Press Release

Leadership Sets the Course for Improving Workplace Well-Being

Issued by Health Enhancement Research Organization [HERO]

Apr. 21, 2020

New study from the Health Enhancement Research Organization shows organizational and leadership support are leading factors in driving outcomes for workplace well-being initiatives

WACONIA, MN (April 20, 2020) — Corporate leaders who want to improve workplace well-being should be prepared to practice what they preach. According to new research from the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO), organizational and leadership support has significant power to both reduce health risks and improve employee perceptions of organizational support for their health and well-being.

Previous research studies based on data from the HERO Health and Well-being Best Practices Scorecard in Collaboration with Mercer© (HERO Scorecard) have drawn a connection between workplace well-being best practices and employee health and business outcomes. The latest HERO study, “Workplace Well-being Factors that Predict Employee Participation, Health and Medical Cost Impact, and Perceived Support,” is among the first to identify specific practices associated with a broader set of outcomes. The most recent study, published in the American Journal of Health Promotion, found that organizational and leadership support practices are among the strongest and most consistent predictors of an organization’s ability to: drive participation in employee well-being initiatives; influence employee perceptions about their employers; positively influence employee health outcomes; and drive down health care costs.

Study results are based on responses from 812 organizations that collectively employ more than 4.7 million individuals. Most of the organizations (58%) are in the service industry, while the remaining 42% were split between manufacturing businesses and other industries.

The following illustrates which organizational and leadership support best practices companies use most often. These findings reflect data from the Q1 2020 HERO Scorecard Benchmark database (reflecting data through the end of 2019),which represents more recent data than that used for the published HERO study:

• 95% implement workplace policies that encourage healthy behaviors;
• 80% invite employee involvement and feedback;
• 79% connect employee health and well-being initiatives to broader business results;
• 75% encourage leaders to participate in programs;
• 68% provide regular program performance updates to stakeholders;
• 66% develop a written strategic plan for health and well-being;
• 64% demonstrate organizational commitment to employee well-being through company mission/vision statement, organizational goals and value statements, and senior leadership communications;
• 52% identify employee wellness champions or ambassadors and equip them to promote health and well-being;
• 49% support mid-level managers and supervisors in their efforts to improve well-being of their teams; and
• 46% consistently communicate about well-being programs in targeted ways to different employee groups.

“While other factors such as incentives can effectively predict completion of health assessment questionnaires and biometric screenings, organizational and leadership support was the only factor that significantly influenced employee health risks and positively impacted medical costs,” said Jessica Grossmeier, study author and HERO vice president of research. “Similarly, only organizational and leadership support significantly influenced the degree to which employees felt their employers believed in and were committed to their personal well-being.”

To learn more, visit www.hero-health.org. View the study infographic at: https://hero-health.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/HERO_Infographic_Scorecard-engagement-2_FINAL.pdf

About HERO
Based in Waconia, MN, HERO (the Health Enhancement Research Organization) is a not-for-profit, 501(c)3 corporation that was established in 1997. HERO is dedicated to identifying and sharing best practices that improve the health and well-being of employees, their families and communities. To learn more, visit www.hero-health.org. Follow us on Twitter @heroehm, Facebook or LinkedIn.

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