Happy Spring! HERO is experiencing exciting new growth alongside Mother Nature. At our Think Tank meeting last month, we welcomed AT&T, HbD International, and Mora Medical to the HERO family. The March winds have brought us two new members: Johns Hopkins University and Tivity Health. I wonder what April showers will produce!
The HERO Board convenes its annual meeting and elections every February, and this year we welcomed Erin Seaverson, Senior Director of Health Research at WebMD Health Services. Erin has been a valuable contributor to HERO research for several years. She has more than 20 years of experience distilling complex data into meaningful and actionable insights – perfect alignment with HERO’s purpose to connect science and practice. Welcome, Erin!
With every “hail” there is also a “farewell.” Nico Pronk completed his current Board term, but he hasn’t left HERO. In addition to his day job as President of HealthPartners Institute and Chief Science Officer at HealthPartners, Nico has agreed to join the HERO Advisory Group. Formed in 2022, this group is a vital component to expanding the thought leadership on well-being issues most prevalent for employers today and in the future. Thank you, Nico, for your commitment to HERO that dates back to our earliest days!
Together,
Karen
Erin Seaverson, MPH
Nico Pronk, PhD, MA, FACSM, FAWHP
HERO ADVISORY GROUP
- David Ballard, PsyD, MBA, GhostNote Consulting
- Jack Dennerlein, PhD, Harvard Chan School’s Center for Work, Health, and Wellbeing
- Paul Fronstin, PhD, Employee Benefit Research Institute
- Ron Goetzel, PhD, Johns Hopkins Institute for Health and Productivity Studies
- Jim Klein, American Benefits Council
- Kelly McDevitt, Integrated Benefits Institute
- Nico Pronk, PhD, HealthPartners
- Seth Serxner, PhD, MPH, Independent Consultant
- Laurie Whitsel, PhD, FAHA, American Heart Association
- Shelly Wolff, MBA, Independent Consultant
MEMBER NEWS
HERO member, Chevron was recently honored as a 2023 Platinum Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health by Mental Health America (MHA). HERO Board member, Janis Davis-Street, MS, MA, EdD, CHES, is the Manager of Global Public Health & Special Projects, Health and Medical at Chevron. Congratulations on your accomplishments. Read Chevron’s press release and learn more about the Bell Seal award HERE.
UPCOMING EVENTS
From our Partners at thinc360 – The Healthcare Innovation Congress will take place on June 20-22, 2023 at the Grand Hyatt, in Washington DC. HERO’s President & CEO, Karen Moseley, will moderate a panel at this event. Learn more:
From our Partners at the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) – The SBM 2023 Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions will take place in Phoenix, AZ, April 26-29, 2023. Find more information and register here.
From our Partners at the Midwest Business Group on Health – The 43rd Annual Conference Reshaping Today’s Health Benefits: Strategies for Employers & Other Stakeholders, will take place in Chicago, IL, May 9 & 10, 2023. Learn more and register here.
HERO is a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. Provider ID# 101039
Questions on Forum sponsorship? Email pat.rohner@hero-health.org
HERO HEALTH & WELL-BEING AWARDS
Deadline for Nominations: April 30th
Nominations for the 2023 HERO Awards are now open! Information on the nomination process, award categories, and submission guidelines can be found here. Learn more about the 2022 Award Recipients.
HERO SCORECARD
HERO Health and Well-being Best Practices Scorecard in Collaboration with Mercer©
2022 Progress Report
The HERO Health & Well-being Best Practices Scorecard in Collaboration with Mercer© (HERO Scorecard) 2022 Progress Report is now available! The 2022 progress report compiles abstracts of all the commentaries from the last two years, including new commentaries that compare the new mental health and well-being, social determinants of health, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, best practice scores by organization size, industry type, and US geographic region.
HERO RESEARCH
March Research Briefs
March 2023 Research Briefs were published last week! This specialty newsletter is available every other month. For more information, contact Dr. Mary Imboden.
HERO COMMITTEES
HERO Video Case Studies: Available for Final Week
The videos will be moving to the HERO Members-Only General Library on April 1st!
HERO’s Employee Experience (EEx) and Workplace Mental Health and Well-being (WMHW) Committees are pleased to share new video interviews with employers making great strides in advancing EEx and WMHW for their workplaces. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from these exemplary employers!
HERO WEBINARS
The Learning Series
Save the date: Webinar with the University of Michigan
May 2, 2023 | Registration & Info Coming Soon
HERO Member’s Only Webinar: Is it time for the 4-day work week? Yay, nay, or it depends?
June 21, 2023 | 11:00 am CT | Register
Employers were propelled into new work arrangements due to the pandemic. Businesses pivoted to remote and hybrid work models quickly, further expanding our understanding of workplaces and spaces. In recent years, the social contract between employers and employees has evolved with many workers desiring flexible work arrangements, expanded benefits, and even reduced work hours without decreased pay. Is the 40-hour working week antiquated? For that matter, how and when did the 40-hour work week become standard business practice? What evidence supports (or contradicts) that working 40+ hours per week is good for the economy and population health?
Join us as we hear from Dr. Juliet Schor, economist and professor of sociology at Boston College, and learn about her research with companies transitioning to a 4-day work week. Juliet will be joined by Tami Simon, JD, HERO Board Member and Senior Vice President, Consulting Leader at Segal. Hosted by HERO’s Emily Wolfe, MSW, LCSW.
Juliet Schor, PhD, Boston College
Tami Simon, JD, Segal
Emily Wolfe, MSW, LCSW, HERO
HERO RECOMMENDS
Resources and Readings
- From Harvard Business Review, “How do organizations earn employee loyalty? Lasting relationships aren’t merely achieved through compensation and material perks; they’re nurtured by human connection and compassion…,” Leading with Compassion Has Research-Backed Benefits
- From Harvard Business Review, “Two new surveys from Gallup, each conducted in the spring of 2022, reveal stark differences in how well employees and HR leaders say their organizations are doing when it comes to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging…,” Research: Where Employees Think Companies’ DEIB Efforts Are Failing
- From Paul Terry, PhD, an editorial in the American Journal of Health Promotion, New Obesity Guidance for Pediatrics: Medicalizing Obesity or Acquiescing to Our Obesogenic Culture?
- From the AHIP Wellness SMARTBrief, “Since the pandemic pushed virtual health appointments and work-from-home into the mainstream, it’s never been easier for employees to see their therapists during the workday. Yet, it still comes with a host of challenges…,” Does therapy during the workday get in the way of productivity?
