Total Worker Health with Josh Ierna

NSSGA Podcast

Josh Ierna, Safety Manager at Tilcon Connecticut, joins Libby today to delve into the transformative journey of Total Worker Health and its profound impact on organizational wellbeing. Josh highlights the evolution of Total Worker Health, addressing multifaceted issues such as mental wellness, opioid overdose prevention, and suicide awareness, through proactive engagement with employees, fostering a culture of support and empowerment. Throughout the discussion, Josh elaborates on Tilcon Connecticut's journey, from raising awareness through dedicated training sessions to implementing innovative programs like onsite athletic training, demonstrating a commitment to prioritizing employee health and safety. Their collaborative approach emphasizes engagement and empowerment, tailored solutions, and continuous improvement, ensuring meaningful impact and paving the way for a brighter future of employee wellbeing and organizational success. Episode Highlights: Tilcon Connecticut's path towards embracing holistic well-being beyond traditional safety measures with Total Worker Health Engaging employees in dialogue and empowering them to contribute to well-being initiatives Evolution of initiatives from awareness campaigns to practical programs like onsite athletic training Recognizing diverse workforce needs, and emphasizing personalized solutions and proactive support Fostering a culture of shared responsibility through collaboration between management, employees, and external partners Commitment to ongoing refinement through feedback solicitation The impact of initiatives The future of employee well-being Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions:

In this episode, Josh comes on the podcast to talk about his company’s total worker health journey. What do you think about health programs like this that include wellness? To get started on their total worker health journey, Josh’s company got buy-in from employees at all levels. Why do you think this kind of engagement is important? Total worker health is a program that varies from company to company. Where can we improve or make changes to our company’s health programs? Quotes: "We need to constantly engage with our employees... It's where we found the biggest value." "Taking safety, psychological safety, mental wellness, putting it all together into a program under total worker health's guidance benefits both the employee and us." "Engagement is the key... Talk to your people, ask them what's important." "Total Worker Health is about taking care of our workforce, both at work and at home." "By prioritizing employee well-being, we ultimately drive positive outcomes for the company as a whole." Links: National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/twh/default.html https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/oep/twhcenters.html