Recently, two national health organizations, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC), updated hypertension guidelines. The previous guidelines for high blood pressure diagnosis were 140 mm Hg/90 mmHg while the new guidelines for high blood pressure are 130 mm Hg/80 mmHg. What does this mean for your employees? Does it impact your workplace wellbeing efforts?

Millennials are the largest generation of employees and for the first time in history, five generations of Americans are now in the workforce. The generational differences present a unique challenge for employers, especially when it comes to values and preferred communication styles.

Tragic stories of loss at the hands of opioids have become all too common. The misuse and abuse of prescription drugs, specifically opioids, has become an epidemic. It is a massive problem impacting our friends, families, communities, and the workforce.

Emergency room, urgent care, telemedicine, nurse hotline, specialist, primary care…there are a variety health care options when you’re faced with an injury or illness, but which should you choose?

This is likely a question your employees face on a regular basis. Choosing the most appropriate option can save them time and money, while the wrong choice can be costly for them and for your organization. Are you helping employees understand how to make this decision?

How is the use of mobile devices and social media impacting the business community?

The prevalence of mobile devices and the increasing use of social media bring both benefits and risks to the employer-employee relationship. With the constant evolution of technology and the active legal landscape, it can be hard to manage the issues in your workplace and keep your organization protected.

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that the EEOC’s final wellness regulations which address the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) on employer-sponsored wellness programs are arbitrary and capricious and sent them back to the agency for review. This ruling is significant because it is the first judicial challenge to the EEOC’s new wellness rules.

Handling employees who have medical conditions that restrict their ability to do their job - this is one of the most difficult and important topics employers face today.

The vast majority of employers with 50 or more employees are still offering health insurance, even with the passage of the Affordable Care Act back in 2010. Why do they do it? Employer funded health insurance still seems to be the key employee benefit that matters most to prospective employees. But if everyone is still doing the same thing, how can you stand out from the crowd? Below are a few essential categories that top performing companies value.

Core values are the heartbeat of your organization. You likely have values that address topics such as respect for all people, individual dignity, and trust among team members. But every day your organization can face threats to your values. These threats can come in the form of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, favoritism, and gossip.

You want your employees to become better health care consumers. To use preventative care measures, to choose urgent care over emergency room visits when appropriate, to consider the options when scheduling a test or procedure, to choose generic prescriptions when possible….you want them to make more informed health decisions.

But how can they do these things if they don’t understand basic health information and services? They can’t make smarter health care decisions until they understand the terms.

Employees can’t become better health care consumers without health literacy!