Best Health and Wellness for All

Health equity (or lack thereof) impacts multiple dimensions of personal well-being and can have a dramatic effect on employee job satisfaction. But what exactly is health equity? What does it look like in the workplace, and how can organizations work to become more equitable when it comes to employee health and wellness?

In a special Annual Wellness Summit preview webcast, “Possibilities: Best Health and Wellness for All,” Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., M.P.H., covers the idea of optimal health for all, which he calls “best health,” encouraging wellness professionals to build, analyze, and improve upon employer-sponsored wellness initiatives.

What Is Best Health?

Best health, also known as health equity, is where every individual has an equal opportunity to achieve their highest state of well-being and most comprehensive level of health. This will look different for everyone and encompasses more than just our physical health. Dr. Sanchez points to the Olympics as an example of how “best health” can differ: The highest level of fitness is independent for each Olympic sport as well as each Olympian. The highest level of fitness is also separate between the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Each sport and each individual Olympian have disparate goals and challenges. When all is said and done, the mission of health and wellness professionals is to work together to achieve the best health and wellness for all.

Factors That Impact Best Health

Wellness is just one dimension of best health that is affected by other factors. Best health is more than just biology and behavior—It should take into account the context in which people live, work, and experience the world. One’s ability to achieve their best health can be made more difficult because of obstacles they may be dealing with compared to other people. Education level, household income, and geography all have associations with overall wellness, and these and other factors may intersect to compound the challenges faced by those pursuing best health. These nonmedical factors which impact well-being are called the social determinants of health (SDH). Comparatively, those with fewer barriers have more time and energy to focus on their sense of well-being.

Working Towards Best Health

Workplaces can support employees by providing tailored support, guidance, and access to the tools they need to reach their best health. Some of these strategies include employer-sponsored gym memberships, early child care for children of employees, and  financial wellness education sessions. By supporting employees where and when they need it most, their unique individual burdens can be lightened, allowing them to work towards their own best health.

The National Wellness Institute’s (NWI’s) Wellness Promotion Competency Model provides a framework for a multidimensional approach to wellness, including key practices for supporting equitable health practices. This model is a useful tool for wellness practitioners and employers, geared towards achieving workplace health equity when building health and wellness supports for employees.

Resources

Attend Dr. Eduardo Sanchez’s keynote session at the 2024 Annual Wellness Summit to learn even more about best health for all. This year, WELCOA and NWI have joined forces to present the Annual Wellness Summit, August 26-29 in Chicago, Illinois.

Become a member to view webinar recordings. Register for upcoming live events here: https://www.welcoa.org/training/.

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR REBECCA PLIER // PR/Communications Specialist • IFEBP

Rebecca Plier is diving headfirst into the wonderful world of employee benefits and workplace wellness. As a PR/Communications Specialist at WELCOA’s partner organization, the International Foundation, Rebecca shares essential information on educational programming, emerging benefits research data, member resources, and so much more. To maintain balance, she enjoys art journaling and attending regular yoga sessions.