Employers have only touched the tip of the health equity iceberg

We’re getting somewhere

It makes sense that there are still some disconnects when it comes to health equity—because as you saw earlier, we’re still trying to define what it even is. 

And if we can’t define it, we can’t implement strategies to fix it. HR pros told us that their organizations are only starting to think about health equity, if at all: 

Yes, it’s discouraging that we’ve been so slow to recognize this problem and rectify it. And it’s disappointing that some organizations are continuing to ignore health equity completely. But we’re slowly starting to see the tables turn, and HR pros are finally scratching the surface on more equitable healthcare offerings at their organizations. 

When asked why their companies have started to prioritize health equity, HR pros’ top three reasons were improving their employees’ health, job satisfaction, and willingness to join or stay with their organization. 

So we’re still in the toddler phases of understanding this important problem, and figuring out how we can finally achieve health equity in the workplace. But the good news is that we’re starting to prioritize health equity for the right reasons: our employees. We’re putting them and their needs first, and we’re looking for ways to make our workplaces more accessible and equitable to a broader range of employees. 

What health equity practices have employers already adopted? 

Let’s get to the good stuff. Where have we already started to make some progress when it comes to implementing health equity best practices? 

At the top of the list, we’re seeing strides towards more comprehensive healthcare coverage, and employers are following national trends to provide more pay transparency and competitive compensation—two factors that will have an immediate impact on improving healthcare disparities within our organizations. 

Where could we still use some work? Auditing our company communications and training programs to ensure we’re using inclusive language, mentoring our employees in a culturally competent way, and choosing vendors that have been historically underrepresented.