Greetings from America’s Music City!
We’re wrapping up two full days of networking, learning about “Brain Health and the Aging Workforce,” and getting to know Nashville, TN, for the first time. Hopefully, it won’t be our last visit to the Music City!
To strengthen our nation’s workforce and boost economic possibilities, HERO is partnering with public and several private sector partners to form the Business Collaborative for Brain Health (BCBH). As our nation relies on brain power more than ever, investing in brain health and finding effective solutions to optimize cognitive health throughout the lifespan is critical. The collaborative is developing tools for organizations to identify opportunities for brain health improvement, use science and data to determine where the most significant impact can be made, and demonstrate its impact on key performance metrics. To learn more about the work BCBH will be doing, visit www.BusinessForBrainHealth.org.
Stay tuned for other HERO announcements soon regarding a new Brain Health best practice score with the HERO Health and Well-being Best Practices Scorecard in Collaboration with Mercer©.
Karen
Call for Presenters – Submit Your Abstract and Join Us in Baltimore!
You have one more month to organize and submit an abstract to speak at HERO Forum24, October 7-9th in Baltimore. We are accepting submissions for 60-minute breakout sessions through March 31st. In 2023, we invited more than 60 speakers for 28 breakout presentations in 7 different sessions throughout the conference. HERO welcomes submissions from all organizational sectors. You do not have to be a HERO member to submit an abstract and speak at the HERO Forum.
What do the reviewers look for?
- Company leaders and human resource or other workplace professionals sharing innovative employee health and well-being initiatives. Researchers and subject matter experts presenting on topics of expertise through recent publications, research, or work. Health promotion experts who provide wellness products and services with a required employer co-presenter.
- Objectives that go beyond “show and tell” and what programs and
initiatives you are offering. Go deeper into barriers you’ve encountered, novel strategies you’re testing, and evaluation results that are shaping your future plans. Also, the more interactive, the better. - Connection to Forum24’s theme of “Change at the Speed of Trust: Belongingness as the Gateway to a Healthier Culture.” We also encourage submissions treating broad aspects of workplace health and well-being in 1 of our 4 education tracks.
MEMBER UPDATES
HWB Award Nominations
The HERO Workplace Health and Well-Being (HWB) Awards honor dedication and commitment to the field and acknowledge outstanding achievements in the practice of HWB in the areas of Leadership and Research. Honorees are asked to share their experiences in HWB with their peers at the HERO Forum during the awards presentation.
We are accepting nominations for these four awards:
- The Bill Whitmer Leadership Award is shaped by and honors the decades of hard work and vision in the field of health and well-being (HWB) by Bill Whitmer (co-founder and former CEO of HERO).
- The Mark Dundon Research Award is presented to the professional who most closely embodies the outstanding work in the area of HWB research by Mark Dundon (co-founder and former Chairman of the Board of HERO).
- The Jerry Noyce Executive Health Champion Award is presented to a person of senior leadership status (CEO, CFO, VP) who has made an outstanding contribution towards the advancement of HWB within their company.
- The Heart of HERO Award is presented to a person directly involved in the day-to-day operations of health and well-being (Wellness Directors, Health Managers, Human Resources) who has made an outstanding contribution towards the advancement of HWB within their company.
To begin a submission, click here:
HERO Member Hub
This month’s featured topic is “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)”. Here are just two of the 38 (and growing) resources available in the HERO Hub on this topic.
Would other members of your organization be interested in viewing these resources? Remember, member organizations receive an unlimited number of logins, so pass it along.
Click on any item to see the full piece. Login required to view these resources. Need a login? Contact Pat Rohner at pat.rohner@hero-health.org
HERO Winter Think Tank
A common theme during this Think Tank has been how the lifestyle pillars that bolster heart health and prevent cancer are the very same pillars that support brain health and mental health, making the work we all do in promoting health and well-being all the more compelling. HERO members in attendance heard about the new Brain Health best practice score from the HERO Health and Well-being Best Practices Scorecard in Collaboration with Mercer©. This score – similar to those developed for mental health and well-being; social determinants of health; and diversity, equity, and inclusion – will be an additional tool to help employers understand how their health and well-being strategy compares with evidence-based best practices that are supportive specifically for healthy brains.
HERO members can watch for the slides and presentations from this Think Tank to be posted in the Resources of the HERO Hub after we’re all back in our home offices.
Spring Virtual Think Tank
Measures that Matter for Employers Who Want to Promote Flourishing
Wednesday, May 22nd
Mark your calendars now for the next members-only Think Tank. We’re pleased to welcome Dr. Jessica Grossmeier back to the HERO team as Senior Fellow – Education. Jessica will bring her wealth of expertise in health and well-being and measurement back to HERO, and we couldn’t be more excited!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Society of Behavioral Medicine’s 45th Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions
Moving Behavioral Science Upstream
March 13th – March 16th, 2024 | Philadelphia Marriott Downtown
HERO COMMITTEES
HERO prides itself in our ability to connect science and practice through member-driven committees. All HERO members are encouraged to participate in one or more committees for the additional value accrued in the people you meet, the insights you gain, and the ability to contribute to published articles, white papers, case studies, webinars and other tools.
What’s new with HERO committees?
The HERO Research Advisory Group (RAG) and Research Study Subcommittee (RSS) have recently completed their review of the 2023 research agenda and prioritizing research goals for 2024. Two RSS projects have been identified for completion in 2024 and are recruiting members for the working groups. Contact Karen Moseley to join one or both, by March 1st.
- Belongingness – the impact of unmet social needs on belongingness and association of workplace DEI
- Impact of health and well-being on key business outcomes
The People & Culture Committee (PCC) is wrapping up the Phase 1 summary report on the business case to formulate internal business strategy to invest resources and launch internal priorities dedicated to people and culture across the organization. Committee Co-Chairs: Christopher Pelosi, Alliant Employee Benefits; Mary Freire de Carvalho, Shell Health.
The Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being Committee (WMHW) is finalizing the Phase 2 guidance report for employers to evaluate widely available resources for WMHW, such as employee assistance programs, behavioral telehealth services, digital tools, and the most prevalent carrier resources. Committee Co-Chairs: Heidi Greenberger, AbleTo; Philip Swayze, HUB International.
The Education Committee and Awards Committee are beginning their annual cycle which includes recruitment of volunteers to review and score Forum submissions (Education) and review and select honorees (Awards). This is a perfect time to get involved with one or both. Contact Ariane Mistral to volunteer.
The recent HERO member survey insights has prompted us to revive the Membership Committee to ideate and develop new member resources. Contact Pat Rohner to join.
HERO RECOMMENDS
Resources and Readings
A study with findings suggesting that individual level mental health interventions are ineffective was featured in several major media papers including the New York Times. HERO Senior Fellow Paul Terry parsed through the methods and results of this research and offers a critique of the study that tells the rest of the story.
Learn about a 2021 pilot program with HKS and the Center for BrainHealth studying the impact that workplaces, policy and technology play in supporting.
