Driving Health Equity in the Workforce

Employers have a key role to play in addressing health disparities nationwide and achieving a state of health equity, in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to live a healthy life. Research shows that by addressing drivers of health inequities in the workplace, employers can increase the health and productivity of their workforce and reduce health care spending. Health inequities account for roughly $320 billion in annual U.S. health care spending and counting, according to recent analysis from Deloitte. Building a workplace where all employees can thrive is no longer an option—it’s a moral and business imperative.

The American Heart Association’s Health Equity in the Workforce initiative, in collaboration with Deloitte Health Equity Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Foundation, will leverage the expertise of business leaders to build a comprehensive roadmap and set of resources to help advance health equity in the workforce. Powered by the Association’s Well-being Works Better™ platform, which helps business leaders promote health and well-being for all, the initiative aims to enable positive health outcomes for 10 million U.S. workers by 2025.

Preventable health disparities have plagued generations of Americans, with under-resourced and systematically marginalized populations among those impacted most. For example, Black people in the U.S. are at nearly twice the risk of experiencing a first stroke and rural life expectancy is approximately three years lower when compared to urban life expectancy. Up to 80% of health outcomes are driven by social, economic and environmental factors, many of which employers can impact by offering comprehensive health and well-being benefits, safe workspaces, employee education and other programs.