Taking the First Step: The Case for Employers to Adopt a Whole-Person Approach to 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 Jean Accius, CEO of CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, sat down to discuss what he is seeing among members of the CHC employer network, which reaches millions of employees. Most recently, Jean lent his voice to a panel on youth mental health during our 2023 Global Conference.

1.?How do you envision a whole-person health approach in the workplace?

Work is a social driver of health and has a profound influence on total well-being, wealth, and longevity. Employers have a large role to play in shaping a healthy workforce and workplace. In 2022, approximately 3.32 billion people were employed worldwide. And some estimates indicate the average person will spend one-third of their life at work. That places an incredible amount of power, responsibility, and opportunity for employers to adopt practices that promote whole-person health and contribute to society’s overall health and well-being.

Whole-person health is essential, especially post-COVID, as the pandemic focused our collective attention on global health—individually, as communities, and as interconnected systems. We must take a holistic view of health and consider all aspects of health and well-being across each person’s entire life span. This includes mental and emotional health, physical health (such as access to health care as well as exercise and nutrition), social and financial well-being (including job training, safety and environmental concerns, work flexibility, and a balanced lifestyle), accessibility and inclusion, and more.

This matters to us at CHC: Creating Healthier Communities as we exist so every person in every community can live their healthiest life. As a mission-focused, purpose-driven organization, we offer a four-day workweek to allow staff more time to focus on themselves, families, and friends and do things that bring them joy and satisfaction. We offer opportunities to give back and volunteer throughout the year. What we are seeing is that our culture and flexibility are attracting all generations to work for CHC and positioning us for the future of work, as the future is now. The best leaders are flexible, adaptable, and invest in their people—and it pays off with a healthy, loyal workforce that delivers.

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

Total health and well-being are top of mind for employees. In this war for talent, to retain top performers, employers have a greater responsibility and opportunity to promote a culture of lifelong health and well-being for employees, inspire purpose and productivity, and support healthier and more thriving communities. Not doing so can be catastrophic to the bottom line.

For example, a study from the Integrated Benefit Institute found that the poor health of workers costs US employers $575 billion a year, including lost productivity due to worker absences, chronic conditions, and injuries leading to workers’ compensation. When you consider racism, ageism, and sexism, you have a triple whammy effect. Employers with a whole-person, total health, and well-being strategy are more likely to experience greater retention, innovation, and productivity in today’s tight labor market.

Supporting whole-person health and addressing health disparities improve economic growth, make our communities more livable, lower the cost of health care, and create jobs. Employees who are healthy are also more productive. Thus, a healthier workforce means healthier businesses, communities, and, overall, a healthier world.

People in good health can work and live longer and thus can earn and spend more, contributing positively to our economy. And businesses that provide a whole-person health approach, including offering innovative benefits that foster greater health and well-being, are more likely to recruit and retain top talent. By taking the long view and articulating an employer value proposition that resonates to meet the needs of today’s workers, employers can make simple changes with profound ripple effects on their employee base and the communities where their employees live and work.

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

It is important for companies to listen and engage employees in what they need to achieve whole-person health. It has to be a bottom-up rather than a top-down approach. Many companies conduct annual employee feedback surveys on a range of topics. This might be a good vehicle to ask employees what they need to feel supported in this new normal and then make strategic decisions and investments based on the data. Social connection is a key attribute to whole-person health, so creating opportunities for connection and community as companies look to find the right balance between remote work and in-person meetings will be critical.

Finally, employers can build on programs they currently have in place—health and well-being programs and human resources; employee resource groups; diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging departments; social impact teams; and other departments and programs—to support employee health, well-being, purpose, and engagement. By integrating a holistic view of health into these existing structures, employers can begin to normalize whole-person health plus benefit from its win-win advantages. ??

4.?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??

For whole-person health to be integrated organization-wide, including a broader impact with stakeholders and communities, it requires an “all in” approach on behalf of company leadership. This means there should be an intentional strategy that is enterprise-wide and cascades down to every department and every team to incorporate this holistic view into their work, programs, and policies. And leadership should consider the health and well-being impact of all major decisions.

At CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, we work with thousands of businesses, foundations, local governments, and nonprofit organizations to increase their impact and “create healthier communities.” We partner with company leadership, human resources, social impact and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) teams, marketing, and more. That includes mobilizing the giving and volunteer support of millions of employees to address the barriers to health.

Our Corporate Leadership Council also represents 50 of the world’s top social impact leaders. These companies are driving ESG priorities for diverse stakeholders, including local communities and their companies’ employee base. Addressing whole-person health—and the barriers to that—requires a multiprong and multisector approach. CHC is a thought leader and convener that leverages sectors and brings people together to elevate bold solutions and spur collective action to close the gaps. The goal is healthier communities for all of us.

5.?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?

Whole-person health is the core to who we are and everything we do. Organizations comprise people, and their total health and well-being matter. If whole-person health is fully integrated into the organization, leaders will start to see the tangible benefits of a healthier workforce and healthier communities. Employee recruitment, retention, engagement, productivity, innovation, increased consumer spending, and decreased health-care costs are just the beginning. These clear business and society benefits will make a holistic view of health sustainable and desirable—regardless of external environmental factors.?