HERO Welcomes Two New Additions
“Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has yet to come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering.” ~ Ida Taylor
Here we are one month after bringing HERO Forum back in person, and I still have to remind myself that it wasn’t a dream. We’ve hosted many remote learning events over the past three years, but nothing could compare to bringing our HERO family and friends together. It was a week full…full of learning together, laughing together, pondering together, and playing together. The level of energy and engagement was unmatched, and if you don’t believe me, let the opening session video speak for itself! If you missed it this year, I hope you’ll be with us next year. You can also access the 60+ hours of learning through an On Demand subscription. Stay tuned for our announcement of the full 2023 schedule of Think Tank and Forum convenings.
Together. This was also the first time that the fully remote HERO team was able to be together in person since Fall 2019. However, we were missing two important team members: Crystle Helderman and Mary Imboden. In the weeks and days leading up to Forum22, the HERO team grew by not one but two future interns. We missed having our teammates with us in person but celebrate with them and their families. Welcome Baby Bella and Baby Emory!
Together,
Karen
Emory Rose was welcomed by HERO’s Director of Research, Mary Imboden, and her husband, Andrew. Their son, James, is adjusting to big brother life. Mary was on maternity leave during Forum22 and hopes to see all of you again at our next in-person HERO Event. She has returned to work and has many projects this fall, including new and exciting research projects.
Isabella “Bella” Rey was welcomed by HERO’s Director of Communication, Crystle Helderman, and her husband Nick. The Heldermans have been waiting for 2 years and 9 months to make their 7-year-old daughter a big sister, via adoption. Crystle is working full-time still and hopes to finally meet everyone in person at the next HERO event.
HERO Forum22 News!
Slides from Forum22 presentations are now available for download. Visit the Forum site and click on the Agenda tab. Scroll through the agenda and click on On-Demand Resources for any Forum session to find the slides.
If you do not see the On-Demand Resources in the agenda, be sure you are logged into Eventsquid. Only registered attendees can view the slides.
Questions? Contact Ariane Mistral
HERO FORUM22 SURVEY WINNER
Our survey drawing winner is Suzy Harrington DNP RN MCHES, Assistant Vice President Workforce Well-Being, Texas Children’s Hospital! Congrats Suzy!
Thank you to all those participants who provided feedback by filling out our Forum22 Survey. We appreciate your time and thoughts. We can’t wait for Forum23!
UPCOMING EVENTS
VIRTUAL LIFESTYLE MEDICINE WORKSHOP
Integrating Lifestyle Medicine into the Workplace
December 7th | 2:00 p.m. ET
Registration spots are limited! Register today!
With six in ten Americans having at least one chronic disease and four in ten having two or more, the urgent need to activate employers as agents of change is clear. Join HERO’s Senior Research Fellow, Dr. Sara Johnson, and experts from a multidisciplinary Lifestyle Medicine Advisory Committee for an inter-professional workshop demonstrating how to leverage lifestyle medicine (LM) as an intervention to treat and prevent chronic disease in the workplace. During the interactive workshop, we will review the findings of mixed-methods research on employers from diverse regions of the country. generate insights about how best to promote the adoption of LM, and empower employers to advocate for reimbursement of LM.
We will also identify pathways for employers to:
• create the conditions for LM to be integrated into employees’ health and well-being offerings;
• relate LM to key business outcomes;
• consider how to extend the influence of whole-person health initiatives into their communities; and
• advocate with their health plans, brokers, and government officials for LM coverage.
The results of the workshop will be synthesized to inform the development and dissemination of actionable deliverables and practical resources for employers.
This workshop is brought to you through a grant from the Ardmore Institute of Health (AIH). AIH works for a future where healthy lifestyles will be the preferred method to prevent, treat, and reverse chronic disease. Since 1947 the organization has been promoting lifestyle change as a means to help people achieve a more healthy and fulfilling life.
Small & Midsize Business Virtual Summit
January 18, 2023 | 11 AM – 2 PM ET
Virtual
HERO will host a Small & Midsize Business Virtual Summit, Practical Health and Well-being Strategies to Engage and Retain the Small and Mid-Size Business Workforce, January 18, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET.
Workplace health and well-being (HWB) programs in large companies have received significantly more attention than those in smaller companies, as most of the research is focused there. Recognizing that most of all U.S. businesses are small to mid-size (SMB), HERO is committed to assisting SMB businesses in making a positive impact on their employees. The HERO Small and Mid-Size Business Summit will focus on practical HWB strategies that these employers can implement to better engage and retain their employees. The strategies will have a special emphasis on affordable best practices related to mental and emotional health, leadership and manager support of workforce HWB, and establishing and promoting a culture of health.
Registration coming soon! See the tentative Agenda.
The Annual HERO FitVent Invitational
The Annual HERO FitVent Invitational is ongoing, thanks to WebMD. In the first few weeks, participants have walked more than 2800 miles, averaging more than 9,000 steps a day per person! What a great way to get moving and stay active. If you missed out on joining a team, don’t fret, this virtual event takes place annually and we look forward to sharing more progress with you all soon. Walk on HERO Friends!
HERO SCORECARD
HERO Health and Well-being Best Practices Scorecard in Collaboration with Mercer©
The HERO Health and Well-being Best Practices Scorecard in Collaboration with Mercer© (HERO Scorecard) has released new best practice score in 3 key areas: Mental health, social determinants of health, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. These scores were developed to help an organization assess their health and well-being initiatives in these important areas. Each score is compiled from the workforce health and well-being practices listed throughout the Scorecard relating to each area. Take the HERO Scorecard to measure how your organization is doing in their health and well-being initiatives, as well as to discover opportunities to improve and measure progress over time. For more questions, contact Mary Imboden (mary.imboden@hero-health.org).
HERO COMMITTEES
Committee News:
HERO’s Employee Experience (EEx) and Workplace Mental Health (WMH) Committees are posting new video interviews with employers making great strides in understanding and advancing EEx and WMH. Be on the lookout in early November for case study interviews with these employers!
- The American Heart Association (WMH)
- Andersen Construction (WMH)
- Metro Nashville Public Schools (WMH)
- University of Michigan (EEx)
Committee Volunteer Opportunities:
Are you a HERO member looking to engage further and support our work? Get started in 2023 and consider joining a Study Committee! HERO’s Employee Experience Committee (EEx) and Workplace Mental Health & Well-being Committee (WMH) seek new volunteers to join us. Both EEx and WMH Committees are in the process of developing new charters and identifying deliverables that advance research in these areas. Now is the perfect time to bring your organization’s voice and expertise to the table!
What does it look like to serve?
- Meet monthly for 50 minutes
- Support through regular project feedback, reviewing deliverables, writing, and other activities
- Gain access to committee-only guest presentations
- Network with peers and HERO members
For additional information please contact Emily Wolfe, Director of Learning Experience, emily.wolfe@hero-health.org
HERO WEBINARS
The Learning Series
Work Redesign for the 21st Century: An Evidence-Based Framework and Toolkit for Improving Worker Well-Being
Speaker: Meg Lovejoy, PhD, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
October 27, 2022 12:00 pm CT | Register
1 CHES/MCHES Credit Available
Reactor Panelist: Krystal Sexton, PhD, Shell Oil Company
This webinar will introduce viewers to an evidence-based framework and toolkit for improving worker well-being. The “Work Design for Health” framework updates work redesign principles for the realities of work in the 21st century and maps how to create work environments that foster worker well-being and organizational resilience. The approach shifts the traditional focus from changing individual health behaviors to creating workplace conditions that support employee health and well-being. The audience will also learn about the accompanying Work Design for Health employer toolkit and website that highlights a wide range of promising management practices, tested through research, that illustrate the principles of this approach
Recent C. Everett Koop National Health Award Winners Share Challenges and Best Practices in Employee Health and Well-being
November 14, 2022 12:00 pm Central | Register
1 CHES/MHES Available
The C. Everett Koop National Health Award recognizes exemplary programs shown to improve employee health and well-being (HWB) while at the same time achieving positive business outcomes by documenting value-on-investment (VOI). In this session, you will learn about the challenges and key learnings from two award-winning organizations about their approach and design, as well as valuable tips on the application process, evaluation criteria, and the type of data required to demonstrate program impacts.
Guest Speakers: Kristi Rahrig Jenkins, PhD, MPH, University of Michigan; Maren Fragala, PhD, Quest Diagnostics; and Ron Goetzel, PhD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Sponsored by Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO), a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. These programs are designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES) to receive up to 1 total Category I contact education contact hours. Provider ID#101039
HERO RECOMMENDS
Resources and Readings
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has released the Guidelines On Mental Health at Work. The document provides evidence-based recommendations for both individual- and organizational-level interventions, as well as guidance for helping people living with mental health conditions thrive at work.
- A joint policy brief from WHO and the International Labour Organization on the implementation of the guidelines is also available.
- The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.
- Interested in learning about the 17 SDGs and what businesses can do to make a difference? Read more here.
- A blog post by HERO member, Megan Hammes, MS, MCHES, Is the Balancing Act a Myth?
- Talking About Burnout Is Still Taboo at Work, Burnout is on the rise: Google searches for the phrase “burnout symptoms” hit an all-time high in May 2022. To address this, the authors have designed a series of 18 questions, tied to the six causes of burnout, that managers can use to spark a dialogue with their team.
- The Power of Work Friends, Despite claiming “people are our greatest asset,” too many executives still expect employees to leave their personal lives at the door when they come to work.
- Why Middle Managers Struggle to Implement DEI Strategies, To successfully achieve DEI change, organizational leaders must understand the implementation challenges faced by middle managers and incorporate their specific needs into policy development. The authors identify two key tensions faced by middle managers
- 4 Myths About In-Person Work, Dispelled, The ability to work remotely has become more valued than ever before, and that’s not going away, particularly among younger workers.
- Surgeon Generals Report: Our workplaces play a significant role in our lives.
