Employers Prioritizing Connection as a Vital Component of Whole-Person Health

Employers invest in human capital for both their internal and external communities. At MI Health, we view the workplace as its own community, in which organizational leadership is uniquely positioned to introduce, model, communicate, and normalize a “whole person” approach to health that prioritizes physical, mental, and financial well-being equally. Investments in whole-person health can come in the form of expanded health benefits, changes to internal policies and programs, shifts in workplace culture to allow people to bring their “whole selves” to work, and increased levels of opportunity that recognize the many roles and responsibilities employees take on, such as caregiving.

Sabrina Spitaletta, senior director, Public Health at the Milken Institute, and Jillian Racoosin, executive director, Foundation for Social Connection, sat down to discuss the ways leadership within organizations can lead with a whole-person health approach in mind.

Employers define "whole-person health” in various ways. As an employer, how do you envision a whole-person health approach in the workplace and in community investments from the employer?

Recent data from Gallup reveals that 20 percent of the world’s employees experience daily loneliness, which has serious detrimental consequences for our health and well-being. A whole-person health approach involves addressing not only employees’ physical and mental health but social health as well.

As an employer, it is critical to consider how to incorporate pro-connection initiatives and strategies into the workplace and our community investments. This means offering robust health benefits that include services and supports that boost social and emotional skills and resiliency. Additionally, creating a supportive environment through employee assistance programs, wellness initiatives, mentorship, and employee resource groups can help foster connection in the workplace. As a way of encouraging my team to bring their whole selves to work, we begin our weekly check-ins with a “moment of connection”—sharing one good thing about our week and, if we want, a vulnerability we may be feeling.

In terms of community investments, this whole-person approach extends to volunteering with community organizations as well as investing in or creating communal spaces for gathering and coworking. This holistic strategy not only fosters a healthier, more productive workforce but also contributes to the overall health and well-being of the community.

What are the risks if employers do not adopt or move toward a whole-person health approach?

Both loneliness and social isolation are associated with an increased risk of developing chronic health conditions such as heart disease, dementia and Alzheimer’s, anxiety, depression, diabetes, and other conditions. Specifically, research by the National Academies and Consumer Affairs has found a 50 percent increased risk of dementia, 32 percent increased risk of stroke, and 26 percent increased risk of mental health disorders. These experiences also put us at risk of premature death, with loneliness and social isolation increasing the risk by 26 percent and 29 percent, respectively, as reported in Perspectives on Psychological Science. A whole-person health approach that fosters social connection serves not only as a remedy but also a protective measure against experiencing social isolation, loneliness, and these associated chronic conditions.

The Foundation for Social Connection has also explored the effect of social isolation, loneliness, and connection on organizations in our SOCIAL Framework Report: The Work, Employment, and Labor (WEL) Sector. In addition to impacting one’s health and well-being, failing to address social isolation and loneliness and advance social connection poses serious consequences to profits and productivity. These impacts include increased health-care costs, sick days, and absenteeism; reduced productivity; and increased likelihood of burnout and resignation. Translated to monetary figures, these issues are estimated to cost our national economy $406 billion annually.

What steps are employers uniquely positioned to take to normalize and achieve a whole-person health approach?

With the average employee spending one-third of their life at work, according to Gettysburg College, employers have a tremendous influence on individuals’ health and well-being. For many, the workplace is a key site of social interactions and where one may build a large portion of their social network. Internally, employers can foster a culture of connection and belonging through workplace policies and norms, as they have the authority to make organization-wide decisions and have a platform to model healthy behaviors. Social connection strategies implemented at a smaller scale cannot fully be effective if the overall workplace culture is considered toxic. Employers can also design the physical work environment to be more conducive to interaction and collaboration.

Externally, employers’ workplaces influence the environment they are located within. With their position, they can integrate their organization and employees into the neighborhood and improve the entire community’s well-being by investing in spaces for connecting or encouraging employee volunteering programs. Such programs not only benefit those receiving volunteer services but also the volunteers themselves by increasing their number of social interactions and their sense of belonging and meaning.

In your opinion, which organizational leadership roles or positions need to be involved for this integrated approach to be adopted across the organization and in the surrounding community?

We believe that everyone plays a role in advancing our individual and collective health and well-being. For example, organizational leaders can model healthy behaviors and set policies and norms that help employees experience a work-life balance conducive to fostering connections within and outside of the workplace. (Check out our Guide for Leaders.) However, employees must also be involved in the co-creation of organizational strategies and initiatives to ensure they will effectively serve their needs.

As for other positions, human resources departments can inform employees of health and wellness accommodations available to them and ensure they are able to use them without fear of retaliation. Those involved in corporate social responsibility or environmental social governance can develop or implement strategies that prioritize community well-being. Marketing departments can craft messaging and campaigns to increase awareness of the importance of social connection. Product design teams can consider how their products and services hinder or promote their customers’ health and well-being. Board members can make fostering social connection a part of their long-term vision, and philanthropies can incorporate social connection initiatives into their funding priorities.

As we emphasize in our WEL report, there are so many ways stakeholders can get involved and advance this work.

How do employers build a sustainable whole-person health approach that anticipates the ebb and flow of the external environment, whether those are shifts in the economic, social, or political landscape?

Fostering social connection doesn’t have to be a large investment—and organizations may even be able to save money and resources by collaborating with others on evidence-based and promising strategies rather than working in silos and trying to devise their own solutions. (Read our report’s organizational- and community-level solutions.) Additionally, prioritizing connection can protect organizations and their employees from unexpected events and crises, as social connection has the power to improve individuals’ and communities’ resiliency. For example, having strong emotional connections to one’s community can also increase local GDP and protect against economic downturns, according to the Knight Foundation. Sociopolitically, prioritizing social health can encourage community members to trust one another and collaborate to help their neighbors, as reported in Frontiers in Psychology.

Overall, the key to building a sustainable movement is understanding what your employees and community need, looking at the evidence base for effective and promising strategies, and establishing a network of partnerships to support you. For more information on assessing community needs, implementing promising strategies, and forming partnerships, people can check out the action steps and resources in our Action Guide for Building Socially Connected Communities. They can also reach out to us at [email protected] if they would like to learn more about our work.