Unseen Challenges: How Chronic Conditions Impact the Workplace and Ways Employers Can Offer Support

May 6, 2025 12:00 pm Central | Register 1 CHES/MCHES Credit Available

Guest Panelists:

Gillian K. SteelFisher, PhD, MSc, Principal Research Scientist and Director, Harvard Opinion Research Program

Emma Dewhurst, MPP, Senior Program & Research Associate, de Beaumont Foundation

Host: Paul Terry, PhD, HERO

Millions of workers are managing conditions like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and asthma, often without the support they need. A new national poll by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the de Beaumont Foundation assesses the impact of chronic health conditions in the workplace, highlighting the toll chronic conditions have on both employers and employees. The poll, conducted among a national sample of U.S. employees, found that three-fourths (76%) of those with chronic conditions need to manage their conditions during work hours. Yet a majority (60%) have not formally disclosed their conditions to their employer. Further, one-third of all employees (33%) say they have helped family members with their chronic conditions in the past year, and nearly half of those helping family members (45%) frequently needed to do so during working hours.

While employees struggle in silence, productivity drops, absenteeism rises, and health care costs climb. But without visibility into how your employees — and your business — are affected, you may be missing opportunities to provide support. This webinar will provide an in-depth presentation of the poll’s findings along with a discussion of opportunities for employers to better support employees who are managing their own or their family’s chronic conditions.

1. Explain the interconnectedness between public health and thriving businesses and the value proposition of why businesses and public health should work closely together.
2. Describe the effect of chronic conditions on employee well-being, productivity, and absenteeism.
3. Determine actions employers can take to support employes who are managing their own or their family’s chronic conditions.

HOST

Paul Terry, PhD, is a Senior Fellow at HERO where he leads our learning agenda. Paul is also Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Health Promotion. His prior positions were president and CEO at HERO, president and CEO at StayWell Health Management, and president and CEO at The Park Nicollet Institute. Paul is the author of four books and over 200 research and professional papers. A study he led won the C. Everett Koop National Health Award. He was awarded two Fulbright Senior Scholarships and served on advisory councils for The National Academy of Sciences, the American Heart Association, the CDC, the University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Global Public Health, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

GUEST SPEAKERS

Emma Dewhurst, MPP, is a Senior Program and Research Associate at the de Beaumont Foundation. Her work includes an array of evaluation, research, and program efforts, with a focus on translating research to strengthen the Foundation’s impact. Emma manages the Foundation’s public opinion polling and message testing research and leads evaluation and research for the Public Health Communication

Gillian SteelFisher, Ph.D., M.Sc., is a Principal Research Scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and serves as the Director of the Harvard Opinion Research Program (HORP). Grounded in more than 25 years of experience conducting public opinion surveys both domestically and globally, Dr. SteelFisher’s work focuses on the intersection between research and practical application in public health communication. Dr. SteelFisher teaches applied survey methodology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She received her Ph.D. in Health Policy from Harvard University and her Masters in health behavior and communication from Harvard School of Public Health. She is the former President of the New England Chapter of the American Association for Public Opinion Research (NEAAPOR) and a Thought Leader for the National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC).

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. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES) to receive 1 total Category I continuing education contact hours. Provider ID#101039

Kindness by Design: How Active Listening Disrupts the Cycle of Incivility

August 13, 2025 12:00 pm Central | Register 1 CHES/MCHES Credit Available

Guest Panelists:

MJ Shaar, MAPP, HERO Senior Education Fellow

Wendy Lynch, PhD, HERO Senior Education Fellow

Host: Karen Moseley is President & CEO, HERO

Incivility in the workplace is on the rise, and it hurts all of us. Whether it’s hurtful dismissals or plain disrespect, incivility spreads beyond the perpetrator-victim relationship and undermines the psychological safety of witnesses as well. To combat this toxicity, we need an antidote that not only elevates the quality of our interactions but also spreads quickly and widely. That antidote is kindness. But how can we transition from incivility to kindness in one fell swoop? The active ingredient that bridges this gap is active listening. When we listen to understand rather than to respond, it becomes nearly impossible to act with incivility. In a world where few seem to have time to truly listen anymore, authentic listening is a precious gift.

Join us on August 13th, 2025, as we explore these transformative concepts with Wendy Lynch, PhD and MJ Shaar, MAPP. This interactive webinar will give you the opportunity to ask your questions live while helping you:
Understand how active listening serves as a key ingredient to overcoming incivility in the workplace
Learn about the benefits that come when we move beyond random acts of kindness to adopting an intentional, systematic strategy for cultural change Develop practical strategies to implement active listening techniques that foster psychological safety and build stronger workplace relationships

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how simple shifts in communication can dramatically transform your workplace culture!

SPEAKERS

MJ Shaar, MAPP, HERO Senior Education Fellow  As one of the pioneers in kindness-driven performance, MJ’s work proves that kind people don’t finish last. They lead the pack in creating thriving, high-performing organizations and create ripple effects that extend beyond the workplace into our home lives and broader communities.

Armed with a Bachelor’s in Organizational Behavior and a Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology, MJ is a sought-after corporate trainer and keynote speaker. She enjoys partnering with forward-thinking organizations to elevate employee engagement, strengthen team dynamics, and develop inspiring leaders. In her role as Senior Education Fellow at HERO, MJ’s focus is on creating educational programs aiming to improve employee and community health and well-being. MJ’s evidence-based approach marries scientific evidence with personal stories and real-world applications.

She is a regular collaborator for nationally-recognized wellness institutions, such as The American Institute of Preventive Medicine, Health Enhancement Systems, and WellCoaches. She is also an occasional guest speaker at many Ivy League Universities.

Wendy Lynch, PhD, HERO Senior Education Fellow  As a research scientist working in the business world, Dr. Wendy Lynch learned to straddle commercial and academic goals, converting analytic results into market success. Through her experience in diverse work settings she became familiar with (and fascinated by) the unique language of each.  That experience led to her true passion of promoting clear and meaningful conversation that promotes mutual understanding and success. A consultant to numerous Fortune 100 companies, her career includes faculty at the UC Health Sciences Center, VP of Strategic Development at HCMS, Principal at Mercer HR and Board of Directors for two publicly-traded firms. Now Dr. Lynch runs her own consulting firm conducting Big Data analytic projects in Human Capital Management.  In every instance and every setting, communication is key.

A frequent speaker, and author of over 100 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Lynch has also published four books, including, Get to What Matters: Tools to Transform Conversations at Work.

HOST

Karen Moseley is President & CEO of the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO), a national think tank dedicated to advancing best practices in workplace health and well-being. In collaboration with HERO members, Karen and the HERO team provide leadership in research and education by connecting science and practice to demonstrate the value of a health and well-being employer ecosystem.

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. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES) to receive 1 total Category I continuing education contact hours. Provider ID#101039