Redesigning Wellness Podcast

The C-Suite focus on ROI doesn't have to be a stumbling block to getting support for comprehensive wellbeing programs. Today's guest, Jim Purcell, Founder of the Returns on Wellbeing Institute offers three strategic and impactful ROIs that senior leadership may not be considering beyond reduction in health care spending.

As the former CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Jim is uniquely positioned to offer practical, evidence based framework for designing and implementing effective workplace wellbeing cultures and programs that senior leadership will support. He is a frequent contributor to Forbes.com, and will be publishing a book in 2021.

In today's episode, Jim shares his background and how he got interested in wellness, as well as his opinion on the difference between wellness and wellbeing. He explains how to get C-Suite's attention by proving wellbeing works with 3 ROIs more important than reducing health care costs and how to answer the inevitable pushback.

Jim discusses the successes experienced by both SAP and Quicken Loans, and lastly gives listeners a few tangible tips on communicating with senior leadership and getting organizations started addressing low mental and emotional wellbeing among employees.

Please note: this interview was recorded pre-COVID.

For links mentioned in today's episode visit: http://bit.ly/Redesignpod

According to a report from the Personnel Management Association, when training is combined with coaching, individuals increase their productivity by an average of 86% as opposed to just 22% with training alone. Additionally, a survey by Manchester Inc. found that coaching provided an average return on investment of almost six times the cost of coaching.

Today's guest, Beth Weissenberger, Co-Founder and President of HG Corporate (The Handel Group), offers a colorful look at the company's fresh, rowdy, no holds barred approach that is taking both the personal and professional world of coaching by storm.

Since founding the Handel Group with her sister in 2004, Beth has become a personal coach to HG's most senior executive clients, including business giants such as Live Nation, Ticketmaster, AIG, Citibank, and Chevron. Named one of BusinessWeek's featured executive coaches, Beth also leads corporate seminars and writes articles on various topics related to leadership development and organizational integrity.

In this episode, Beth discusses the founding of HG corporate and the revolutionary Handel Method that is now used at over 50 educational institutions including Stanford Graduate School of Business, NYU, MIT, and Columbia to name a few. She takes a deeper dive on one of the company's taglines "learning to human better" and how to build a radically honest culture by teaching people to speak up but "frame it beautifully."

Beth explains what she means by personal integrity and how often the key to coaching is to get people to cut through the niceties and understand what aspects of their behavior suck. Finally, she leaves us with a tangible tip on influencing executives and how we can start to human better.

For links mentioned in today's episode visit: http://bit.ly/Redesignpod

In a meeting on June 11th, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) voted to move forward with a new initiative of proposed laws pertaining to wellness programs. The unofficial transcript of the meeting has many wellness professionals concerned that employee wellbeing is not at the forefront of the proposal. Today's guest, Barbara Zabawa, owner of the Center for Health and Wellness Law, LLC, returns to dissect and explain the new proposal and what it might mean to employers.

Barbara is a Clinical Assistant Professor for the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee College of Health Sciences, Department of Health Services Administration in addition to owning a law firm dedicated to improving legal access and compliance for the health and wellness industries. She is an acclaimed author and speaker on health and wellness law topics, lending her expertise to notable wellness powerhouses such as WELCOA, the National Wellness Institute, and HERO.

In this episode, Barabara breaks down the construct of the hearing and the new proposed laws. She explains the meaning of the term "de minimis" used in the document and what kinds of incentives are allowed under the new proposal, as well as the privacy and confidentiality guidelines (or lack thereof) that it suggests. Lastly, Barbara discusses the process of submitting comments on the new proposal once it is made public, and the power of numbers in amplifying different voices.

This episode is sponsored by University of Wisconsin Health and Wellness Management, offering online bachelor's and master's degrees in wellness management. You can visit hwm.wisconsin.edu for more information.

Graduates of the program have launched successful wellness careers with healthcare systems, wellness program vendors, community agencies, insurance providers, even the military. Here are some really cool things about UW Health and Wellness Management:

• Courses are designed and taught by distinguished faculty from the University of Wisconsin, many of whom actively work in the field.
• UW Health and Wellness Management is also supported by an advisory board, industry experts from corporations such as Children's Wisconsin, Willis Towers Watson, and the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds, who offer advice on changing trends in health and wellness so that students are learning the most up-to-date methods.
• Students often say the flexible, online format is a big factor in their ability to earn a degree. (Our recent situation is an indication of the advantages of online learning.) Although the program is online, you'll make strong connections with peers and faculty, just as you would on campus.

UW Health and Wellness Management bachelor's and master's degrees provide the skills you need to manage comprehensive employee well-being programs that foster healthier lifestyles and promote the value of staying well.

Turn your passion for wellness into a healthy career with University of Wisconsin Health and Wellness Management. Visit hwm.wisconsin.edu or contact an enrollment adviser by phone, 1-877-895-3276.

For links mentioned in today's episode visit: http://bit.ly/Redesignpod

As social consciousness shifts towards demanding inclusivity and diversity, the need for multicultural competency in workplaces is more and more apparent. Today's guest, Linda Howard, CEO of Alturnative and President of the Board of Directors of the National Wellness Institute, has been working to highlight the tools needed to create a culture of inclusivity and train wellness professionals on how to develop and hone them.

With over 30 years of combined experience in law, compliance, and managed care operations, Linda provides thought leadership to esteemed organizations and educates thousands of professionals annually in multicultural competency and social responsibility.

In this episode, Linda discusses forming the Multicultural Competency Committee at the National Wellness Institute and their goals for the future. She explores the tools needed to create a culture of inclusivity in workplaces and how to use the multicultural competency wheel that the Committee developed.

Linda shares what she's most proud of accomplishing through the Committee, including the new Multicultural Competency Certificate Course training. Finally, she touches on what she thinks the wellness industry as a whole needs to do to be more inclusive and provides a jumping off point for professionals looking to move their organizations towards multicultural competency.

This episode is sponsored by Workplace Money Coach.

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on employees' financial lives has been dramatic. It runs the gamut from severe hardship as a result of job loss to excessive cash flow surpluses due to limited spending opportunities.

Whatever our employees' financial situation might be during these uncertain times, Workplace Money Coach is here to help them stay on track to meet their financial life goals.

In order to serve your employees in a safe and healthy way, Workplace Money Coach has launched the Living Paycheck to Purpose program as a virtual option with a focus on maintaining the group discussions and thought-provoking activities that make their program dynamic.

Now, your employees can engage in your wellness offerings and stay on top of their financial goals from the safety and convenience of their home office.

As a bonus to their Living Paycheck to Purpose virtual program, Workplace Money Coach is offering Redesigning Wellness listeners a complimentary coaching session for all participants of the program so employees can get individualized attention for their financial situation. Just mention that you heard about the program through the Redesigning Wellness Podcast.

You can learn more about Workplace Money Coach's financial empowerment program at www.workplacemoneycoach.com. Schedule a call to see if the Living Paycheck to Purpose program is right for your employees.

For links mentioned in today's episode visit: http://bit.ly/Redesignpod

Do traditional biometric screening and incentive-based wellness programs have any meaningful effect on the physical health of employees? Today's guest, Julian Reif, Associate Professor of Finance and Economics at the University of Illinois, is a principal investigator on the Illinois Workplace Wellness Study and is here to discuss the study's answer to that question.

In addition to his associate professorship, Julian is also a Senior Scholar at the Institute of Government and Public Affairs and a Faculty Research Fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research. His research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

This episode breaks down their research findings based on a two-year randomized controlled trial. Julian explains the set up of the study, including why randomized control trials are preferable to observational research design, which many other wellness studies are based on. He walks us through the study's primary findings in the second year of data collection and the most important concepts for us to take away.

This episode is sponsored by Workplace Money Coach.

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on employees' financial lives has been dramatic. It runs the gamut from severe hardship as a result of job loss to excessive cash flow surpluses due to limited spending opportunities.

Whatever our employees' financial situation might be during these uncertain times, Workplace Money Coach is here to help them stay on track to meet their financial life goals.

In order to serve your employees in a safe and healthy way, Workplace Money Coach has launched the Living Paycheck to Purpose program as a virtual option with a focus on maintaining the group discussions and thought-provoking activities that make their program dynamic.

Now, your employees can engage in your wellness offerings and stay on top of their financial goals from the safety and convenience of their home office.

As a bonus to their Living Paycheck to Purpose virtual program, Workplace Money Coach is offering Redesigning Wellness listeners a complimentary coaching session for all participants of the program so employees can get individualized attention for their financial situation. Just mention that you heard about the program through the Redesigning Wellness Podcast.

You can learn more about Workplace Money Coach's financial empowerment program at www.workplacemoneycoach.com. Schedule a call to see if the Living Paycheck to Purpose program is right for your employees.

For links mentioned in today's episode visit: http://bit.ly/Redesignpod

Despite the fact that nearly 95% of diets fail in the long term and dieters often experience more weight gain than they originally lost, weight loss still remains the focus of many wellness programs and health initiatives. Today's guest, Ragen Chastain, believes there is another way to health without buying into diet culture that just doesn't work. She believes that health is achievable at any size.

Ragen is an internationally recognized speaker, writer, and thought leader in the fields of body image and the Health At Every Size (HAES) philosophy. She has presented to corporations such as Google and Apple, and has been featured in notable publications such as the New York Times, NPR, and BBC News to name a few.

In this episode, Ragen talks a little bit about her background including some of the weight stigma she has experienced. She discusses why she believes the HAES data is buried in diet culture research and addresses why being fat isn't inherently unhealthy.

Ragen explains the HAES philosophy more thoroughly, discusses some strategies bigger bodied people can use to stand up for themselves and advocate for their health care, and touches on the work that she does to educate health practitioners. Finally, Ragen offers a tangible tip on helping to move your health and wellness initiatives away from focusing on weight loss.

This episode is sponsored by University of Wisconsin Health and Wellness Management, offering online bachelor's and master's degrees in wellness management. You can visit hwm.wisconsin.edu for more information.

Graduates of the program have launched successful wellness careers with healthcare systems, wellness program vendors, community agencies, insurance providers, even the military. Here are some really cool things about UW Health and Wellness Management:

• Courses are designed and taught by distinguished faculty from the University of Wisconsin, many of whom actively work in the field.
• UW Health and Wellness Management is also supported by an advisory board, industry experts from corporations such as Children's Wisconsin, Willis Towers Watson, and the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds, who offer advice on changing trends in health and wellness so that students are learning the most up-to-date methods.
• Students often say the flexible, online format is a big factor in their ability to earn a degree. (Our recent situation is an indication of the advantages of online learning.) Although the program is online, you'll make strong connections with peers and faculty, just as you would on campus.

UW Health and Wellness Management bachelor's and master's degrees provide the skills you need to manage comprehensive employee well-being programs that foster healthier lifestyles and promote the value of staying well.

Turn your passion for wellness into a healthy career with University of Wisconsin Health and Wellness Management. Visit hwm.wisconsin.edu or contact an enrollment adviser by phone, 1-877-895-3276.

For links mentioned in today's episode visit: http://bit.ly/Redesignpod

In the current climate of COVID-19 survival, increasing political divide, and racial unrest, the message of Mike Robbins's newest book We're All in This Together is needed now more than ever. Leaders face the increasingly hard task of holding teams together as cohesive and efficient units despite the stressful and rapidly changing environment.

Mike Robbins is an author, thought leader and sought-after speaker who teaches people, leaders, and teams to infuse their lives and businesses with authenticity and appreciation. He has authored 5 books and been featured on NPR, ABC News, the Harvard Business Review, and The Wall Street Journal among other publications.

In today's episode, Mike shares his background and how it informed his current career as a thought leader, speaker, and author. He discusses the call to write his newest book, the interesting timing of its release on the cusp of COVID-19, and how leaders can use the concepts to reassure their teams of unity during crises.

Mike explores each of the four pillars in his book and how they are applicable to strengthening workplace bonds and effectiveness. Finally, he leaves listeners with two tangible tips that leaders can start with to build stronger teams.

This episode is sponsored by University of Wisconsin Health and Wellness Management, offering online bachelor's and master's degrees in wellness management. You can visit hwm.wisconsin.edu for more information.

Graduates of the program have launched successful wellness careers with healthcare systems, wellness program vendors, community agencies, insurance providers, even the military. Here are some really cool things about UW Health and Wellness Management:

• Courses are designed and taught by distinguished faculty from the University of Wisconsin, many of whom actively work in the field.
• UW Health and Wellness Management is also supported by an advisory board, industry experts from corporations such as Children's Wisconsin, Willis Towers Watson, and the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds, who offer advice on changing trends in health and wellness so that students are learning the most up-to-date methods.
• Students often say the flexible, online format is a big factor in their ability to earn a degree. (Our recent situation is an indication of the advantages of online learning.) Although the program is online, you'll make strong connections with peers and faculty, just as you would on campus.

UW Health and Wellness Management bachelor's and master's degrees provide the skills you need to manage comprehensive employee well-being programs that foster healthier lifestyles and promote the value of staying well.

Turn your passion for wellness into a healthy career with University of Wisconsin Health and Wellness Management. Visit hwm.wisconsin.edu or contact an enrollment adviser by phone, 1-877-895-3276.

For links mentioned in today's episode visit: http://bit.ly/Redesignpod

The President of the American Psychological Association recently stated, "we are living in a racism pandemic, which is taking a heavy psychological toll on our African American citizens." Our colleagues, friends, and the people who have been on the receiving end of our wellbeing efforts, have been facing racism for years. Until now, White Americans (me included) have been unaware of the racism that continues to run deep in our country.

Let's change that. Today's conversation is the first of a series of conversations about race and how it shows up in the workplace. As today's guest, Dr. Ella Washington, points out "there is no neutrality when it comes to racism."

Dr. Ella Washington is an organizational psychologist who finds inspiration through the intersection of business, diversity and leadership. Her research examines conditions of workplace cultures that best support inclusion, diversity and equity while also contributing to employee's individual development.

As a member of the management faculty at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, Dr. Washington prides herself on helping to develop and equip tomorrow's business leaders with skills to be high-performing inclusive managers.

In this interview, Dr. Washington gives her perspective on racism, how racism shows up in the workplace and challenges Black American face. She walks us through some missteps we should avoid when addressing race and educates me on strategic colorblindness. Dr. Washington leaves us with steps organizations can take to combat racism and books for us to read.

This episode is sponsored by University of Wisconsin Health and Wellness Management, offering online bachelor's and master's degrees in wellness management. You can visit hwm.wisconsin.edu for more information.

Graduates of the program have launched successful wellness careers with healthcare systems, wellness program vendors, community agencies, insurance providers, even the military. Here are some really cool things about UW Health and Wellness Management :

• Courses are designed and taught by distinguished faculty from the University of Wisconsin, many of whom actively work in the field.
• UW Health and Wellness Management is also supported by an advisory board, industry experts from corporations such as Children's Wisconsin, Willis Towers Watson, and the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds, who offer advice on changing trends in health and wellness so that students are learning the most up-to-date methods.
• Students often say the flexible, online format is a big factor in their ability to earn a degree. (Our recent situation is an indication of the advantages of online learning.) Although the program is online, you'll make strong connections with peers and faculty, just as you would on campus.

UW Health and Wellness Management bachelor's and master's degrees provide the skills you need to manage comprehensive employee well-being programs that foster healthier lifestyles and promote the value of staying well.

Turn your passion for wellness into a healthy career with University of Wisconsin Health and Wellness Management. Visit hwm.wisconsin.edu or contact an enrollment adviser by phone, 1-877-895-3276.

For links mentioned in today's episode visit: http://bit.ly/Redesignpod

**Disclaimer - this episode was recorded pre-COVOD.**

More than 80% of workers admit to feeling stress, 40% report being lonely, and 10% admit experiencing depression - and these are only those willing to report. LSD (Loneliness, Stress, and Depression) costs companies a collective 1 billion dollars annually. Today's guest, MJ Shaar, one of the most sought after experts in applying positive psychology to health promotion, believes that increasing employee bonding and creating healthy work cultures through positive psychology is the answer to lowering the effects of LSD in workplaces.

MJ Shaar is a renowned speaker, wellness culture coach, and bestselling co-author of Smarts and Stamina: The Busy Person's Guide to Optimal Health and Performance. She has been creating healthy lifestyles for over 20 years and has been published in both the Huffington Post and Psychology Today.

In this episode, MJ explains LSD and shares a few statistics that illustrate the importance of managing it. She discusses how "bringing your human" to the workplace instead of wearing a professional mask can impact employee bonding and work culture.

MJ talks about a few barriers that get in the way of positive work cultures and provides a list of specific strategies for employees, managers, and wellness professionals to start using positive psychology to combat LSD. Finally, she leaves us with a tangible tip on how to get started improving the culture in our own organizations.

For links mentioned in today's episode visit: http://bit.ly/Redesignpod

If employees aren't engaging in substance use while on the clock, why is it so imperative that employers champion substance use disorder recovery? "The research shows that 180 billion dollars are lost annually in productivity, turn over, and health care costs in untreated substance use disorders," says Peter Loeb, one part of today's father/daughter guest duo - Peter Loeb and Ashley Loeb Blassingame, co-founders of Lionrock Recovery.

Together, along with their third co-founder Iain Crabb, they have pioneered the path into telehealth for substance use disorder (SUD) recovery, using technology to make treatment more private and attainable to people who could not otherwise get help. With employees in nearly every state, Lionrock Recovery has been convincing the world that virtual treatment is effective far before COVID19 forced us online.

In this episode, Peter shares some of the background in founding Lionrock, and Ashley touches on the benefits of using a platform like Zoom in therapy. They define SUD and discuss why employers should care about recovery, how workplace cultures feed into SUD, and what employers can do to help.

Lastly, Ashley shares a few personal stories to humanize SUD, and they each leave us with a tangible tip we can use to help further the discussion of recovery in our own companies and lives.

This episode is sponsored by University of Wisconsin Health and Wellness Management, offering online bachelor's and master's degrees in wellness management. You can visit hwm.wisconsin.edu for more information.

Graduates of the program have launched successful wellness careers with healthcare systems, wellness program vendors, community agencies, insurance providers, even the military. Here are some really cool things about UW Health and Wellness Management:

• Courses are designed and taught by distinguished faculty from the University of Wisconsin, many of whom actively work in the field.
• UW Health and Wellness Management is also supported by an advisory board, industry experts from corporations such as Children's Wisconsin, Willis Towers Watson, and the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds, who offer advice on changing trends in health and wellness so that students are learning the most up-to-date methods.
• Students often say the flexible, online format is a big factor in their ability to earn a degree. (Our recent situation is an indication of the advantages of online learning.) Although the program is online, you'll make strong connections with peers and faculty, just as you would on campus.

UW Health and Wellness Management bachelor's and master's degrees provide the skills you need to manage comprehensive employee well-being programs that foster healthier lifestyles and promote the value of staying well.

Turn your passion for wellness into a healthy career with University of Wisconsin Health and Wellness Management. Visit hwm.wisconsin.edu or contact an enrollment adviser by phone, 1-877-895-3276.

For links mentioned in today's episode visit: http://bit.ly/Redesignpod