Creating a truly inclusive culture is key to our employees' health, wellbeing and workplace satisfaction. So how can we harness the power of DE&I to enhance the employee experience, attract and retain talent, and drive productivity - even as work environments transition to a "new normal"?

Google's former Global Head of DE&I and Global Diversity and Culture Executive Wema Hoover makes the case for inclusion as the key to achieving a mentally healthy workforce and unlocking an organization's greatest potential!

The COVID-19 pandemic sparked a transformation in what benefits leaders do - and how they’re viewed – within their organizations. No longer defined solely by their health benefits expertise, benefits leaders are playing key roles in everything from safety protocols and flexible work policies to talent retention and DE&I.

• How can benefits leaders juggle new demands while keeping employee health and wellbeing front and center?
• What new skills and collaborative strategies are needed?
• Where can benefits leaders turn for support and self-care?

Despite a recent emphasis on holistic health, employees and family members are stuck in a reactive "sick care" system. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to recognize the urgent need to integrate behavioral health with physical health in primary care, taking advantage of new digital tools to increase access and improve the health care experience. Dr. Creagh Milford talks us through what it means to create a proactive, truly personalized, holistic approach to health using the best of both in-person and virtual points of care.

From pandemics and climate change to misinformation and social unrest - how can we support employees in attaining mental health, emotional equilibrium and work engagement in the context of what’s happening in the world, at work and at home?

• How can we help employees manage the ongoing demands and stress of their 24/7 lives?
• What avenues of care bridge the gap created by a shortage of mental health providers?
• How do tools designed to improve nutrition, mindfulness and behavioral risk factors like poor sleep or misuse of alcohol intersect with EAPs and traditional mental health services?
• What’s the “glue” that keeps employees engaged and connects them with the help they need, even in a virtual environment?

COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths dominate the headlines but meanwhile, a delayed care crisis has been brewing. Cancer screenings that never took place mean patients are showing up with advanced cases, and delayed care for chronic conditions isn’t good news for employee health in the years to come.

• What kind of catch-up strategy would help employees get back on track?
• How can health plans and hospital systems help with creative solutions?
• Are onsite clinics, screenings and vaccine events still relevant in a virtual working world?
• How can we engage and motivate employees to “do the right thing” for their health?

Primary care opens the door to better physical and mental health, and lowers the overall cost of healthcare. But barely half of 30-year-olds have a primary care physician – and that number decreases with age. So what gives? How can health plan design foster more robust primary care and make it more affordable for everyone, including diverse populations?

We’ve learned a lot about health disparities in BIPOC and LGBTQ+ populations. How do we put those learnings to work while continuing to identify inequities, to create a culture that truly supports inclusion and health equity?

• How do we evaluate vendors using a DE&I lens and partner with them to expand access and reduce disparities?
• How do we use claims data and insights from ERGs, engagement surveys and internal DE&I leadership to better meet the needs of our employee populations?
• What role can care navigation, concierge services and non-traditional networks play in expanding access to providers that meet diverse needs?

Virtual care is here to stay. How do we optimize its potential for effective, efficient care now and in the future – while still recognizing the value of in-person care? UnitedHealthcare’s virtual care guru Karen Silgen, VP Virtual Care, UHC, has some thoughts!

Digital tech has answers for employee needs across the spectrum – from text-based primary care and mental health therapy to caregiving support and burnout prevention – not to mention food delivery and “lifestyle support” apps. What really matters now to employees?

• How do at-home testing, FDA-approved digital therapies and other health tech solutions change the game for employees – and employers?
• What are the most creative ways employers are using digital tech to help employees become healthier and happier?
• Who is helping employers navigate the digital tech terrain?

The Great Resignation may not last but the war for talent will rage on. How can we help attract and retain employees who have more options than ever before?

• Which benefits are the ones employees really value – and that we should invest in?
• How can we hammer home the worth of benefits as part of compensation and make clear what employees are losing if they leave?
• Are there ways to create choice and flexibility in our culture even if remote work options are limited or nonexistent?
• How can sharing personal stories and experiences create a work environment in which employees feel connected to one another and part of something meaningful?