Executive Summary: The well-being of employees has become a critical factor for organizational success. However, many leaders struggle to prioritize and promote holistic well-being effectively. The concept of “Health-Savvy Leadership” offers a path forward, emphasizing the importance of executives who deeply understand the impact of health on organizational outcomes and take concrete actions to safeguard employee wellness. This article explores the characteristics of health-savvy leaders, the benefits they can unlock, and strategies for executives to develop these crucial skills.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Health-savvy leaders deeply understand the impact of employee well-being on organizational culture, productivity, and strategy.
- They take a holistic, systemic approach to integrating well-being across all aspects of the organization.
- Key traits include prioritizing self-care, designing supportive initiatives, using data insights, encouraging transparency, and partnering with health experts.
- Benefits include improved employee well-being, engagement, retention, reduced costs, increased productivity/resilience, and better strategy execution.
- Challenges faced by leaders include feeling overwhelmed, unqualified, lacking resources/support, and perception gaps with employees.
- Strategies for development include executive training, observing role models, partnering with experts, peer coaching, empowering well-being teams, and starting with small actions.
- 48% of leaders want health/well-being focused training, and 44% would benefit from seeing other leaders prioritize well-being.
- With the right commitment, training, and support systems, any leader can develop stronger health-savvy capabilities over time.
- Becoming a health-savvy leader unlocks powerful competitive advantages in attracting/retaining talent and driving organizational success.
The Importance of Health-Savvy Leadership for Employee Well-Being
Characteristics of Health-Savvy Leaders
Health-savvy leaders possess a keen awareness of how employee well-being influences culture, productivity, and strategic goals. They approach health not just as a wellness program, but as a holistic imperative woven into all aspects of the organization.
Some key traits of health-savvy executives include:
- Prioritizing their own self-care to lead by example
- Designing policies and initiatives that support physical, mental, emotional, and financial wellness
- Leveraging data to understand workforce health drivers and needs
- Taking a systemic, integrated approach to well-being across the organization
- Openly discussing health and encouraging transparency
- Partnering closely with internal/external health experts
Fundamentally, health-savvy leaders operate from the core belief that investing in employee well-being is essential for long-term business success.
Benefits of Health-Savvy Leadership
When leaders embrace a health-savvy mindset, the positive impacts for individuals and organizations are substantial:
For employees:
- Improved holistic well-being and work-life balance
- Increased engagement, satisfaction, and sense of being cared for
- Higher retention and attraction of top talent
For organizations:
- Reduced healthcare costs and absenteeism
- Boosted employee productivity, creativity, and performance
- Greater resilience and sustainability amid disruptions
- Stronger workplace culture and employee value proposition
- Better delivery on strategic goals and growth objectives
The benefits extend beyond just offering great wellness benefits. True health-savvy leadership shapes an organizational culture that authentically prioritizes and nurtures well-being.
Challenges Faced by Executives
Despite the importance of health-savvy leadership, Deloitte’s research found leaders face key obstacles:
- 20% feel overwhelmed and unsure where to start
- 18% don’t feel qualified to take ownership in this area
- 17% lack sufficient budget and resources
- 16% lack full support from other executives
There is also a perception gap, with only 31% of employees viewing their leaders as truly health-savvy, compared to 81% of the C-suite rating themselves that way.
Strategies for Development
To overcome these challenges and become more health-savvy, executives should consider:
Education and training: 48% of leaders want executive training focused on health/well-being.
Leading by example: 44% would benefit from observing other executives prioritize their own well-being.
Partnering with experts: 40% need more support from internal health leaders like Chief Health Officers.
Peer coaching: Forming groups to discuss health strategies and keep each other accountable.
Empowering health leaders: Giving well-being teams a voice in strategic decisions and sufficient resources.
Starting small: Even minor actions like respecting work hours and encouraging breaks can start cultural shifts.
With the right training, support systems, and commitment, any leader can make the transition to becoming more health-savvy over time.
Summary
In an era where well-being is inextricably linked to organizational performance, health-savvy leadership has become an essential competency. By taking a holistic, systematic approach to nurturing employee wellness, health-savvy leaders can unlock benefits like reduced costs, increased productivity, stronger culture, and better delivery on strategic goals. While developing true health-savvy leadership requires sustained effort, the competitive advantages are too significant to ignore. With the right training, best practices, and dedication, executives can empower healthier, more engaged, and higher-performing workforces to drive lasting success.
Sam Palazzolo, Principal Officer @ Javelin Institute
Reference: Fisher, J., & Silverglate, P. H. (2022, June 22). The C-suite’s role in well-being. Deloitte Insights. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/leadership/employee-wellness-in-the-corporate-workplace.html