Employee Benefits and Wellness Excellence February 2023

Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Algorithms Accelerating Consumer mHealth Evolution

3 ways mHealth innovations drive meaningful lifestyle modifications

- Merilee Kern, Founder, Luxe List

Top Picks 11 19

You Owe Your Employees Financial Wellness

What is the link between physical health and financial wellness?

- Shiela Mie Legaspi, President, Cyberbacker

3 Reasons Financial Education Is An Underrated Work Perk That Employers Should Consider Financial education complements existing employee benefits

- Shyam Pradheep, General Manager, Zogo

24 31

Employees Stuck In “Lower Brain”? Try One Of These Eight Mood Shifters

When leaders take these simple actions, it shifts how employees think, feel, and perform

- Michael E. Frisina, Ph.D. Founder, The Frisina Group, and Robert W. Frisina, Principal,

Frisina Group

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Digital Health, Employee Wellness and More

Theeconomic impacts of the pandemic have elevated employee stress in the last few years, and many employees are still struggling with these issues. After three years of crisis, with millions of employees leaving their jobs seeking a new meaning to life, employers are slowly adopting new wellness models and transforming their workplace culture.

From allowing music in the workplace to offering flexibility at work, providing financial education to offering mental health platforms, employers are rethinking their approaches to wellness and curating initiatives that meet the needs of employees where they are. Many factors and trends will come to a head in 2023 as we try to figure out the post-pandemic "new normal."

Read the February edition of Employee Benefits & Wellness Excellence for valuable insights on digital health trends 2023, financial wellness, flexibility at work, and much more.

Digital health is making significant strides in transforming healthcare delivery and paving the way for improved health equity. AI and ML are poised to create a transformative impact in 2023. Read Charles DeShazer's (Director of Clinical Products, Google) article, 5 Digital Health Trends For 2023 for valuable insights on how digital health is revolutionizing healthcare.

Organizations owe their employees fair compensation, but what good are those salaries if employees are not empowered to make smart financial decisions and establish sound financial habits? Read Shiela Mie Legaspi’s article, (President, Cyberbacker) You Owe Your Employees Financial Wellness, which addresses the link between physical health and financial wellness.

Financial education is the perfect complement to benefits like 401k’s, options, insurance, and more because it teaches employees how to responsibly take advantage of these opportunities. Shyam Pradheep's (General Manager, Zogo) article, 3 Reasons Financial Education Is An Underrated Work Perk That Employers Should Consider, discusses why financial education is the key to building prosperous financial futures for employees, companies, and our communities at large.

Leaders have a huge impact on employees’ state of mind. When people are in their upper brain, they’re more likely to do what they need to do. The more we emphasize what’s going well, the more likely people are to stay in their upper brain—and the more likely success is to be repeated.

Michael E.

Frisina

and Robert W. Frisina's (Frisina Group) article, Employees Stuck In “Lower Brain”? Try One Of These Eight Mood Shifters, points out how simple actions by leaders shift how employees think, feel, and perform.

Employees are reluctant to accept the same old wellness solutions any more. Instead, they’re looking for employers who can offer packages that keep their overall health and well-being in mind. The smartest employers know that investing in health and wellness, encouraging employees to maintain a work-life balance and supporting their unique needs will increase engagement and productivity.

We hope you enjoy reading all the insightful articles in this edition. Please let us know your suggestions/feedback on our articles.

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5 Digital Health Trends For 2023

AI and ML are poised to create a transformative impact in 2023

By Charles DeShazer, M.D, Google

will be one of the most consequential years yet for the healthcare industry. Many factors and trends will come to a head in 2023 as we try to figure out the post-pandemic "new normal." And, spoiler alert, the pandemic is not over. In considering where digital health may go, we have to

2023

consider the healthcare industry context. This context involves ongoing financial struggles, including inflation and a potential looming recession, workforce issues, including burnout, payer-provider contract challenges (even though there is growth in "payviders"), increase in the cost

of capital, the worse stock market in 14 years (affecting institutional investment returns), growth of value-based care and patient volume translocation. These large complex factors strike at the core of healthcare business models, revenue, profit margins, and customers.

As it is said, no margin, no mission. So there is existential uncertainty for most players in the healthcare industry for 2023. How will digital health strategies and tools help in this context? What are the trends to double down on or ignore at your peril? In general, organizations will move away from unproven, long-term, or speculative value creation and point solutions, and focus on short-term benefits, especially in terms of revenue. For those that are close, there will be efforts to accelerate the most promising and transformative strategies to the tipping point of value creation. Here are my thoughts on the top 5 digital health trends for 2023 in no particular order.

The Use of AI and Not Just Generative AI Will Grow Explosively

When you convert content to 0's and 1's, the computer is amazing at picking up on subtle distinctions as well as replicating patterns. With the growth of

computing power and the volume of content that is now available in digital form in healthcare, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are poised to create a transformative impact in 2023.

The generative AI viral sensation ChatGPT offers a glimpse of the possibilities. Google has evaluated a medically tuned model. It is not ready for prime time in healthcare due to the high bar and the risk of these models making stuff up, being biased, and having subpar accuracy. However, the real value being created is accomplished by leveraging conventional AI/ML in focused use cases to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions, analyze large amounts of data, create predictive models, and aid administrative applications. For example, Digital Diagnostics, uses autonomous AI to revolutionize how diseases are detected at the point of care. One of their products is the first FDA-cleared product that detects

diabetic retinopathy (including macular edema) at the point of care.

On the administrative side, AI may help reduce burnout. The University of California Davis and virtual practice management platform LiveCare Corp. have launched a platform with artificial intelligence functionality that interprets care team conversations in real time to reveal insights that may improve patient care, clinician experience, and billing accuracy. Many AI bets have been placed. We will start to see which ones deliver real value in 2023. The Star Trek medical tricorder may not be far away.

Continuous Care Will Begin to Emerge as a Value-Based Strategy

The pandemic, along with enabling regulations and policies, forced many organizations to commit to telehealth and thereby de-mystify and de-risk the implementation of virtual care technologies. The use of virtual care is now becoming just another method of providing care, rather than a separate department or organization. Along with the slow but inexorable march towards value-based care, there is now the opportunity to implement innovative care models that bring care to consumers where they are, on-demand, and even enable continuous care. With the increasing use of the digital front door, remote patient monitoring (RPM), and hospital at home, virtual care is more mainstream and accepted.

The one caveat is that there is a risk that it will be used as just another revenue generator in a Fee-For-Service (FFS) environment as opposed to becoming a way to innovate and increase convenience, access, and efficiency, typically seen in a shared risk environment. For example, that is a question for Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM). At its best, virtual care tools can be used to move far upstream in the care process and enable preventive and proactive care, as in automated hovering and virtual primary care models. These business models require aligned incentives. "Payviders" are uniquely positioned to execute this model. Expect to see more robust and advanced models of virtual care in 2023.

The Empowerment of Consumers Along Several Lines Will Continue to Grow

The idea of consumer empowerment in healthcare has been talked about for many years. There has been slow incremental progress in this regard, but there has yet to be a tipping point of transformative change. In 2023, we may begin to see the making of a tipping point. There are two key elements that may save healthcare in the US. One is consumer empowerment, and the other is strengthening primary care, which I will discuss next. In terms of consumer empowerment, Deloitte health actuaries project a deceleration in health spending, likely creating a US$3.5 trillion “well-being dividend” by 2040, which involves a dramatic transformation

driven by new business models, emerging technologies, and highly engaged consumers. They call this, not bending the cost curve but "breaking" the cost curve. This will be driven by increasing transparency, personalized medicine, digital front doors, continuous care efforts, and wearables.

Consumers are willing to share data securely if they have a direct benefit. These data become powerful signals for proactive care when integrated with other clinical data sources. For example, Google Cloud has introduced device connect for Fitbit to enable the harmonization of Fitbit data and exposure to analytic engines. Consumer engagement and empowerment is the first step toward truly person-centered care. We should see growth and progress in this regard in 2023.

A Growing Number of Primary Care Services Will be Tech-Enabled

Along with consumer empowerment, strengthening primary care is critical for repairing our ailing healthcare system. There have been decades of studies showing that strong primary care is associated with all of the important values we desire in healthcare, higher quality, better outcomes, lower costs, and excellent patient experience.

Implementing High-Quality

Primary Care, a report From the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, underscores that primary care is the only healthcare component where an increased supply is associated with better population

health and more equitable outcomes. For this reason, primary care is a common good, making the strength and quality of the country’s primary care services a public concern.

Unfortunately, pre-pandemic, we had a physician burnout issue which the pandemic has only made worse. As a result, the most vital component of the healthcare system is the most fragile due to underinvestment and burnout. There are efforts to address underinvestment, and successful value-based models tend to emphasize and strengthen primary care. As technology may have contributed to burnout, more advanced technologies may also provide help for the burnout challenge. As mentioned in the NASEM report, systems should aggregate information and make that information usable by clinicians, patients, families, and community members to carry out the core functions of primary care. In other words using technology to connect the dots, automate clerical functions, and reduce the workload of primary care physicians is the key.

Effective digital health systems will (1) support relationships; (2) support high-functioning interprofessional teams to engage in sensemaking, decisionmaking, and action; (3) integrate care delivery across systems and communities; (4) reduce workload; and (5) make care more equitable and of high quality. We are beginning to see examples of technology used in this way. For example, advances in natural language processing (NLP)

enabled voice technologies are providing new opportunities to improve the electronic health record (EHR) user experience and reduce EHR-associated physician burnout. "Ambient clinical computing" is maturing, and documentation may soon become as easy as talking to the patient. We are also beginning to see mature technology and standards begin to solve some of the most thorny and frustrating workflows.

As an example, the prior authorization process is one of the most frustrating processes for clinicians as well as one of the most difficult processes to automate. The Da Vinci group has established standards that are being tested in real-world scenarios to automate the prior authorization process and reduce the burden. Watch for tech-enabled primary care to complement structural and reimbursement-based efforts to strengthen primary care in 2023.

There Will Be an Expansion of Health Equity Technology Solutions

In the wake of the George Floyd tragedy and recognition of disparate outcomes during the pandemic, there are real and substantial efforts to finally address health inequities. A digital innovation approach to health equity challenges offers enormous opportunities for technology and life sciences companies and significant downstream economic, financial, and health benefits. There is also recognition that digital health

technologies can ameliorate or exacerbate the existing digital divide. As a result, the ONC has emphasized health equity by design as we develop and deploy digital health solutions.

We also must ensure that unconscious bias does not curtail access to digital tools. For example, in one study it was found that, in 2019 and 2020, Black and Hispanic individuals were offered and accessed patient portals at significantly lower rates than white individuals. Even after accounting for other factors that may influence patient engagement, racial and ethnic disparities in patient portal offers and access persisted: Black and Hispanic individuals were significantly less likely to report being offered and subsequently accessing their portal compared to their white counterparts. However, when they examined access and use among those who reported being offered a portal, disparities largely diminished – which suggests differences in access were likely driven by disparities in being offered a portal. As patient portals mature into robust digital front doors, it will be critical to ensure equitable offering and access.

The mass customization and personalization that is becoming more feasible would benefit those with unique needs the most. This aligns well with quality and value-based initiatives because you will not optimize value unless you do so for your entire population. In December 2022, The Institute for Advancing

Health Value hosted a virtual summit featuring industry leaders prioritizing equity in their value journey. With the attention being paid to digital health literacy, data and analytics, algorithmic bias, quality, and value-based care alignment and equity by design, expect to see the needle moving in 2023 on this important issue.

Overall, digital health is making significant strides in transforming healthcare delivery and paving the way for improved health equity. By leveraging AI-driven technologies, empowered consumers, and tech-enabled primary care solutions, we can reduce burnout among healthcare providers while providing better outcomes and reducing costs across all populations through continuous care. Through these efforts, digital health has the potential to revolutionize how healthcare is accessed and delivered. 2023 will be the year we will see if these complementary and mutually reinforcing trends and strategies converge to demonstrate a transformative effect on the healthcare industry.

Charles DeShazer, M.D. is the Director of Clinical Products at Google.

Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Algorithms Accelerating Consumer mHealth Evolution

By Merilee Kern, The Luxe List

Today’s apps, wearables, biomedical systems, tablets and other novel mHealth innovations are evolving into leading-edge utilities—some with artificial intelligence and other advanced self-assessment algorithms proffering progress monitoring, performance feedback and other key and motivation, engagement and participation drivers. These advancements are helping drive global mobile health market growth, which is forecasted to reach nearly $247 billion by 2025.

The application of machine learning and data science in the user-driven mHealth realm is understandably escalating as favorable outcomes ensue. As a case in point, one report cites research finding that deep and machine learning have a proven ability to solve key consumer mHealth issues and challenges, including improving privacy preservation, service quality, and user experiences. Today’s breed of mHealth platforms and applications are aptly integrating analytic algorithms to support the use, interpretation and integration of specific data points to more effectively address lifestyle concerns and even serious chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and obesity. These and other conditions drive the mHealth app market expansion. Artificial intelligence and other advanced algorithms are facilitating comprehensive,

timely and more accurate analysis of impactful health information that’s available on-demand, in real-time to consumers.

Further fueling optimism within the mobile healthtech category is research consistently validating the power of "gamification"— defined as “the application of a ‘game system’ in a non-game context”—as a behavioral intervention allowing people better manage, and even help rectify, an array of wellness concerns. Amid validated efficacy, the gamification method in particular is driving extreme global market growth and represents an exciting facet of mobile healthtech as the category evolves.

Here are 3 ways mHealth innovations drive meaningful lifestyle modifications:

Mental Health

Addressing mental health issues has gone mainstream and, in fact, is ranked higher than cancer for top societal health concerns. Algorithm and data science advancements can help users track mood, stress and anxiety levels with greater speed and accuracy, and also proffer interventions like sending alerts when medical care might be prudent.

3 ways mHealth innovations drive meaningful lifestyle modifications

According to a Frontiers in Psychology report, the benefits of mental health screening and diagnostic apps include reducing strain on mental health services, improving patient well-being and increasing access for underrepresented groups. With respect to mHealth, it cites that tools such as applications (apps) “can facilitate early identification of mental health disorders and support self-management. mHealth tools are convenient, instant, and scalable and empower individuals in managing their mental health, without the restrictions imposed by traditional mental health services (i.e., lack of access and long waiting times) . Apps can also aid in engaging typically hard-to-reach patient populations by reducing stigma and increasing help-seeking behaviors.”

AI-powered mobile healthcare apps like Youper use an AI chatbot to interact with patients to determine their health conditions, suggest therapies, connect patients with professionals, and more. Leveraging artificial intelligence makes Youper uniquely able to combine

clinical effectiveness and patient engagement. At the core of Youper’s AI-powered digital mental health solutions is a conversational agent that listens to and interacts with users; just-in-time interventions that help users manage emotional challenges whenever and wherever they need; and personalization to recommend techniques that fit users' specific needs.

Cardiovascular Health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, so highly advanced apps are being developed to help address this pervasive problem. One of which is Anura, which is a comprehensive video-based health and wellness measurement app that uses the camera on your mobile device to assess wellness and provide medical-grade measurements using data gathered from a 30-second video selfie. This includes vital signs like heart rate, irregular heartbeat, blood pressure and more and with respect to risks like cardiovascular disease, heart attached and hypertension.

Other mHealth apps like Binah.ai can detect and monitor biomarkers like blood pressure, heart rate, heart rate variability (multiple parameters and RRI raw data), oxygen saturation, breathing rate, sympathetic stress, parasympathetic activity, pulse-respiration quotient (PRQ) and Binah Wellness Score. It uses deep learning, computer vision, and signal processing techniques to analyze the person’s face from a video stream of exposed skin to provide important health measurements

Obesity

In the data science-driven fitness and diet gamification realm, there is a wide array of noteworthy examples. One of which is CARROT—a free app that rewards you financially for walking. By achieving individualized activity goals, users earn virtual currencies that can be used to play games, compete in challenges, bid on auctions and earn rewards.

While throngs of healthcare companies and applications have added gamification strategies to their solution suite—or have otherwise appeared on the scene in recent years—some visionaries have been pioneering the diet gamification space for well over a decade. Founded in 2009 with data-driven wellness gamification as its entire business model is HealthyWage. Unlike the glut of exercise-oriented apps that dominate this gamification sub-category, HealthyWage is instead championing—and financially rewarding—the results of one’s fitness and nutrition efforts relative to resulting healthy weight loss and management. This weight-loss wagering company offers numerous types of data analytics-informed and behavioral science-backed contests and challenges for both individual and team dieters, all fueled by cash incentives; social- and expert-based support; goal-setting, and advanced performance-tracking technologies among other tools and resources.

Game On!

Various reports explore the convergence of gamification and machine learning. One by SpringerLink with clear mHealth applicability underscored that “Overall, machine learning methods have been used to improve the performance of gamified tasks. In this regard, the fact that personalized adaptive gamification has the potential to enhance individuals’ motivation and performance, especially in learning platforms, raises the application of machine learning. Machine learning can tailor the gamified interactions and dynamically configure the interaction parameters. Furthermore, gamification and machine learning can also be used cooperatively to enhance the effect of one another on a predefined task. For example, in the context of behavioral change, dynamically changing gamified interactions can encourage users to interact with the system in a sustainable manner.”

Relative to gamification efficacy itself, a Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School report underscores research detailing why this method is proven to work, noting, “The most prominent categories of persuasive feedback involve goal setting, overcoming challenges, providing feedback on performance, reinforcement of positive behaviors, comparing progress and social connectivity.” A Research Dive report adds even more clarity, citing that “gamification technologies help people to adhere to the path of attaining their goals by tapping into their instincts and strengths. Gamification in healthcare apps serves as a good cop and bad cop at the same time, keeping up high enthusiasm as well as loyalty among people.”

As a further case in point, newly published findings from the new JAMA Network "Financial Incentives for Weight Reduction" clinical trial prove that paying obese people cash for weight loss is highly effective, even doubling fat loss rates. Related reports underscore the key finding that “paying cash to people with obesity for losing a specific amount of weight or completing weight-reducing activities works better than offering stand-alone free tools, such as weight-loss programs, diet books and wearable fitness trackers.” This is amid throngs of

other behavioral science studies validating the power of gamifying weight loss efforts: money-motivated obesity intervention and prevention.

With the efficacy of healthcare gamification consistently proven, the category has skyrocketed and hugely sustained growth is forecasted throughout the years ahead. In fact, another Research Dive’s report reveals the global healthcare gamification market is anticipated to rise at a stunning 11% CAGR, garnering a revenue of nearly $9.5 by 2031 (up from $3,260.00 million in 2021). This is amid “the gradual shift of the medical sector to preventive healthcare expected to help the prevention application sub-segment to become the most profitable one.”

Get in the Game: Experts Weigh-In

Given the multitude of studies and reports upholding the efficacy of gamified health and wellness for both prevention and intervention, credentialed field authorities advocate the benefits of this approach— both related to general healthcare and diet and fitness in particular.

According to Board Certified Sports Dietitian Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, LD/N, “Losing weight and keeping it off is one of the most difficult behaviors to change. Making a game of increasing exercise and making healthier nutrition choices can be a powerful way to provide additional motivation. People with a competitive streak in them love to have a way to play a game, but also get health benefits at the same time. Having a financial investment or incentive adds another layer of motivation. No one likes to lose money or waste money with no return, either financially or with health rewards.”

Kimberly Gomer, MS, RD, LD/N sees the many opportunities gamification presents in the nutrition and weight-loss space. “So many people rely on their smartphones and apps to provide them with information about how to get healthier and lose weight,” she says. “Any app that offers both support and accountability is a huge asset to a program for those who enjoy that type of connection. Apps that offer fitness support and accountability are extremely helpful for those that want to include fitness in their

lifestyle.” She also believes it is critical not to rely on an app, alone, when it comes to nutrition and diet. “Each person has their own individual challenges around health and creating the pathway to reach their health and weight-loss goals,” Gomer continues. “But, any support system strengthens the resolve and may make the experience more beneficial and more fun.” She also says that gaming as it relates to diet and exercise can be particularly helpful for certain personality types. “The ‘Type A’ person who loves to compete will love participating in weight loss and exercise gaming challenges.”

Nutrition expert William Toro, BHSC, appreciates the many ways that technology is spurring participation and success with wellness gamification, assuredly factoring into escalating category demand. “People find it easy to track their health issues, improvement, tasks to be set, and reminders,” he says. Specific to dieting, he further notes that people can set a diet plan, reminders not to take high-calorie foods, watch videos to do complex exercise postures that are difficult to remember as well as contact and consult diet and fitness experts for any issues.

Beyond tech tools that can bolster gameplay, Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Coach Emily Tills, MS, RDN highlights the motivational benefits of gamifying wellness endeavors. “Most individuals cannot mind the motivation within themselves to do a certain task, build a habit or try to work out consistently,” she says. “They don't find it fun enough or make excuses as to why they can be too busy to fit some of these things in. With the gamification of health and nutrition and apps, this can be a convenient way to challenge someone—especially when paired against their friends—to build a better habit. The game can add a layer of fun to things that they would usually find mundane or not worth doing. We also enjoy things that give us positive feedback; by beating a friend or leveling up with habits or exercise, we are constantly challenged mentally and physically to keep going and do more.”

Health and Wellbeing Behavioral Science expert

Casey Hughes, MA, MCHES, NBC-HWC, notes, “Gamification is increasingly popular in healthcare

due to its ability to make redundant or anxietyprovoking experiences more dynamic and exciting.” She clarifies that, while gamification can positively impact motivation, the focus should be on “progress, not perfection,” explaining that “gamification for weight loss is most effective when it creates an engaging environment for building healthy habits that encourages experimentation and iteration.”

Registered Dietitian Julianna Coughlin, MS, RD, LD/N, cites that “Gamification is a great way to incentivize and gamify weight loss by bringing in outside stimulants, rewards, and a community to help motivate those involved. Lack of motivation is one of the most common reasons weight loss efforts fail as people become disinterested and bored. Game methods can keep the proverbial ‘carrot in front of the horse’ and the goal at the front of the participant’s mind.”

Registered and Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist

Suzanne Fisher, MS, RD, LD/N, cites, "One of the most significant effects of gamification apps is providing a jumpstart to a healthy lifestyle and possible weight loss. Changing one's behaviors can be difficult and often monotonous. Gamification motivates participants toward behavioral change using camaraderie in a fun and approachable way."

Kellie K. Middleton, MD/MPH, an Orthopedic Surgeon who places great emphasis on providing advanced orthopedic and sports medicine care, emphasizes how gamification is a powerful tool for engaging and motivating her patients toward their fitness ambitions. “It can help to keep people motivated and on track with their health and weight-loss pursuits,” she says. “Some of the most popular apps for health and wellness, like Nike Run Club, CARROT and HealthyWage, are perfect examples of how effective gamification techniques can be in helping users achieve their fitness goals.”

Gamers Win Big

As Research Dive aptly points out, “acquiring healthy habits is not always an enjoyable journey but, with the help of gamification, the entire process can be a little more fun, stress-free, motivating and enjoyable.

Nowadays, gamification is widely used in healthcare for encouraging people to stick to their diet, sleep better, exercise regularly, or keep up with their mental well-being.”

Implementing lasting and meaningful self-care behavioral changes can prove challenging, if not seemingly impossible, for some. Gamifying the process—especially that related to enhanced fitness and weight loss with elements of fun, competition, and having some form of “skin in the game,” and financially rewarding the achievements in kind—is now well-proven to be a powerful catalyst. Gamification has proven itself to be an effective way to level up one’s wellness.

Sources:

● https://www.statista.com/statistics/1014589/ worldwide-mhealth-market-size/

● https://www.hindawi.com/journals/cmmm/si/380618/

● https://digitalhealth.med.brown.edu/news/2021-11-03/ gamification

● https://www.globenewswire.com/en/ news-release/2023/01/11/2587143/0/en/ Global-Healthcare-Gamification-Market-Anticipatedto-Generate-a-Revenue-of-9-040-9-Million-and-Rise-ata-CAGR-of-11-0-during-the-Analysis-Timeframe-20222031-230-Pages-Details-by-R.html

● https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/ healthcare-gamification-market?gclid=Cj0KCQiA1ZGcB hCoARIsAGQ0kkoufJx4J80cEJwMTT7Mh7pBh7BnAPX dzLLYWSDbOJYbwjoP_8aEEUUaAla4EALw_wcB

● https://digitalhealth.med.brown.edu/news/2021-11-03/ gamification

● https://www.researchdive.com/62/Analyst-Review/ healthcare-gamification-market

● https://jamanetwork.com/journals/ jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2799223?guestAcces sKey=180aa224-09cd-4fa4-973e4cab07369c83&utm_ source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_ campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_ term=120522 https://www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2022/12/221205121556.htm

● https://www.globenewswire.com/en/ news-release/2022/09/26/2522627/0/en/

Global-Healthcare-Gamification-Market-Expected-toGrow-at-11-0-CAGR-and-Gather-9-040-90-Million-inthe-2022-2031-Timeframe-250-Pages-Affirmed-byResearch-Dive.html

● https://www.researchdive.com/62/Analyst-Review/ healthcare-gamification-market

● https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/11/ global-healthcare-mental-health-survey/

● https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC9091910/

● https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/ s10758-020-09456-4

HealthTech evangelist Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand strategist and analyst who reports on noteworthy industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators across all B2B and B2C categories. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events. As a former fitness champion twice over, wellness industry veteran and health advocate, she’s also author of the award-winning, illustrated fictional children’s book, “Making Healthy Choices – A Story to Inspire Fit, Weight-Wise Kids.” A prolific industry trends voice of authority and tastemaker, Merilee keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme—also delving into the minds behind the brands. Merilee is also Host of the “Savvy Ventures” business TV show that airs nationally on FOX Business TV and Bloomberg TV and the “Savvy Living” lifestyle TV show that airs in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Atlanta and other major markets on CBS, FOX and other top networks.

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Music In the Workplace: What Tops The Charts Among Employees

Bring an upbeat vibe to your workplace

By Ross Honey, TouchTunes

Knowing your employees is key to building a positive workplace culture where trust and communication exist and showing you’re invested in employees’ interests and who they are as people instills a sense of belonging. Experiencing the value of belonging at work increases job performance by 56 percent and lowers turnover risk by 50 percent.

To tap into this strategy for team success and belonging, employers are turning to innovative ways to get to know their employees. So, move over the icebreaker questions, there’s a new tune in workplaces that is setting the tone for a positive workplace culture where employees share their authentic selves through the power of music.

As organizations are bringing employee-selected and shared music to work environments in order to boost morale, engagement, and productivity, let's look at music genres that top

the charts across the country, in workplaces and beyond.

Rock Jams

Rock music isn’t only for headbanging concerts and garage bands. According to the TouchTunes Unlimited charts, it is the top musical genre that employees play in the workplace. Not only are the jams nostalgic and enjoyable, but research also

shows that playing more upbeat music helps improve processing speed, which is no surprise since rock music is often fast-paced and energetic, helping people to feel more awake and alert. We’re not suggesting a few good rock jams shared throughout the workplace will replace that third cup of coffee but, we’re also not saying it won’t.

Country Hits

Country music has deep roots in American history and is associated with the grit and grind of the American working class. This dynamic and complex genre tends to speak directly to the working class by covering topics such as difficult jobs and family matters, connecting the strong themes to working-class listeners. While not all songs are created equal, the traditional slow, soothing melodies of country tunes help employees feel more relaxed, as research shows that slower tempos can quiet the mind and help relax muscles in a stressrelieving manner. On another note, country music lyrics often touch on themes of hope and perseverance, which can motivate employees to move through a challenging task or obstacle.

Rap and Hip-Hop

A positive company culture that instills a sense of belonging means that employees are encouraged to show up every day as their authentic selves. With shared music at work, employees can turn up the volume on their favorite rap and hip-hop tracks. At TouchTunes Unlimited, we found that many employees were playing this genre in the workplace, and the benefits extend beyond pure enjoyment. Interestingly, rap music is found to trigger certain parts of the brain that control emotion, motor function, language and motivation, according to a Cambridge University study, which has the overall ability to support one’s well-being. Additionally, rap lyrics are traditionally a form

of emotional expression, which allows listeners to connect and express their own feelings through the power of music.

Pop Songs

From classics like Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” to current beats like Elton John and Dua Lipa’s “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix),” pop music has a way of making us sway to the fun beats. Pop music is intrinsically motivating, and research shows that 58 percent of surveyed data-entry employees worked faster when listening to pop music. In addition to supporting faster work, the upbeat tunes of pop encourage active breaks during the workday. As more employers strive to put a stronger focus on health and wellness –with 46 percent of U.S. worksites implementing a workplace health program of some kind in the last couple of years – playing energetic pop songs naturally encourages physical activity at work. According to the U.S. National National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a short dance break combats the American average of 7.7 hours spent being sedentary per day.

Rhythm and Blues

Rounding out the top five most-played music genres that dominated workplaces through TouchTunes jukeboxes are the smooth tunes of rhythm and blues (R&B) music. R&B music was developed by Black artists in the 1940s, originating from gospel, jazz, folk, and original blues influences, and the genre

has continually topped the charts over the years. With a diverse range of artists and styles, R&B is an important and influential genre that welcomes diversity into workplace culture, which is essential to build inclusive company cultures.

Music in the workplace is already proven to bring benefits including reduced stress, enhanced creativity, and improved productivity and mood, but organizations today are finding that music is also essential to strengthening workplace culture and creating environments where all employees feel a sense of belonging. By sharing the many benefits of the musical genres of rock, country, rap and hip-hop, pop, and R&B, employers are empowered to bring an upbeat vibe to their places of work and demonstrate their commitment to employees’ happiness and well-being.

You Owe Your Employees Financial Wellness

What is the link between physical health and financial wellness?

By Shiela Mie Legaspi, Cyberbacker

Accordingto a recent survey, 63% of employees feel increasing financial stress since the pandemic. The survey reveals that only 47% of employees say they can meet basic expenses if they find themselves unemployed, and 49% say they expect to access retirement money before they retire.

Organizations owe their employees fair compensation, but what good are those salaries if employees are not empowered to make smart financial decisions and establish sound financial habits? In recent years, we've become more attuned to the toll physical and mental illness takes on our staff. However, financial unwellness is reaching epidemic levels in the workplace, and it is just as critical. What's more, as you support your employees' financial health, you'll find it benefits them as well as your company.

Definition of Financial Health

Financial health is a holistic concept including financial knowledge, financial behavior, and financial outcomes. Essentially, it boils down to an ability to handle day-to-day financial obligations as well as those arising in the future. When your employees have good financial health, they are not fazed by monthly bills, filling up the gas tank, or trips to the grocery store. Their savings are sufficient to cover emergencies like car repairs or medical surprises. They are not caught off guard by financial burdens such as weddings, college bills, and retirement.

Living paycheck to paycheck impacts more than just your employees' finances: it impacts their overall well-being. As an employer, you can help employees establish their financial health. Start by giving them a firm foundation of financial knowledge. When your employees learn the value of using money wisely, they can make intelligent financial decisions each day and understand how those small decisions affect their finances in the long run.

Financial Health Affects the Workplace

In a recent survey from Thriving Wallet, 90% of individuals say that money impacts their stress level, 65% say financial difficulties are piling up too fast to overcome, and 40% say financial stress limits their ability to enjoy day-to-day life. That same study shows that 40% of Americans are not taking steps to secure their financial future.

Finally, as you help your employees become more successful through financial wellness programs, they will likely be more satisfied in their professional roles. For you, this leads to increased workplace morale and reduced turnover rates.

How Can Employers Help Employees Achieve Financial Health

As an employer, you can help your employees with their financial health by providing the education and tools they need, including access to financial services. As you establish a culture of fiscal responsibility, you empower your employees to make sound financial decisions, reduce their stress and improve their overall well-being.

The link between financial health and overall health is well established. Our bodies are not designed for long-term stress. When we encounter a threat, our hypothalamus tells our adrenal glands to flood our bodies with adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline increases our heart rate, blood pressure, and energy level. Cortisol increases sugars in our bloodstream and downgrades non-essential fight/flight systems like our immune, digestive, and reproductive system. When stress becomes long-term, that natural fight/ flight response is ongoing and wreaks havoc on the body. According to the Mayo Clinic, long-term activation of the stress response system puts us at higher risk of depression, digestive problems, headaches, muscle pain, sleep problems, weight gain, concentration impairment, heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke.

Financial wellness impacts the workplace. When financial stress keeps employees up at night, they bring those worries to the office each morning. However, employees in good financial shape are not thinking about basic necessities like groceries and electric bills during the workday. Improved financial health leads to a boost in productivity and performance, as well as less absenteeism and less of a healthcare burden for you as an employer.

If you make financial wellness part of the workplace conversation, you have won half the battle. Make employees aware of your company's benefits package and how it impacts personal finances. Provide a financial wellness program, offer financial literature, and invite expert guests to cover topics such as budgeting, saving, investing, improving credit, eliminating debt, and planning for retirement. Finally, consider providing incentives that help your employees improve their financial wellness, such as matching 401(k) contributions and tuition reimbursement.

It's time to put your employees' financial wellness at the top of your to-do list. After all, helping them achieve their full financial potential ultimately benefits them and your company's bottom line.

Shiela-Mie Empleo Legaspi is the President of Cyberbacker, the leading provider of world-class administrative support and virtual assistant services from anywhere in the world to anyone in the world.

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It's time to put your employees' financial wellness at the top of your to-do list. After all, helping them achieve their full financial potential ultimately benefits them and your company's bottom line.

How To Encourage Positive Mental Health In The Workplace

Normalize conversations surrounding mental health

By Kiljon Shukullari, Peninsula Canada

InCanada, 1 in 2 people struggling with their mental health isn’t getting the help they need. This can be due to many reasons, but employers should do their part in supporting their employees. And mental health is a crucial part of that.

With a topic that has been top of mind for some time now, mental health needs to continue to be a topic that is discussed over and over again.

Below are four ways employers can support employee mental health.

1. Have Open Conversations About Mental Health

Raising awareness is key and will help employees feel comfortable to talk about how they’re feeling, and know where they can get support if needed. Normalizing conversations surrounding mental health in the workplace will help to build an open and positive workplace culture. Employers can introduce well-being apps, provide resources for where they can seek help, or set up a talking session where they can gather and have an open conversation.

2. Provide Tools and Support

Employers can bring important information and resources to employees. This can be done in several ways such as sending out emails with links to support resources, taking part in awareness events/ movements, and donating. This will help to create opportunities to engage with each other about their mental health. Employers can remind employees about the company’s Employee Assistance Program and if there isn’t one, then employers can provide external resources.

Alongside sharing information and resources, it’s important to equip employees with tools that can help make positive and healthy lifestyle changes. Encouraging employees to be more active and social by going to the gym or going for a quick walk can be an instant mood booster.

3. Encourage a Work-Life Balance

A topic that has been top of mind for many is burnout and quiet quitting. Reminding employees to maintain a work-life balance will help to reduce stress. Overworked employees are at higher risk of feeling burnt out and stressed - causing them to be less productive. They are also more likely to view their work and workplace negatively. Encourage your employees to disconnect from work after their official work hours. It’s important to set realistic workloads and deadlines. Set up one-on-one meetings with employees to offer support and ensure their workload is manageable.

4. Develop a Mental Health Policy

A mental health policy will not only provide valuable information to employees, but it clearly outlines what employees and managers should do when someone is dealing with a mental health issue. The mental health policy should set down the protocol to follow when an employee makes a mental health disclosure and requests accommodation. Providing training for managers/supervisors will help them handle such requests.

Ensure your mental health policy is included in your employee handbook and share it with staff. That way employees know where to access the policy when they want to look for more information or resources.

An experienced HR professional and a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL), Kiljon Shukullari is an HR Advisory Manager at Peninsula Canada. He has extensive experience providing consultation to clients on all aspects of HR management and employee relations — offering timely answers and effective solutions to their challenges. In his current role, Kiljon oversees HR advisors on consultations with potential prospects across all provinces where Peninsula operates.

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3 Reasons Financial Education Is An Underrated Work Perk That Employers Should Consider

Financial education complements existing employee benefits

By Shyam Pradheep, Zogo

While 401ks, health insurance, and stock options typically dominate the conversation around employee benefits, these offerings are not a comprehensive recipe for supporting employees. Think of the employees, especially recent graduates new to the workforce, who have not had financial education to prepare them for how a 401k works or what to do with options. While it may be nice to see these benefits listed in an offer letter, it doesn’t mean much for employees who don’t understand how to take advantage of these opportunities.

This is a common situation, and it doesn’t mean the employees aren’t smart. Instead, it points

to the financial literacy crisis in America — when people don’t receive financial education, they

can’t be expected to become financially savvy.

So why should employers care?

1. A Need Exists That Isn’t Being Fulfilled

Financial literacy is the backbone of financial success, yet the financial education necessary to become savvy can be hard to find. Schools rarely offer personal finance classes, and other resources of information like family and friends or even social media can be unreliable. Without basic financial education, it’s no surprise that an alarming percentage of the population is not financially literate. Nationally, only 55% of Baby Boomers qualify as financially literate, with that number dropping to 48% for Millennials and only 43% for Gen Z. While one may expect or hope that employees outpace typical financial literacy rates, it’s quite the opposite — as of 2022, only 13% of employees have basic financial knowledge

This dearth of financial literacy can cost consumers thousands of dollars and harm their ability to make informed, responsible monetary decisions.

Without other trusted financial education and literacy tools, employees are turning to employers to bridge the gap in their knowledge. In fact, 87% of employees expect financial education from their employers, beating out mental health and flexible time off as the most desired benefit.

2. Financial Education Complements Existing Employee Benefits

Financial education is the perfect complement to benefits

like 401k’s, options, insurance, and more because it teaches employees how to responsibly take advantage of these opportunities. Instead of just offering workplace retirement plans on paper, employees want their companies to provide them with education and resources on how they work. Providing employees with the education they need to act on their benefits makes all the difference.

Moreover, many businesses are already augmenting their benefits offerings to include mental health and wellness resources to combat the mental health crisis, such as modern apps Headspace and Calm for Business. In addition to being 21% more highly desired as a benefit, financial education is a perfect complement to these mental health efforts. In fact, a lack of financial literacy has a significant impact on mental health, with over 77% of Americans regularly facing financial anxiety

This financial stress is often related to the workplace, as inflation outpaces salary increases and a potential recession threatens job security. In many cases, the antidote to this financial anxiety is education because it delivers the knowledge and tools employees need to take control of their financial futures.

3. It’s Advantageous for Companies to Offer Financial Education

In addition to benefiting the individual employee, providing financial education as an

employee benefit also increases job satisfaction and employee retention. For example, instead of immediately applying for higher-paying or second jobs to combat inflation, financial education empowers employees to handle their current financial situation with confidence 68% of employees are more likely to stay within their role if they are offered financial wellness benefits. These benefits also increase job satisfaction by 20%

There’s no end to the importance of and benefits yielded by employers providing their employees with financial education. As our economy becomes more uncertain, financial education is the key to building prosperous financial futures for employees, companies, and our communities at large.

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Shyam Pradheep is the General Manager of Zogo

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Tips To Help Your Employees Deal With Depression

It is important to be aware of signs of depression in your employees

By Dr. Doug Newton, SonderMind

Themonths are longer, darker, and colder, so it is not uncommon for people to feel more down than they normally would. And while there is no official diagnosis for "Winter Depression," we can associate many of the symptoms we see in our friends, family, coworkers, and even ourselves during this time of year with post-holiday stress, anticipatory anxiety for the new year, as well as possible SAD (seasonal affective disorder), a form of depression that is triggered by

colder and darker weather. According to researchers at the Cleveland Clinic, around 5% of adults in the U.S. experience SAD. They believe about 10-20% of people in the US may get a milder form of these winter blues, and that it affects women more than men. As organizational leaders, we must be mindful of this sometimes tough time of year for our employees and help them navigate the season with thoughtful support and useful resources as best we can.

To start, there are a number of potential inciting factors for low or irritable moods after the change in a year including:

● Post-holiday emotional letdown with financial implications from overspending (tends to really set in February/March).

● Worsened sleep patterns, poor diet, and less exercise, especially in colder, darker climates.

● Stress in the workplace due to things like a new job or a change in priorities. In addition, shifts in the job market as many are being laid off.

● Less socialization leading to loneliness and isolation.

● Substance overuse or misuse.

● Unrealistic expectations or fear of failure for new year goals and resolutions.

While it isn’t up to an organization or leadership to diagnose or treat their employees, it is important to be aware of signs of depression in your employees. As leaders, you can play a vital role in reducing the stigma around seeking mental health care, making your employees aware that these feelings of loneliness or depression are common during this time of year, and offering them support and assistance for getting help if they need it. For example, many employees may not be aware that their employerprovided health insurance will cover therapy, so routine reminders and tutorials of the process can be incredibly beneficial. A therapist will be able to identify the root cause of the problem and provide a custom treatment plan to help any impacted employees during this difficult time.

In my practice, I suggest a few tips to my patients as we transition into the colder fall months each year. These can also translate to goal-setting for a healthy lifestyle. For example:

● Start up the habit of a low-impact exercise 30 minutes a day, including outdoor activity with exposure to sunlight as much as possible.

● Maintain good sleep hygiene including consistent sleep-wake cycles even during the darker months.

● Eat a well-balanced diet and take vitamin D supplements as needed.

● Practice gratitude. We all have to be grateful for many things, so identifying a few each morning when you wake up can boost your day emotionally.

● See friends and family, even if it needs to be virtually. Social activities may not only prevent depressive symptoms but provide needed support systems should symptoms arise.

Some people may need more concrete professional psychiatric help to manage their depression during this time. There are instances when the Winter Blues or a “new year slump” is something more.

Citations

● https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/ diseases/9293-seasonal-depression

● https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/ seasonal-affective-disorder-sad-more-than-thewinter-blues

Dr. Doug Newton has dedicated his career to the wellbeing of individuals and families. He is the Chief Medical Officer at SonderMind, whose mission is to redesign behavioral health to increase access, expand utilization and improve mental health outcomes. Prior to joining SonderMind, Dr. Newton served as National Senior Medical Director at UnitedHealth Group. Would you like to comment?

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Employees Stuck In “Lower Brain”? Try One Of These Eight Mood Shifters

By Michael E. Frisina, Ph.D. and Robert W. Frisina, The Frisina Group

Leaders have a huge impact on our employees’ state of mind. Virtually everything we do and say elicits a psychological reaction. We can make them feel positive, engaged, and empowered, or we can strike fear in their hearts, shut them down, and send them into self-protection mode. These two states of mind are “upper brain” and “lower brain”—and they have everything to do with performance.

When people are in their upper brain, they’re more likely to do what they need to do. They’re more creative. They’re happier and more fulfilled. Their relationships are better. They trust leaders more. They do their best work.

In the lower brain, they might blindly follow orders at the moment, but even if this does lead to higher performance, it won’t be sustainable. They’ll be stressed, frustrated, and anxious—and too

focused on keeping themselves safe to do much else.

Let’s be real: Good leaders don’t want that kind of power. Unfortunately, we can’t change

how the human brain is wired. What we can do is learn the triggers that provoke fear, anxiety, and worry. We can avoid this “unholy trinity of the lower brain”

When leaders take these simple actions, it shifts how employees think, feel, and perform

It goes without saying that yelling at, threatening, or belittling people puts them into lower brain. But even the most well-intentioned leaders do things that have the same effect—like overloading them with work, giving vague instructions, or missing opportunities to celebrate.

The good news is there are practical, doable actions we implement that keep employees in upper-brain mode and—if we happen to trigger them—lead them back there. For example: Start and end every meeting with what’s going well. Getting everyone into their upper brain immediately

(“Thanks to all your hard work, the client presentation yesterday was a huge success!”) leads to a more joyful and collaborative meeting. Ending on a positive note (“I’m so grateful to be part of such a smart, creative team!”) sends people off to do the work feeling good about themselves and excited for the next step.

Reframe a stressful project. First ask employees, “What is it about this project that feels hard or stressful?” Then ask them, “Is what you are thinking about in your control or out of your control?” This shifts them away from skeptical, confusing,

fear-provoking “what if” thinking and into productive, energized thinking. Rather than focusing on the negative outcome they want to avoid, they focus on the positive outcome they will create.

Set clear expectations and reasonable deadlines. Clarity inspires people and makes them feel good about working on a project. Vagueness and open-endedness are anxietyproducing. So are unrealistic time frames, which only set people up to fail and instill a sense of dread. When people know exactly what they’re supposed to do and have time to do it, they’ll excel.

When people ask questions, lead them to the answers Don’t say, “This is why we pay you the big bucks. You figure it out.” Statements like this trigger the lower brain. Instead, describe the outcome you want and ask questions to guide them in a discovery exercise. Reinforce the belief that by working together, the collective intelligence of the team can achieve amazing outcomes.

Keep them thankful during provoking events When we are fixated on, What’s going to happen to me? we tend to get overwhelmed. When we’re in a state of gratitude, it gets the focus off ourselves. Help people refresh and refocus by asking them to make a list of three things they’re grateful for. This is a good way to start and end meetings.

Help them attend to what’s important by spelling out priorities. An out-of-control to-do list plunges people into their lower brain and confuses activity with progress. Limit the number of assigned projects to groups of three and prioritize them from “most important” to “least important.” You’ll get far better results and give people the satisfaction of completing goals that really matter.

…and declutter their to-do list Stop overworking people with non-essential objectives and crisis management events. Once you’ve magnified what’s important (previous tip), remove what’s not. Act as a shield to keep low-value objectives out of their way. The less distracting “noise” they must field, the more likely they are to be focused, engaged, and productive.

Robert W. Frisina, MA, is a principal in the Frisina Group and executive director at the Center for Influential Leadership, with primary responsibility for program development and research in leadership effectiveness and organizational development. He is a member of the U.S. Army Reserve and served as a civil affairs specialist with the Second Brigade Combat Team in the 101st Airborne Division in southern Afghanistan.

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Celebrate to create a working memory of success and achievement. Get into a flow of recognizing wins and success stories: in conversations, at every meeting, as a part of every process improvement initiative, etc. The more we emphasize what’s going well, the more likely people are to stay in their upper brain—and the more likely success is to be repeated.

Even the best leader will trigger employees’ lower brains at times. But when we consistently and proactively take steps to keep them feeling engaged, appreciated, and energized, we keep the neurological bank balance in the black. The team’s frame of mind is good most of the time—and on the rare occasions that it isn’t, it’s easier for them to recover and move on.

Michael E. Frisina, Ph.D., has authored more than 50 papers and published articles on leadership and organizational effectiveness. He is a contributing author to the Borden Institute’s highly acclaimed textbook series on military medicine. He is a visiting scholar at the Hastings Center in New York, a visiting fellow in medical humanities at the Medical College of Pennsylvania, and a John C. Maxwell Top 100 Transformational Leader.

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True Flexibility At Work

Freedom and flexibility are great for employees and employers

By Scott Day, Alludo

You’ve probably been hearing a lot about four-day work weeks recently. And it may sound very appealing.

Believe me, I get it. The pandemic blurred the lines between work and life like never before. And as businesses try to figure out what work looks like now, knowledge workers are struggling with long hours, not to mention bosses that are trying to force them back into the office. People are reporting more stress. They are wishing they could regain their time, prioritize their lives, work where

they feel most productive, and frankly, set better boundaries.

So, when we hear about the mandated four-day work-week, many of us think: “Hmm... maybe that’s it.”

But here's the plot twist: As a people leader, I have given this a lot of thought. I am not convinced we will fix this problem by forcing knowledge workers to work four days instead of five.

And it is not for the reason you think.

It’s not because I think productivity will drop.

It’s not because I think employees will disengage.

It’s not because I can’t make it make financial sense.

It’s not because I am a tyrant who loves to see people glued to their office chairs.

It’s because it’s not enough freedom.

The four-day workweek is still an employer-prescribed, top-down methodology that is too focused on input (hours spent in the chair) versus output. It still fails to see people as unique individuals and treats us all as if we have the same needs, preferences, and demands. While I certainly agree that a four-day workweek might be perfect for some people, I’m an even bigger believer in freedom. I honestly don’t think the times, days, and hours you work – never mind where you work – should be dictated by the company you work for at all.

So, What IS the Solution?

True flexibility at work. And that means working wherever, however, and whenever you want. The best employers focus on outcomes, not inputs. They want to know if you are getting your job done and doing it well. They couldn’t care less whether you prefer to wake up at the crack of dawn and hit the ground running, or spend the day with your family and focus on work at night.

Flexibility and freedom at work do not mean leaving work early to watch your kid’s soccer game. It means that watching a soccer game in the middle of the day isn’t “leaving early” at all.

Sure, there are times when the team will need to align schedules for a meeting or a deadline. But that noon meeting might be the beginning of the day for some and the end for others. It might be a quick moment of work to focus on an otherwise non-work day. And if you have a global workforce,

flawless alignment on work timing is not realistic anyway.

This is not just about making a more welcoming workplace for employees, though that is a big part of it. It is also a smart business.

I have found that freedom and flexibility are not only great for people, but also for our company. During the pandemic, knowledge workers everywhere proved that productivity did not require an office. And it goes without saying that work/life balance can be dramatically improved by removing the artificial constraints of “industrial-era” 9-5 office work. When the focus is on results instead of counting people sitting in cubicles, employees discovered they could make more space not only for their lives and families but also for their careers.

Why Wouldn’t We Want to Lean into That?

Yes, a four-day workweek might work great for some. Maybe you think it is perfect for you and your life. And if you do, you should have the right to ask your employer for it. But if you are considering implementing it at your company (or already have), please think twice before making it mandatory and dictating the specific day people need to take off.

Don’t hop on the trend because it sounds enticing when it is just the same old archaic work structure in different clothing. Challenge yourself to explore what true freedom and flexibility at work would look like.

Different roles and businesses come with a variety of requirements, and of course, I cannot speak universally. For many workers, set hours and locations are absolutely necessary. (Thank you, first responders and frontline workers who turn up every day when and where we need you!) But for knowledge work – where outputs mean so much more than time or location – I encourage leaders to embrace a philosophy that puts the individual first.

True flexibility and freedom means treating employees like whole people who should be able to make their own choices. We should be measuring productivity by results, not days of the week or hours at a computer.

Scott Day is the Chief People Officer of Alludo. He lives by a people-first philosophy that emphasizes freedom and connection to build supportive and high-performing teams. Scott has a passion for driving organizational change, shaping culture, and delivering business results in fast-paced, collaborative environments. He’s played a pivotal role in spearheading Alludo’s remote-first transformation and creating an environment that embraces employee well-being with ERGs (Employee Resource Groups), great benefits, wellness days off, and more.

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