Brain health: Good for you and for business
You have no doubt heard of the “mind-body connection” – a concept that suggests that the mental and physical aspects of our lives are directly linked to each other. Our brains govern our mental and physical functions. A healthy brain supports awareness, cognition, positive emotions, social interactions and creative thinking, as well as directing our bodily functions and physical actions. Brain health encompasses physical, cognitive and emotional health. To say it simply, we can’t live our best lives without a healthy brain. For an employer, the optimal brain health of its workforce is essential to productivity, problem solving, innovation, a positive workplace environment and ultimately, business success.
Most of the risk factors for unhealthy brains and neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia are the same as for other chronic physical conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. These risk factors include lack of adequate exercise, poor nutrition, inadequate sleep, unmanaged stress, tobacco or nicotine use, and excessive use of alcohol. The good news is that many employers already support their employees with health and well-being programs that address these risk factors. And many employers are also working to improve the physical work environment with healthier workspaces that have natural lighting, proper ventilation, attractive surroundings and ergonomic considerations. Employers are also recognizing the need to ensure a psychologically safe work environment, and that the design of the work itself, and employees’ ability to have a voice in how they do their work, can influence their brain health.
To help employers understand what they can do to support employee brain health, Mercer and the Health Enhancement Research Organization, assisted by leading neuroscientists and researchers, recently added a Brain Health score to the HERO Health & Well-being Best Practices Scorecard in Collaboration with Mercer. The HERO Scorecard is a free tool that organizations of any size can use to learn about evidence-based best practices for supporting health and well-being and assess their own initiatives. Upon completing the scorecard, employers receive a report comparing their organization’s overall best practice score against national averages. It also provides separate sub-scores for the use of practices supporting mental health, social determinants of health, diversity, equity and inclusion, and now brain health.
Your scores indicate the extent to which your organization uses best practices in the design and implementation of your health and well-being initiative. Our research has shown that high scores are associated with reduced health risks, lower health care costs, higher employee engagement, and employees’ perception that their organization cares about their health and well-being.
We’re living in a time with many physical, emotional, economic, social, environmental, and geo-political challenges. People are better equipped to face these challenges in their work and personal lives when they are at their best physically and mentally – and that requires brain health. As an employer, you can make a difference by supporting your employees in their needs and through their challenges. The HERO Scorecard will help you identify steps you can take to help your employees thrive – body and mind.
