2025 Summit Total Worker Health Panel Reflection

We invited community members to volunteer their time in exchange for a complimentary pass to our Summit by writing session recaps and reflections for our Summit. We hope you enjoy their reflections! Want to watch the Summit on-demand? Learn more here.

Dr. Vic Strecher presented the opening keynote on "Thriving together: the role of purpose in transforming workplace culture." Dr. Strecher gave compelling evidence substantiating that people who have a clear set of core values and a strong sense of purpose in life exhibit greater resilience when facing life's challenges. Despite this, modern society has witnessed a decline in people's sense of purpose due to religious decline, family disintegration, and relinquishment of ancestral profession. Émile Durkheim observed these societal changes in Europe in the 1890s, leading to a loss of people’s purpose. Dr. Strecher indicated that humans have evolved to be collectivistic, pointing to early hunter-gatherers, who collectively hunted large animals such as mastodons as opposed to individually hunting small animals such as rabbits. He identified modern venues where people could collectivize to regain their lost sense of purpose. One venue offering great promise is the occupational group or corporation.

Dr. Strecher shared the true story of how President John F. Kennedy learned just how purposeful a NASA custodian was about his job. When Kennedy asked him what he was doing, the custodian replied, "Well, Mr. President, I’m helping to put a man on the moon." Dr. Strecher expressed optimism that anyone could find purpose in their work if corporations helped them discover it. However, U. S. workforce engagement surveys continue to tell a story of disengaged workers. Through Kumanu's impactful work, Dr. Strecher uncovered that understanding employees' personal purpose for working improves work engagement, fosters a sense of belonging, and increases their intent to remain in the organization. Finally, he illustrated the remarkable results achieved by the British Army by focusing on creating a sense of purpose. Through launching targeted marketing campaigns using personas, the British Army saw a 93% increase in visits to the army jobs website, and a 71% year-on-year increase in applications received from Generation Z workers.

In the final presentation, Linda Tapp, Pam Walaski, Subena Colligan and Alexi Carli, shared their expertise in Total Worker Health (TWH), a holistic approach developed by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to integrate workplace safety, health promotion, and worker well-being. They discussed how physical safety intersects with mental wellbeing of a worker, strategies for integrating TWH into the traditional risk assessment process, and challenges of TWH implementation in the transportation sector. Further, case studies of successful TWH implementation in these areas were highlighted.

Pam Walaski called attention to the issue of opioid overuse among construction workers.  Compared to other industries, mining and construction workers are more likely to receive an opioid prescription for pain management. An injured worker with limited paid time off, wanting to return to work sooner, is more likely to be a victim of opioid abuse. Subena Colligan shed light on challenges of implementing TWH for mental health support. An example she shared was that people experiencing high anxiety experience risk differently based on the nature of their job. For instance, a heavy machine operator experiencing an anxiety episode may be at a higher risk of death or serious physical harm, both to themselves and others, compared to an office worker. Alexi Carli showcased prevalent issues in the transportation industry, including fatigue. Shift work and schedule variations prevent transportation workers from maintaining regular sleep-rest cycles, affecting major areas of their lives such as nutrition, exercise, and life with family. Closing remarks included words of caution while implementing TWH such as building a program ground up versus top down, performing a sound risk assessment before program implementation, and periodically testing the effectiveness of the implemented program. Additional resources for learning more about the framework were provided. The session was moderated by Linda Tapp.

Personally, I feel that both sessions are interconnected and fit well under the overarching theme of "wellness." Wellbeing, as it relates to a sense of purpose, has been greatly contemplated throughout history by both ancient philosophers and modern scholars. Consider one such perspective which originated in ancient Japan during the Heian period (794 to 1185) called "ikigai." Put simply, it means "a thing which brings value and joy." However, based on one’s outlook, it can take a deeper meaning such as "reason for being." Some have suggested "ikigai" to be one of the reasons there are more centenarians in Okinawa, Japan, than anywhere else in the world. Recently, the concept of "ikigai" has gained popularity in the western world, with many workplaces embracing it to foster a sense of purposeful work. Supported by the findings of Kumanu, getting workers to open up about their "ikigai" could greatly improve organizational performance.

According to Caroline Castrillon, a lifestyle expert, finding purpose at work requires "feeding one's soul, changing one's perspective, getting clear on one's values, and acquiring new skills." Feeding one's soul includes meditation, nature walk, exercise, etc. Becoming long-term, strategic, and big-picture thinkers helps one understand how their work impacts their immediate team, department, and the organization, as well as the difference it makes within their community and the world. Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) professionals can advocate for incorporating activities that revitalize the soul into corporate wellness programs, supporting improvement in workers' understanding of company priorities and goals through regular communication from management and facilitating direct engagement with leaders to reinforce workers' connection to organizational priorities.

Clarifying one's values often involves evaluating whether their current work aligns with those values. If a misalignment is found, individuals may consider moving laterally within the same organization. They can acquire new skills through professional development courses and mentorship programs offered by the company. EHS professionals can play a key role in this process by building rapport, establishing trust, and creating a supportive environment where workers feel comfortable sharing their concerns. Once trust is established, EHS professionals can assist with the worker's organizational reassignment or help identify opportunities for the worker's skill development. As they become more attuned to the workers' concerns, they will also be uniquely positioned to implement TWH programs from the ground up.

Although worker wellness has garnered significant attention in recent years, much more needs to be done to create workplaces that support wellbeing holistically. As the field continues to evolve, wellness practitioners, including EHS professionals, play a major role in increasing awareness about critical gaps, and addressing them using evidence-based tools and strategies. Wellbeing Think Tank and other similar organizations are critical in empowering wellness practitioners by providing accessible/affordable resources for skill development, offering mentorship opportunities, and advocating for policies that support worker wellbeing. I look forward to applying the tools and strategies shared by Dr. Vic Strecher, Linda Tapp, Pam Walaski, Subena Colligan and Alexi Carli to my own professional career in EHS.