Reflections from Health Worker Well-Being Day 2025
Last week, I was happy to attend a day-long event hosted by the Human-Centered Design Lab at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School: Accelerating Well-Being Solutions and Transforming Workforce Cultures. Held on Health Workforce Well-Being Day, a day dedicated to honoring and supporting those who care for others, the whole day’s content reminded me of the emotional and mental load our caregiving workforce faces all the time.
Throughout the day, I heard first-hand stories from a variety of health care leaders across health care who shared moments of burnout, isolation and resilience. These conversations weren’t easy to hear, but they were necessary, and it struck me just how deeply the act of caregiving affects the caregivers themselves.
What really stuck with me the most is the very simple yet very important concept of the power of listening. Author Kate Murphy, who wrote You’re Not Listening, led a fascinating session on the role of mindful listening in shaping culture. I even got to practice it by taking some time to really listen to my exercise partner, without distraction or simply waiting for my turn to talk. That short exercise underscored a big truth: real listening can be a catalyst for change in our organizations.
At URAC, we know that workplace culture isn’t built by programs that come from far-away leaders and don’t address real day-to-day issues people face; it’s shaped by everyday moments, like a manager asking a team member how they’re doing and then really pausing to listen. Our Mental Health at Work Accreditation can help employers focus on the critical few activities that create a workplace that genuinely fosters employee mental health and overall wellbeing.
This event reinvigorated my commitment to that mission. I’m glad I got to attend and hope to return next year. In the meantime, I’m going to keep one thought at the forefront in my daily life – Am I really listening?
