The American Heart Association’s Health Equity in the Workforce initiative, in collaboration with the Deloitte Health Equity Institute, and the SHRM Foundation, is convening employers and industry leaders to build a comprehensive roadmap that creates tools, resources, and knowledge products to improve the health and well-being of our nation’s workforce.
On this page:
Top Takeaways
Key messages from the Guide
Health Equity Is When Everyone in society has an optimal and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. This means addressing the root causes of inequities.
The Covid-19 Pandemic Highlighted and exacerbated stark health inequities in American communities and increased the number of business leaders, policymakers and other stakeholders who wished to reduce these health inequities.
Achieving Health Equity At Work involves creating systems that give all employees fair and unbiased opportunities and resources so that they can achieve their highest level of health and well-being.
Systemic Biases Or Discrimination in the workplace can be a major barrier to health equity that negatively impacts employee health, productivity, morale and retention.
Growing Costs To Health Inequities are projected to cost the U.S. economy $1 trillion annually by 2040, according to research from Deloitte.
Achieving Health Equity in the workforce involves eliminating gaps in health and well-being outcomes across different employee sub-populations (gender, race, ethnicity, etc.).
Increased Understanding of health equity is needed, as 60% of Human Resources professionals report not understanding the term.
Social Factors In The Broader community have a significant impact on an employee’s ability to be healthy, especially income. Addressing these social drivers of health is everyone’s business.
Employers Can Promote health equity as a business and operational strategy that leads to better employee health outcomes.
A Key Strategic Approach is to design, implement and evaluate comprehensive health and well-being policies and programs, including holistic benefits, through an equity lens.
Organizations Can Measure their progress and success through consistent data collection, critical evaluation and ongoing monitoring.
Executive Summary
Health equity in the workplace is when all employees have the opportunity to achieve their highest level of health and well-being. There are approximately 167 million adults in the U.S. workforce, and given that poor health leads to higher health care costs and lost productivity, business leaders have a vested interest in promoting a culture of health equity and well-being that addresses inequity, discrimination and bias.
The cost of inaction is high. According to a recent analysis from Deloitte, health inequities account for roughly $320 billion in annual U.S. health care spending and if left unaddressed, could cost the U.S. $1 trillion annually by 2040.
There are both moral and business arguments for promoting health equity at work. From a moral perspective, mitigating health inequities could decrease human suffering by positively impacting quality of life and life expectancy. Organizations should strive to improve the quality of human life if they (not we) are able to do so. From a business perspective, addressing health inequities could lead to a reduction in all types of direct and indirect costs ranging from reduced spending on health care to increased productivity and improved business performance.
Health
Inequities =
$320 Billion
in annual U.S. health
care spending
If Left
Unaddressed,
health inequities are
estimated to cost the U.S.
$1 Trillion
Annually
By 2040
Absenteeism
In The
Workplace
can annually
cost U.S. employers
$3,600
per hourly employee
$2,650
per salaried employee
The Business Case
Why should businesses invest in health equity?
Previous studies have shown that a healthy workforce reduces absenteeism, presenteeism, health care costs, and improves productivity. Absenteeism in the workplace can cost U.S. employers $3,600 per hourly employee and $2,650 per salaried employee annually.
Racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of bias and discrimination in the workforce can also have economic costs. Approximately 33% of Black employees, 26% of Asian employees, and 21% of Hispanic Latino employees report unfair treatments at their place of work due to their race or ethnicity. Discrimination at work can lead to chronic stress, which is a risk factor for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure. Racism has cost the U.S. economy $16 trillion in lost opportunity costs over the past 20 years.
Actionable Strategies: Summary
For a more detailed discussion of these 19 strategies, please download the Employer Resource Guide.
Align organizational priorities and resources with health equity.
- Prioritize health equity as a strategic business imperative by embedding it into the mindset, strategy, operations, resources allocations, and talent.
- Design and implement comprehensive health and well-being policies and programs through an equity lens.
- Train managers in health equity and equip them with resources to implement and sustain health equity strategies.
*This information does not constitute legal advice; these activities should be carefully reviewed in consultation with legal and HR advisors prior to implementation to assess risk as well as compliance with any applicable laws.
Enhance diversity and inclusion by recruiting and retaining professionals from diverse backgrounds.
- Take steps to minimize bias and discrimination in hiring and retention practices.
- Advocate for culturally and linguistically effective training for all employees.
- Offer paid family, medical and sick leave.
*This information does not constitute legal advice; these activities should be carefully reviewed in consultation with legal and HR advisors prior to implementation to assess risk as well as compliance with any applicable laws.
Create an inclusive and supportive environment where employees of all backgrounds are treated with respect and have equal opportunities for success.
- Offer comprehensive and affordable health care coverage for all employees without regard to racial or ethnic backgrounds.
- Offer diversity, equity and inclusion training for all employees. Note: Given the shifting policy environment at the state level, we recommend that these activities are carefully reviewed in consultation with legal and HR advisors prior to implementation to assess risk as well as compliance with any applicable laws.
- Support employee financial well-being through financial education, benefits and other resources.
- Adopt anti-discrimination principles and implement anti-discrimination policies (e.g., race, gender, religion etc.).
- Promote employee health literacy and employee benefits literacy.
- Review communications for cultural appropriateness, diverse representation and accessibility.
- Offer and promote the use of employee assistance programs (EAPs).
*This information does not constitute legal advice; these activities should be carefully reviewed in consultation with legal and HR advisors prior to implementation to assess risk as well as compliance with any applicable laws.
Implement policies and practices that support the fair and equal advancement of all employees to ensure inclusion and equitable growth.
- Include equity metrics and indicators in performance processes and evaluations.
- Ensure employees have a voice in organizational decision-making, where appropriate.
- Ensure pay equity and promote a living wage.
*This information does not constitute legal advice; these activities should be carefully reviewed in consultation with legal and HR advisors prior to implementation to assess risk as well as compliance with any applicable laws.
Drive equity by actively incorporating principles of fairness and justice into an organization’s products, services and relationships within the communities it operates.
- Look for opportunities to expand diversity of supplier pool and engage businesses owned by underrepresented owners (e.g. women-owned, Black owned, LGBTQIA+ owned businesses).
- Strive to assemble a leadership team that is composed of people from diverse backgrounds and representatives of the workforce and community.
- Advocate for science-backed public health policies in communities through collaborations and alliances.
*This information does not constitute legal advice; these activities should be carefully reviewed in consultation with legal and HR advisors prior to implementation to assess risk as well as compliance with any applicable laws.