for any change management to be sustainable, it needs to be a cultural imperative. Examples show that cultures of safety in enterprises have effectively reduced injury and embodied prevention. There’s an evolution from a culture of safety to a culture of health, safety, and well-being, incorporating social determinants of health and Total Worker Health®. 1 CECH Available

The Franklin County Cooperative (FCC), located in Columbus, Ohio, provides unique opportunities and challenges to support holistic well-being for over 8000 employees and their spouses across Franklin County. This unique cooperative supports over 40 agencies, with over 100 locations through their wellness program, ThriveOn. Agencies in the Cooperative include police and fire, children's services, the coroner's office, the parks department, and more. The role of the Cooperative is to support overall well-being through benefits, services, and programming for agencies and individual participants to promote a healthy workforce. Over the eleven years that that the Cooperative has dedicated resources to well-being, engagement levels continue to be above industry benchmarks, and ThriveOn saw its highest participation rate of 66% in 2023. Since 2019, the Cooperative has seen a continued reduction in metabolic risk factors, including a 2% reduction in 3+ risks for a cohort population of 2,632 participants and a 98% PCP adherence.During this session, learn more about the milestones the Cooperative has achieved as they expand and develop programming for their workforce, the challenges and obstacles they have faced, and their next steps to continue evolving their program.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the evolution of the ThriveOn program, supporting individual needs for well-being, and explain the data that supported additions of programs to support mental and financial well-being, in addition to preventative care resulting in compliance levels well above industry benchmarks.
2. Discuss the role of wellness champions to drive success in a unique organization with a wide variety of industries and locations, each with varying levels of leadership and cultural support, and apply tangible ideas to build and enhance a wellness champion network at your organization.
3. Recognize the importance of collaboration among vendors, including referrals, integration of data, and strategic planning to support Cooperative goals.1 CECH Available

At a time when employers need to think outside the box to move the needle on mental health and inclusion (constructs understood to be overlapping), how do you know what’s worth trying? At Mars, principles dictate that they look to our Associates (employees) as partners in responding. In response to self-reported lower energy and sub-optimal inclusion insights from women leaders, Mars initiated an iterative, participatory, applied research agenda with this group. Their goal was to look for any potential root causes stemming from the culture or ways of working and identify how Mars could better support women leaders, ensuring they thrive. This bottom-up research partnership enabled them to center on the lived experiences of women leaders. Mars embarked on this journey without any preconceived notions or predetermined "solutions," allowing the project team to follow the data wherever it led -- an approach that presented both a risk and a possibility.

Speakers will discuss the participatory methodology used, which was adapted from the Community-Based Participatory Action framework commonly employed in public health research. This session will explore how this methodology influenced findings, the root causes it unveiled, and how these findings have shaped leaders’ understanding of the challenges at hand. Since this collaboration was a pilot between the Associate Health and Wellbeing and the Inclusion and Diversity Centers of Excellence at Mars, speakers will emphasize the lessons learned.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able:
1. Describe the basic principles of community-based participatory action research and how it is applicable in the workplace.
2. Explore the potential impact of root-cases research in addressing employee health and inclusion at their company.
3. Identify the challenges with both embarking on an open-ended research agenda and actioning the findings. 1 ADV CECH Available

At a time when employers need to think outside the box to move the needle on mental health and inclusion (constructs understood to be overlapping), how do you know what’s worth trying? At Mars, principles dictate that they look to our Associates (employees) as partners in responding. In response to self-reported lower energy and sub-optimal inclusion insights from women leaders, Mars initiated an iterative, participatory, applied research agenda with this group. Their goal was to look for any potential root causes stemming from the culture or ways of working and identify how Mars could better support women leaders, ensuring they thrive. This bottom-up research partnership enabled them to center on the lived experiences of women leaders. Mars embarked on this journey without any preconceived notions or predetermined "solutions," allowing the project team to follow the data wherever it led -- an approach that presented both a risk and a possibility.

Speakers will discuss the participatory methodology used, which was adapted from the Community-Based Participatory Action framework commonly employed in public health research. This session will explore how this methodology influenced findings, the root causes it unveiled, and how these findings have shaped leaders’ understanding of the challenges at hand. Since this collaboration was a pilot between the Associate Health and Wellbeing and the Inclusion and Diversity Centers of Excellence at Mars, speakers will emphasize the lessons learned.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able:
1. Describe the basic principles of community-based participatory action research and how it is applicable in the workplace.
2. Explore the potential impact of root-cases research in addressing employee health and inclusion at their company.
3. Identify the challenges with both embarking on an open-ended research agenda and actioning the findings. 1 ADV CECH Available

In today’s dynamic and diverse work environment, fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees is not just a moral imperative but a strategic advantage. This session will explore multifaceted approaches businesses can employ to create affirming environments that promote a sense of belonging among LGBTQ+ employees. This discussion will highlight the importance of inclusive policies and practices and delve into the power of creating spaces where every employee feels seen, heard, and valued.

This panel brings together thought leaders, diversity and inclusion experts, and LGBTQ+ advocates to share insights, best practices, and real-world examples of how to champion LGBTQ+ belonging in the workplace. They will address challenges and barriers that LGBTQ+ workers face that can culminate in experiences of burnout and thwarted belonging.  Through an interactive dialogue, speakers will explore how to navigate these challenges, and foster a culture of respect, connection, and equity. The "Pride in Our Work" panel aims to inspire attendees to not only advocate for LGBTQ+ rights within their organizations but to take steps towards building a workplace where every individual can thrive. By emphasizing the integral role belonging plays in organization -- and individual-level well-being, this panel will equip participants with the tools and knowledge necessary to make meaningful change in their workplaces. Join these speakers in transforming workplaces into spaces where LGBTQ+ employees belong and are celebrated for their unique contributions to organizational success. Together, we can create a future where work is a place of pride, empowerment, and belonging for all.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. List actionable strategies ranging from the development of inclusive HR policies to the creation of employee resource groups and allyship programs.
2. Discuss the multifaceted approaches businesses can employ to create affirming environments for LGBTQ+ individuals.
3. Outline how their own institutions can create space where every employee feels seen, heard, and valued. 1 ADV CECH Available

Without an intentional strategy that places effort on the impact of the system (culture, climate, leadership, relationships), organizations will stall on their efforts to positively impact employee well-being. This panel discussion highlight best practices from the HERO Health and Well-being Best Practices Scorecard in Collaboration with Mercer© (HERO Scorecard), facilitated by HERO Research Fellow Colleen Saringer. Krystal Sexton will unveil the findings of Shell’s Global Mental Wellbeing Program, including results that describe the association between workplace relationships and burnout. Bridgette McCullough will discuss the impact of leadership behaviors on employee physical and mental health, and why OhioHealth is targeting the leader-employee relationship in their well-being strategy.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Apply the HERO Scorecard as a strategic and measurement tool, supporting a systems approach to employee well-being.
2. Describe quantitative findings of the impact leadership and relationships have on mental health.
3. Discuss practical examples on how to optimize the leadership-employee relationship for well-being. 1 ADV CECH Available

American institutions are experiencing historically low trust, especially in big business, large tech companies and in government. This panel examines how psychological safety, belongingness, trust and social cohesion all have unique roles to play if we carefully define them, measure them and cultivate them in our organizations over time. We discuss the strategies and tools needed to make leaders more effective change maker in their organizations. We will be asking our faculty to share what we learned from COVID-19, the most devastating epidemic of our lifetime, one that caused a profound decline in life expectancy worldwide. It also exacerbated what some have suggested is a crisis of trust in public health. How can we reclaim the authority to make science based recommendations that are not widely discounted as restrictions that have gone too far. We discuss how cultures of caring are more careful about evaluating health information, are more welcoming of diverse perspectives and are more likely to approach problems with curiosity. We examine what it will take to recoup confidence in both science and industry by describing organizations where trust has eroded the least.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Describe a framework used in strategic planning that derives from culture of health assessments and analysis.
2. Identify the key lessons learned from organizations that achieved a balance between safety and autonomy during the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. Discuss cases from workplace settings where business leaders play a role in reclaiming civility, advancing kindness and measuring progress toward a culture of caring. 1 ADV CECH Available

Mindfulness is a known strategy to lower stress, improve sleep, lower blood pressure, and provide other health benefits. Mindfulness also has organizational benefits such as improved cognitive performance, decreased burnout, increased job satisfaction, and improved trust.   Although the National Business Group on Health and Fidelity found that 52% of companies offer mindfulness training, the vast majority offer this as an individual benefit. Offering a resource is good, and adoption of a desired behavior is better. When organizational culture shares a behavior, it’s likely to be adopted by a greater number of employees. That is the power of norms.

Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM) started an intentional effort to make mindfulness part of the workplace culture in 2020, and have since seen adoption that indicates efforts are taking hold.

In this session, participants will learn the benefits of mindfulness to companies and organizations. Participants will also learn how JHM is integrating mindfulness into workplace culture beyond offering the benefit of free access to a mindfulness app. More specifically, speakers will demonstrate how they’ve leveraged the following elements:
• Norms
• Peer Support
• Leadership Engagement
• Culture Connection Points

Participants will receive a worksheet to prompt thoughts on how something similar can be achieved within their organization.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. List three benefits for organizations that integrate mindfulness into their workplace culture (the business case).
2. Define the six well-being culture building blocks.
3. Give an example of how to integrate mindfulness into the workplace culture for four of the well-being culture building blocks. 1 CECH Available

Professional sport organizations and high performing employers share many characteristics – they demand high quality performance with minimal mistakes, they require seamless communication and collaboration among members for the execution of their goals, and they are constantly looking for ways to improve performance and efficiency. These factors reinforce the importance of prioritizing team member wellness, as this is a necessary component for the health, safety, and performance of the organization. Mental wellness integration strategies seek to deliver resources, provide education and skill building opportunities, increase access to psychological resources, and reduce stigma. These efforts improve the well-being of the entire organization, which is associated with performance improvements.

This session focuses on three key components: (1) a review of how wellness initiatives promote high performance; (2) an overview of the best practices for wellness integration used within professional sports (at the league and team level); and (3) an introduction to how employer systems can apply some of these practices, both to broader organizations and specific teams. Throughout this session, speakers and attendees will discuss common barriers and challenges associated with wellness integration, plus examples for how to overcome them.

The speakers of this session represent varying perspectives. One is responsible for the entire wellness platform at the National Football League, overseeing all mental health and wellness resources within the NFL community. The other oversees a clinical sport psychology program responsible for building and implementing integrated mental wellness programs for a variety of professional, Olympic, and collegiate sport programs.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Identify common barriers or challenges associated with wellness integration.
2. Discuss best practices for the implementation of wellness initiatives, including key components and necessary resources, in pursuit of leading through change.
3. Identify at least one wellness initiative or strategy to implement at their organization, in support of well-being integration. 1 CECH Available

This has never been more true for business, people strategies, employee mental health programs and the relationship between them. The level and breadth of change in the workplace and the number of issues that impact mental health and wellbeing, have never been at a greater and is likely to increase. The way we support employees needs to adapt and address the fundamental issues that interfere with resilience, productivity and overall mental health and wellbeing. We also need to get past programs and fully embrace mental health and wellbeing strategies within our business strategies. This session leverages representative workplace data to help organizations understand and track the level of mental health and wellbeing in the working population, and the things that make a difference. It also provides some surprising insights into the ability to adjust to change among younger workers and very specific behaviors among managers that predict employee mental wellbeing and productivity.

Engaging the full potential of our people to deliver on the future of energy takes intention and is enabled by the delivery of a safe and inclusive culture and a consistent employee experience. At Chevron, their commitment to a positive employee experience focuses on 4 areas:
Communities of belonging and well-being.
Purpose-driven careers and personal growth experiences.
People-centered environments.
Leaders who inspire high performance.

Throughout global operations, Chevron is recognizing and encouraging diverse voices, to enhance a sense of belonging. They have leveraged employee resource groups (ERGs) as safe, inclusive groups that support building communities of belonging and well-being, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.

Chevron’s ERGs partner with their Well-being Ambassador Program (WAP) to advocate for health. The WAP supports a healthy and safe workforce, provides a forum for ERGs to collaborate with internal and external health and well-being experts, and increases awareness of related resources. The WAP also provides a systematic approach for our ERGs to highlight the business value of DEI. Through ERG campaigns, the WAP is demonstrating that well-being is an important driver of engagement, innovation, belonging, and ultimately the employee experience. Additionally, best practices and learnings from recent campaigns advance the value of DEI efforts through:
• Culturally appropriate well-being topics.  • Intentional focus on social determinants.
• Integration with cultural heritage celebrations.
• Robust communication campaigns.
• Leveraging the hybrid work environment.
• Recognizing the connections between belonging and psychological safety.
• Strengthening the ERG’s collective identity.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the relationships between DEI, belonging, and employee engagement.
2. Describe how ERGs can be used to effectively enhance an organization’s DEI efforts through intentionally focusing on belonging as an employee experience strategy.
3. List best practices for enhancing DEI efforts. 1 CECH Available

The session examines the impact of social determinants on hypertension control, emphasizing the racial disparities between Black and White patients. The study aimed to determine whether social determinants pose barriers to blood pressure control through a retrospective cohort study of 3,305 patients enrolled in a hypertension digital medicine program. Results indicated that patients facing more health barriers had lower probabilities of achieving blood pressure control, with these barriers being more prevalent among Black patients compared to White patients (44.6% vs 31.3%). The study concludes that health barriers significantly affect condition control, and Black patients with poorly controlled hypertension encounter more obstacles than their White counterparts. Over time, the implementation of digital medicine programs successfully eliminated these barriers, thereby reducing the disparity in blood pressure control outcomes.

Published: Mayo Clinic ( 2022 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Mayo Clinic Proc. 2022;97(8):1462-1471

Recent research has provided new insights into the quantitative association between workforce well-being and business performance outcomes across a broad array of industries, reinforcing the value of an organizational culture of health. Collectively, employee and leadership perspectives, coupled with integration and analysis of employee-level data and individual- or workgroup-attributable business outcomes, have the potential to provide a basis for strategic business planning, recognizing the workforce as an organizational asset, and identifying workforce well-being enhancement interventions that can favorably impact business outcomes and employee health.

However, there is also growing awareness and consensus that racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities (as social determinants of health) and organizational policies, practices, and the work physical and social environment (as workplace determinants of health) have been generally underrepresented in employer initiatives to promote an organizational culture of health.

This session will provide insights into the results of an ongoing NIOSH-funded collaborative evaluation of a regional health system’s efforts at implementing an equitable culture of health, including data aggregation and analysis, leadership interviews, and front-line worker focus group feedback. Presenters will provide an overview of their experiences with the study, including results from this multi-component evaluation, as well as lessons learned during project implementation.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the roles of the three component approaches to implementing a Total Worker Health® (TWH) model in an equitable manner: evidence, systems thinking, and human-centered design.
2. Characterize the employee and business value of implementing an equitable approach to TWH, including a relevant dashboard metrics.
3. Formulate well-reasoned responses to anticipated organizational resistance. 1 ADV CECH Available

In keeping with the long-standing tradition at HERO Forum, we gather some of our profession’s top researchers and practitioners each year to discuss studies that they consider most relevant and responsive to workforce well-being. With the main objective of continuous improvement for our profession, this panel reviews well-executed and influential studies from recent years; explores the strengths and unique contributions of the research; and discusses how these new study findings should be informing your approach to planning, executing, and evaluating your organization’s health and well-being initiatives.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Name 2-3 recent studies that offer findings that can inform best practices in worksite health promotion.
2. Discuss how recent research can influence the planning process, strategic direction and/or evaluation of a workplace well-being initiative.
3. Describe policy and practice implications of recent research findings related to workforce well-being. 1 ADV CECH Available

This session will provide insight into what a comprehensive obesity benefit is, why employer sponsored health care should support it, and how to implement it into a covered benefit. Addressing the treatment of obesity with prevention measures over the past 30 years has left the working population sicker and less productive. An outline of the components for the treatment of clinical obesity care will provide the framework for coordinated care and address challenges with vendors, financing, and value. Obesity not only impacts health care cost trends, but it also effects our ability to function, whether at work or at home. A recent publication from the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine addresses the need for a comprehensive obesity benefit and provides a guide for employers on core components for obesity care. The session will provide an overview of these components along with a path toward evolving this care model.

Learning objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Assess your organizations current benefit design for obesity benefits.
.2. How to strategically Partner with vendors to implement an obesity benefit.
3.Measure the value of Obesity Care to your organization. .5 CECH Available

Research suggests that belonging, and its related constructs such as social determinants of health and health culture, has a strong association with health and wellness. Brought to the forefront by the COVID 19 pandemic, it has become apparent that employees thrive when their sense of belonging is optimal. As a result, measuring and understanding belongingness and its related constructs, among employees, can benefit organizations. In this session, the University of Michigan and Truven by Merative will share lessons learned from the development of dashboards and peer-reviewed research.  More specifically, the team will outline measures to collect, analyze, visualize, and communicate belongingness and how this concept fits into an overall view of social determinants of health and health culture.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Describe one way of measuring each: belonging, social determinants of health, and health culture.
2. Describe one association between belonging (or a related construct) and a business outcome (e.g., absenteeism).
3. List several types of information that could be included on a dashboard that focuses on belonging or a related construct. 1 ADV CECH Available

The Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) recently completed a year-long initiative funded by the Ardmore Institute of Health to explore the ways in which employers can act as agents of change to advance the implementation of Lifestyle as Medicine within their organizations. The results were a set of guiding principles, internal strategies, and external strategies that can enable employers to advance Lifestyle as Medicine to promote whole health and be a catalyst for change.

The framework, principles, and strategies that emerged are now guiding an intensive 12-month case study with two employers, Metro Nashville Public Schools and 3M. The study was conducted thorough organizational audits to identify existing practices that support Lifestyle as Medicine as well as opportunities to infuse Lifestyle as Medicine more systematically into health and well-being strategy, culture, policies, practices, and programs within each organization. HERO then collaborated closely with each employer to co-create a comprehensive, systems-based implementation plan and will continue to provide ongoing individualized technical assistance as that plan is put into action. At the conclusion of the pilot, HERO and the employer organizations will co-conduct a rigorous, multi-level outcome evaluation.

This session will summarize the guiding framework and an up-to-the-minute process evaluation, share insights gleaned from the organizational audits, describe the specific tactics each participating employer elected to implement, and provide an overview of lessons learned thus far. Plans for the pragmatic outcome evaluation in the dynamic and evolving context within which enhancements are being made will be discussed.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Name at least 3 internal and 3 external strategies employers can use to promote Lifestyle as Medicine within their organizations.
2. Describe a specific example of how employers have implemented at least one guiding principle, one internal strategy, and one external strategy to advance Lifestyle as Medicine within their organization.
3. Identify one approach to evaluating the impact of implementing Lifestyle as Medicine. 1 ADV CECH Available

The prevalence of preventable, diet-related chronic medical conditions, particularly obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, have reached epidemic proportions in the US. Workplace interventions that enable employee support, accountability, and self-care are needed. This presentation outlines a pilot project using a virtual 90-day comprehensive program that integrates food, nutrition, and lifestyle changes with medical education to help participants improve or reverse chronic metabolic health conditions and weight challenges.  • 18 men were recruited to participate.
• 83.3% of men were obese and 16.7 % were overweight.
  • Mean Weight loss was 17.7 ± 10.5 lbs.
• Mean BMI change was 2.4 ± 1.3 kg/m2. All changes were statistically significant.

The intervention is being expanded at Meharry to include faculty, staff, and students (men and women) for a period of 1 year. The expanded program will also measure changes in emotional health (depression, chronic stress/anxiety, cognitive changes) and the impact of trust on health outcomes.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. List the key components of metabolic health that contribute to chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.
2. Describe the impact of a virtual, cohort-based education intervention to enable employee self-care for chronic medical conditions by providing support, accountability, and a sense of community.
3. Determine how a virtual lifestyle education program can build trust with the participants that will improve outcomes for metabolic health and emotional health concerns.1 CECH Available

We are bombarded with stories about war, famine, crime, climate disaster, social unrest, disease, lack of civility, and political divisiveness – delivered ad infinitum via Tik Tok, Instagram, X, Facebook, and other social media. It turns out that doom scrolling is not good for one’s mental health and well-being. Not only that, money, power, fame, stuff, and more stuff can’t buy happiness (beyond a minimum threshold, of course). Just look at Elon, Jeff, Mark, and Donald.

So, what can make us happy? Friends, family, faith -- and wait for it -- work. Work can be a happy place when there is an intentional culture promoting mental health and well-being.  What does it take? Psychosocially instilling positive emotions, creating “flow,” highlighting organizational support, building bonding relationships, and communicating a sense of purpose. Add fun, and work becomes a fulfilling life experience, and of course, a way to pay bills.

This session will not just wax poetic. It will present findings from recent studies and literature reviews uncovering the sources and impacts of toxic work environments that cause distress and burnout. On the bright side, it will also offer solutions that extend beyond telling employees to “grin and bear it.” The session will build upon traditional psychosocial interventions aimed at enhancing resilience by introducing organizational and environmental stressors and solutions to improve the workplace. The session will recall a case study of protective factors shown to be effective in ameliorating stressors experienced by front-line hospital food service workers during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Articulate factors causing stress in the workplace arising from psychosocial, organizational, and environmental (POE) sources.
2. Describe possible solutions to workplace distress by drawing from solutions unearthed in recent literature reviews on the topic of mental health and well-being in the workplace.
3. Explain how an Assessment, Planning, Intervention, Evaluation (APIE) model can be applied in workplace settings to support a culture of health and well-being. 1 ADV CECH Available

Work plays an increasingly vital role in the lives of people in the U.S., impacting everything from one’s social support and financial security to their risk of experiencing health conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure.1, 2 Recent research from Deloitte suggests that employers are uniquely positioned to positively influence the well-being of their workforce and potentially increase the number of healthy years an employee lives by supporting a healthy lifestyle, controlling for the social drivers of health, and uplifting employees in their overall health and well-being.3, 4

In this discussion, panelists will share 10 strategies employers can apply to positively influence the health of their workforce and increase equity in health outcomes and access. Rooted in emerging research and prioritized through an expert consensus process, these promising approaches provide an actionable and achievable roadmap for addressing health inequities through workplace policies, practices, and culture. In addition, a local business leader will share their firsthand experience, challenges, and advice for others looking to promote workforce health equity. Attendees will walk away with a better understanding of the root causes of health inequities in the workplace and a toolkit of resources to evaluate and continuously improve the state of health equity within their own organizations.

References:
1. Psychosocial Stressors at Work and Coronary Heart Disease Risk in Men and Women: 18-Year Prospective Cohort Study of Combined Exposures (https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/epdf/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.122.009700)
2. U.S. adults who felt discrimination at work faced increased risk of high blood pressure | American Heart Association (https://newsroom.heart.org/news/u-s-adults-who-felt-discrimination-at-work-faced-increased-risk-of-high-blood-pressure)
3. Economic cost of health disparities | Deloitte Insights (https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/health-care/economic-cost-of-health-disparities.html)
4. Employers can spark healthy aging | Deloitte Insights (https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/health-care/employers-aging-and-health.html)

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Define and discuss the converging factors driving health inequities in the U.S. workforce and how employers can influence many of these factors through policies, practices, and culture.
2. List the 10 employer-led strategies to advance workforce health equity and demonstrate an understanding of how these strategies were evaluated and prioritized through an expert consensus process.
3. Apply the 10 health equity strategies in their own workplace based on the unique needs of their organization and workforce, using knowledge gained through sharing ideas, challenges, experiences, and achievements among a group of peers in various stages of the health equity journey. 1 ADV CECH Available

While organizations worldwide now recognize the importance of employee well-being, belonging in the workplace is only recently emerging as an additional important aspect. The University of Iowa is committed to employee well-being, emphasizing a holistic approach to well-being that includes the individual and the campus ecosystem. However, we are only in the early stages of understanding belonging at work, its relationship with holistic well-being, and key drivers that foster a sense of belongingness at work.

While the annual periodic health assessment data provides a broad range of information regarding population well-being, their survey tool previously did not contain questions directly assessing belonging in the workplace. In discussion with ProChange Behavior Solutions, there was interest to collaborate on developing a short question set to assess belonging at work. This work resulted in identifying an initial 3-item measure (n=372; α=.77) that was found to be highly related to resilience, well-being, loneliness, depression, psychological safety, and professional fulfillment. Currently identified as the IOWA-B assessment (Inclusive Organizational Workplace Assessment - Belonging), the questions were launched as part of an updated on-line health assessment in 2024.

The intent for 2024 is to continue refinement, confirmation, and eventual establishment of norms for the IOWA-B to understand better the factors that may impact or influence belonging at work. By examining the IOWA-B across multiple campus groups, we can determine areas of priority to improve an individual’s sense of belonging at work, and, in turn, embed elements of holistic well-being into a more supportive work culture overall.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Discuss the potential need to address sense of belonging in their own workforce.
2. Describe how a sense of belonging can be integrated into their own well-being strategy based upon the case study presented.
3. Discuss how successful collaboration between an organization and vendor can lead to an expanded emphasis on key aspects of holistic well-being that can be applied to strategy, implementation of programs and initiatives, measurement, and outcomes of interest. 1 ADV CECH Available

The State of South Dakota (SOSD) employs over 12,000 individuals and covers over 25,000 members on their self-insured plan. Employees work across the state within 31 departments and 10 advanced learning institutes. The state's legislature oversees SOSD benefits budget/performance.

In 2020, the SOSD engaged their insurance broker's ‘Planning and Analytics for Total Health’ (PATH) to perform expansive data analytics and to introduce innovative, evidence-informed strategies to improve member health while controlling escalating costs. The PATH team consists of a DNP, RN clinical consultant, health management consultant, and data analyst. To inform SOSD’s health and well-being strategy, PATH analyzed medical, pharmacy, and vendor data in their data platform and engaged the South Dakota Prevention Framework and design thinking principles. Framing decisions with the member experience in mind, PATH collaborated with SOSD HR leaders to:
Navigate the COVID crisis.
Select a new medical/pharmacy carrier.
Analyze performance of the carrier’s pilot case management solution.
Engage and oversee a new well-being partner.
Implement and track performance of new diabetes, prediabetes, and musculoskeletal solutions.
Convene a vendor summit with carrier/vendor/SOSD partners.
Design a digital resource to facilitate vendor awareness of the SOSD benefits ecosystem.
Launch a new preventive care incentive, eliminating biometric processes.
Expand analysis to “SOSD by Department” offering actionable department insights.
Design department specific dashboards for SOSD wellness champions.
Launch SOSD-wide expansion of the wellness champion network.
Introduce health equity reporting and county health trend reporting.
This session will include how we used data and lessons learned along the way.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Describe how to engage design thinking tools to help organizations introduce the perspective of the benefit user in strategic design.
2. Discuss how conducting data analyses by subgroup informs tailored member communications and relevant benefit design.
3. Demonstrate how to design cohort studies to agnostically assess the performance of vendors performing case management or working with members with chronic illness (diabetes, prediabetes, musculoskeletal pain). 1 ADV CECH Available

Measurement and evaluation play a critical role in any workforce mental health program. Whether identifying worker needs, setting priorities, developing resources and initiatives, or demonstrating outcomes, a data-driven approach helps to ensure that organizations are investing wisely in the program elements that will most effectively advance well-being and performance.

While many employers have made mental health a priority in recent years, most do not currently know whether their actions are producing the desired outcomes. Many organizations struggle to collect good data and, when they do, they often fail to share their findings with key stakeholders, including workers, managers, and governance bodies. Without systematic and ongoing processes for measuring, monitoring, and reporting in place, organizations are at risk for expending significant resources based on faulty assumptions and without knowing the impact of their efforts.

This session is designed to help participants improve the ways they measure their workforce mental health programs and use the data to meet employee and organizational needs. The speakers will present a framework for evaluating organizational mental health practices and benchmark data from the Mental Health at Work Index, share case examples from organizations that are using data to inform their strategies and initiatives, and discuss how to apply the lessons learned in their own work so that participants will be better positioned to take the guesswork out of their mental health programs and put actions in place that get results.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. List structure, process, and outcomes measures that are important to evaluate in a workforce mental health program.
2. Describe how a baseline assessment of workforce mental health can inform program strategy.
3. Discuss how to apply lessons learned from benchmark companies to their own workforce mental health efforts. 1 ADV CECH Available

Forum24 has provided attendees with insights into how trust and belonging are critical drivers for enabling both individual and organizational change. The Forum emphasized that organizations thrive when employees feel a strong connection to their workplace’s purpose and people, and when their values are aligned with that of the organization. Now that we have explored a variety of case studies, evidence-based practices, and innovative ideas, together let’s discuss strategies to create healthy, vibrant workplace cultures that empower employees, build authentic connections, and sustain organizational growth amidst change.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Explore how organizations can thrive when employees feel strongly connected to their workplace’s people and purpose.
2. Discuss challenges with bringing trust and belonging to our workforces.
3. Summarize how experiences at Forum 24 will impact work moving forward. 1 ADV CECH Available

Recent surveys reveal alarming rates of disengagement and burnout, with only one-third of employees saying their organization cares about their well-being. There is a clear need for employer-driven solutions that support employee well-being. This panel session will share research that highlights why employee experience at work is a critical pathway to a more holistic approach to employee well-being. Panelists will share findings from a new study to support this pathway, followed by examples of how three universities are taking unique approaches to creating workplace environments that support employee well-being. Join these experienced speakers in exploring the intersection of well-being and organizational change management, where employee voices drive meaningful transformation. Attendees will understand the research supporting the links between employee experience at work, workforce well-being, and business outcomes.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Summarize current workforce trends impacting employee experience and well-being.
2. Identify organizational strategies that help satisfy basic psychological needs based on the socio-ecological model.
3. Describe strategies for integrating employee feedback into organizational decision-making processes.
4. Articulate how investing in career well-being can bolster engagement and overall well-being as well as decrease rates of burnout and improve the employee experience.    1.25 ADV CECH Available

This session introduces two innovative models designed to leverage social determinants of health (SDOH) in addressing health disparities and improving health outcomes in hard-to-reach communities. The University of Michigan’s MHealthy SDOH Initiative focuses on economic instability as a primary determinant of health within its employee population. By supporting basic needs and addressing social, economic, and environmental factors, MHealthy aims to achieve health equity and enhance overall well-being. The Alabama Black Belt Rising Project (ABBRP) targets systemic racial and socioeconomic disparities affecting the predominantly Black population in the Alabama Black Belt (ABB) region. This community model aims to cultivate spiritually resilient residents, foster social connectedness, promote healthy lifestyles, leverage the Full Plate Living program, and improve health outcomes. Together, these models offer valuable insights into addressing SDOH and advancing health equity in diverse settings.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
Identify the fundamental components of two innovative models addressing social determinants of health (SDOH).
Analyze the innovative design elements that make these models effective in improving health outcomes.
Describe actionable steps to improve health outcomes for hard-to-reach populations by addressing underlying social and economic barriers. 1.25 ADV CECH Available

Not long ago it was "eat-move-sleep" that occupied the center of gravity in workplace well-being. But the world changed -- as did employee expectations. Global studies, and our own research, show that the measures that matter today center on personal purpose & meaning, connectedness & belonging, and a hopeful outlook on the future. Without these, people languish and work suffers. With them, people flourish at work, and outside of it. And we now have evidence that doing so moves the needle on business metrics that matter: employee engagement, retention, and health costs.

Join this action-packed panel to hear how new theories of human thriving and sustainability at work have been put into action in both small and large workforces. Speakers will build up a new data-backed conceptual model, show how it works within diverse work settings, and share lessons learned along the way. They’ll also share a new predictive model of employee retention that compares the impact of salary and factors like purpose, meaning, connection, and belonging on performance and turnover.

This panel will share the role of and ways to measure sense of belonging and the Net Belonging Score developed and used at EY with its own workforce as part of its focus on High Belonging Teams. Speakers will share real-world stories of how their organizations are putting these principles in practice.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Describe a new model of workforce well-being centered on purpose, belonging, and hopefulness.
2. Identify practical, validated measures that can be deployed with a workforce to gauge these factors.
3. Share examples of ways these factors connect to business metrics like employee engagement, retention, and health costs in order to help justify program design decisions. 1.25 ADV CECH Available

One promising approach for culturally tailored and place-based approaches to reduce health inequities is to begin with shared, trusted community spaces. Historians have documented the powerful influence of barbers/stylists as influencers of behavior and beacons of trust. Research has demonstrated that barbershops/salons can indeed be mobilized as venues for the delivery of health promotion and disease prevention services designed to eliminate health disparities. This session will describe the implementation of successful health promotion interventions that have addressed disparities in a range of critical health domains, from vaccines to diabetes prevention. Key contributors to the success of such initiatives have been human-centered design to enable co-creation and building on the trust that barbers and stylists have as hyperlocal community influencers by empowering them to be agents of change. Implications for identifying and activating other trusted community influencers will be discussed.

Learning Objectives
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Describe how barbers and stylists have been activated as change agents to promote health from behind their chairs.
2. Identify how to build the power of building on the trust of hyperlocal influencers to promote health and well-being.
3. Explain how human-centered design principles can be used to inform initiatives implemented by trusted hyperlocal influencers. 1 ADV CECH Available