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Driving Organizational Success: The "Focus Five" of Employee Wellbeing
As we approach 2025, the landscape of employee wellbeing is set to go through a series of transformative trends.
To shed light on those trends and the actionable steps organizations can take to support their workforce, we invited Robin Bouvier, Vice President and wellbeing Subject Matter Expert at Aon, to join us on Navigate’s People First Podcast. For 25 years, Robin has been a key member of Aon's health transformation team, proactively helping organizations enhance workforce health, wellbeing, and performance.
Robin emphasizes the "Focus Five" outcomes that enable organizations to strategically leverage employee wellbeing to enhance health outcomes, control costs, boost engagement, and retain top talent—ultimately driving sustainable growth and lasting value.
Below, we’ll explore some key takeaways from this captivating conversation.
Understanding the "Focus Five"
Robin summarizes the five outcomes that are paramount for organizations seeking to foster a productive and healthy work environment. These outcomes are:
Reducing Health Risks: To reduce health risks, Robin recommends focusing on helping people practice better self-care through eating better, managing stress, moving more, and ensuring they get preventive screenings. These actions are crucial in fostering a healthier workforce and mitigating health risks.
Mitigating Healthcare Cost Increases: Organizations can reduce healthcare costs by focusing on prevention and utilizing data to personalize and prioritize employee healthcare needs. With the average cost of employer-sponsored healthcare coverage expected to rise by 9% in 2025, addressing health risks proactively through targeted strategies is essential for cost control.
Improving Employee Engagement: Robin emphasizes the importance of establishing trust and aligning healthcare strategies with employee needs to improve engagement. Personalizing healthcare and listening to employee feedback can help create a supportive environment that enhances overall engagement and satisfaction.
Aligning with Company Purpose and Mission: Aligning healthcare initiatives with the company's purpose and mission involves using data to personalize and prioritize based on what matters most to employees. This alignment improves employee engagement and ensures that health and wellness programs contribute to the organization's broader goals.
Retaining Talent: Creating a supportive culture and addressing health and wellness proactively play significant roles in retaining talent. Employers should focus on personalized strategies that resonate with employees, fostering a trusting environment that encourages long-term organizational commitment.
Wellbeing is not an HR initiative; it's an organizational imperative.
Breaking barriers to healthy choices
Early on in our conversation with Robin, she states that her primary objective is to help people overcome barriers to wellbeing by creating exceptional environments and experiences. It’s important to recognize that employees are facing diverse challenges in their personal and professional lives, which can sometimes stand in the way of making healthy choices.
If you ask the average consumer what gets in the way of making healthy choices, it's time, effort, and money.
One effective strategy for eliminating barriers is to integrate health services directly into the work setting, thereby providing convenient access for employees. This can include on-site clinics or health kiosks where employees can receive necessary medical attention without taking time off work.
Additionally, offering remote or virtual health services can help overcome access barriers by allowing employees to consult healthcare professionals from the comfort of their homes or offices, thus reducing time and commute constraints.
Educating employees on basic health literacy is another vital approach, as it equips them with the knowledge required to make informed and healthier day-to-day decisions. Employers can provide workshops, resources, or access to digital health tools that empower employees to understand their health metrics and take proactive steps toward better health.
Furthermore, providing financial incentives or support, such as subsidizing gym memberships or offering wellness stipends, can alleviate the cost barrier associated with healthcare, making it more affordable for employees to pursue healthier lifestyles.
Finally, fostering a positive work environment that encourages and supports healthy behaviors, such as promoting physical activity breaks or offering healthy snack options, can lead to a culture of wellness. This not only enhances individual wellbeing but also contributes to a more engaged and productive workforce overall.
Impacting Business Results Through Wellbeing
Robin concludes the podcast by reiterating that the primary goal of supporting wellbeing in an organization is to drive business results that matter most to leaders. She explains that the "Focus Five" outcomes are interconnected and collectively contribute to a robust and thriving organization.
We need to make sure that we are taking care of ourselves and showing up as our best self in order to be there to help others
Robin's insights provide a comprehensive framework for organizations looking to enhance their wellbeing efforts and achieve sustainable success. Her expertise underscores the importance of a strategic and data-driven approach to employee wellbeing, one that addresses the specific needs and challenges of the workforce.
The "Focus Five" outcomes are a testament to the evolving understanding of employee wellbeing in the modern workplace. Organizations that prioritize these five areas will not only foster a healthier and more engaged workforce but also drive significant business results.
