We’re still reflecting and cherishing the memories from Empower 2024 held at the Wild Dunes Resort in Isle of Palms, South Carolina. It was a spectacular event for our clients—full of opportunities to support well-being in ourselves and each other. If you missed it, there’s always next year! In the meantime, here’s a recap of those two magical days.
The Empower theme is to “connect, collaborate and create.” Our goal is to continue to provide an intimate event where our clients have every opportunity to learn from their peers, interact with WebMD team members and interact with our vendor partners–in an environment that is conducive to well-being.
Our goal this year was to infuse as much well-being into the day as possible.
We began each day with an optional sunrise yoga class taught by a WebMD Health Coach and one of our clients, guided runs and walks, as well as afternoon activities that included biking, pickleball or relaxing by the pool or beach. Our vendor partners also offered health screenings and the chance to partake in moments of well-being. (A big thank you to: eHealthScreenings, Enrich, Fern Health, Togetherall and Lifespeak.)
We kicked off the event learning about Ubuntu with Shola Richards.
Perhaps the highlight of Empower was our inspiring keynote speaker, Shola Richards. Shola is a passionate, engaging presenter who helps organizations build compassion, competence and accountability in the workplace. He taught us the concept of “Ubuntu,” an African word that means “I am because we are.” He is a firm believer in the notion that if you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, then go together. You can learn more about Shola’s work here.
The Center for Research shed light on the employee experience and well-being.
Our Center for Research revealed new data on how employees are feeling about work; diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEI&B); well-being; and burnout. We’ll be sharing much more about this important research in the coming months, but here are a few nuggets:
- Burnout rates have risen from 2022 to 2024
—most dramatically for Gen X employees. - Interestingly, low burnout does not equate to high well-being or a positive employee experience—so we can’t just assume that if employees aren’t burned out, they’re thriving.
- Emotional engagement and organizational care were low across all age groups.
This checks with other studies that have highlighted low engagement numbers and the employee perception that employers don’t care about them. - All age groups reported low feelings of psychological safety and lack of comfort voicing opinions.
- Financial well-being is low across all generations.
After the presentation, clients participated in SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) workshops led by the Center for Research. They walked away with tangible insights on specific challenges their organization was facing, including mental health, women’s health, and how to be an organization of care.
As one client shared, “It was validating to be a part of the session I was in and know that many others had similar areas to improve. It was nice to be able to share some of where I felt we excelled in the space and discuss areas for improvement. Excited to hear about what learnings come out of all of these.”
Other highlights of the event included:
- A business update on how we are “Better Together” with our acquisition of Limeade, and how we are strategically layering value through technology, services with curated partners, and a human-centric focus through coaching and Dedicated Well-Being Services.
- A product innovation session describing how we are increasing program awareness, evolving the participant experience, optimizing our human services and investing in solutions to meet the needs of client business and well-being strategies, while enhancing back-end data and reporting strategies.
- A fireside chat featuring two clients—Marathon Petroleum Corporation and Illinois Tool Works—who are transforming health through Dedicated Well-Being Services, wellness champions and support from leadership.
- A client story-Fiserv shared how they have focused on infusing well-being within their organization through various tactics. This was an energizing, engaging and motivating presentation sharing practical tips for clients to bring back to their organizations.
Here’s what our clients had to say about Empower…
“I am grateful for this opportunity and incredibly appreciative of the teams that worked diligently to put this event together for us to connect, learn and even rest. The care and commitment that was put into Empower was evident in every speaker, event, and interaction, and I am thoroughly impressed by WebMD’s dedication to improving the health of a global community.”
“This was the best event I’ve been to, not just WebMD, but any event. It was very organized and well thought out. I loved the balance of “think tank” time and “mental health” time, from the 6:00 a.m. walk on the beach to the different sessions, to the yoga moments, etc. The workshops after lunch were a great idea…no time to get the after lunch sleepies!”
We hold Empower a client-only forums each year in unique, amazing locations. Be sure to join us next time to soak in the latest and greatest thinking about well-being, be inspired by your peers, and take time for yourself to relax and be well.
