Leaders in human resources (HR) tend to do their work behind the scenes. They’re often not given credit for their share in a thriving company.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, however, their work has really taken center stage – and, chances are, it’ll stay there.

I’ve seen many organizations lean heavily on their HR leaders to get them through the unprecedented workforce challenges we’ve all faced.

I’ve had the chance to work with some real disrupters. They’re seeing a unique opportunity to transform work cultures and they’re focusing more on resiliency and health and well-being than ever before. I’ve also seen a deeper understanding across leadership teams of how family life, mental health and financial issues can affect employees’ work realities and their overall health. These problems have always been there and always will be – but the pandemic has made them harder to ignore.

All this is leading to what the Harvard Business Review refers to as a ‘reset moment for HR' in the 2020s. HR execs are not only responding to employee needs, but becoming increasingly responsible for charting an organization’s course for the future. And workforce health is a key strategy for them.

I’ve been lucky to be involved in a fantastic example of a transformation like this at Waterloo Community School District (WCSD). Their HR leaders see improving workforce health as a key strategy to ‘reset’ their organization, prepping it to be the best school district in the Waterloo, Iowa area.

Here’s the story of how their journey so far. I hope it will provide inspiration for other employers looking for a ‘reset’ opportunity.

I first met with Kingsley Botchway II, the Chief Human Resources Officer at WCSD in October 2020.

He understands first-hand the importance of making connections, networking, and staying humble, and how that can inform when it’s time to pivot or change. It’s this philosophy that drives his enthusiasm when he describes his vision for a thriving school district with healthy, engaged teachers, giving their best to the children and families in the community.

The trigger for Kingsley’s focus on health and well-being as key to achieving his vision, rather than any other potential tactics, was when he started to see higher cost claims reports come in from his broker within three areas – orthopedics, cardiology and endocrinology. It worried him that there might be underlying health issues affecting staff productivity and performance in the classroom, some of which were not even visible in claims data. Pandemic-related stress and anxiety, might also be contributing.

What’s the plan?

That’s where HealthPartners UnityPoint Health got involved – with the detective work. There were several clues. Claims reports suggested that WCSD’s employees were experiencing some chronic health problems, yet we didn’t know exactly what they were without completed health assessments.

And, it also seemed that some providers were overcharging for similar services offered at a less expensive rate elsewhere.

Our team, their broker, PDCM Insurance, Kingsley, and Erica Hopper, their Benefits and Training Coordinator, and a medical care delivery partner, UnityPoint Health, together created a practical plan to get things back on track to Kingsley’s vision.

Three reasons why WCSD’s approach is working

1. Getting employees involved in their health

I’ve seen many strategic plans wither in a desk drawer. WCSD understood that for their plan to have any real impact, their employees needed to change some unhealthy behaviors and actively start trying to improve their health.

Erica led and developed a comprehensive, continuous communication program. It started with a staff meeting, where Kingsley was transparent and honest about both the health and the cost challenges they faced as a group. The good news, however, was that WCSD was going to support them in their journey to better, more affordable health. And she made sure that this message came directly from senior leadership.

That set the tone that WCSD really cared about their employees and wanted them to be successful, not just personally, but professionally as thriving teachers. Erica is that type of person who is able to draw people in – she takes the time to listen, explain things and answer questions.

2. Building the infrastructure to support well-being

WCSD was able to get 93% of its employees to participate in a health assessment thanks to Erica’s efforts.

As all of us know, you don’t get dramatic improvements over night and people often need a lot of nudging and support to make changes. WCSD decided to invest in some very tangible, proven ways to help their employees manage the health issues the assessment uncovered.

3. Believing in the vision

Strong early results show that this approach is working. What makes WCSD different from thousands of other employers who have striven less successfully for similar visions? What strikes me most is not only Kingsley’s passion for wellness, but his competitive spirit. He’s ambitious. That’s what drives every conversation about what the future looks like for WCSD.

Kingsley wants to compete differently in this ever-changing education sector, not just in terms of insurance and wellness, but also through innovative ways to serve the community and attract the best educators. It’s not about just getting back to normal after the pandemic – but facing the problems it created head on and pushing for something better.

As visionary CHROs like Kingsley begin to champion more of these strategic planning and development responsibilities for their organizations, they are defining what this ‘reset moment for HR’ really looks like. Before it can be built, it has to be dreamed, according to the Harvard Business Review.

No one describes this dream better than Kingsley. He says that when he’s sitting in a restaurant, he wants the narrative about school districts in the area that he overhears at the table next to him to be about how WCSD is the best -- period. That conversation has to be organic. It can’t be forced.

It all begins, he says, with caring about the human element first, helping his employees feel better and live healthier. That’s what helps combine an organization’s business and people strategies. That’s what makes people love to come to work.

And that’s why I love what I do.