Wisconsin Employee Wellness Conference: Elevating Workplace Well-Being Together

Workplace well-being isn’t created by programs, perks, or policies alone. It’s created in the everyday moments that shape how people feel, connect, communicate, and lead. In this powerful and deeply human opening keynote, former NFL athlete, entrepreneur, and bestselling author Jacob Brown challenges attendees to rethink where workplace well-being truly begins: within us and between us.

Through his signature Leading from the Core™ framework, Jacob explores how self-awareness, resilience, courageous conversations, accountability, and authentic human connection can transform not only the way we lead ourselves, but the way we support the people around us. Attendees will be challenged to look beyond traditional approaches to wellness and recognize the role each of us plays in creating workplaces where people feel seen, supported, valued, and empowered to thrive.

Blending unforgettable storytelling, humor, vulnerability, and practical takeaways, Jacob will inspire attendees to elevate their own well-being, strengthen the well-being of those they serve, and build healthier workplace cultures—together.

In today's challenging work environment, cultivating a healthy workplace culture and fostering meaningful connections among employees are pivotal for organizational success. This presentation explores the essential components of a healthy workplace culture, emphasizing the importance of psychological safety, connection, and belonging, and how all of these things impact health and well-being. We will delve into strategies for building strong interpersonal connections, including effective communication, team-building activities, and supportive programs. By highlighting real-world stories and best practices, this presentation aims to provide actionable insights for leaders and employees alike to create a supportive and collaborative work environment. Ultimately, a healthy culture and strong connections not only enhance employee satisfaction and retention but also drive innovation and productivity.

AI is everywhere. Relief is not. Despite new tools, many employees feel more stretched, not less, as work accelerates and expectations rise. This session explores how AI is reshaping work in ways that increase cognitive load, decision fatigue, and hidden effort. Attendees will learn why burnout is not a resilience issue, but a work design problem, and they'll discover how to redesign roles, workflows, and expectations to better support performance. The session provides practical strategies to reduce friction and build the human capabilities that matter most in an AI-enabled workplace.

A leader's unexamined stress, communication habits, and blind spots don't stay personal; they become the daily working conditions of every person on their team. This session reframes self-awareness not as a soft skill, but as the upstream lever that determines whether psychological safety, engagement, and burnout prevention actually take hold in an organization. Drawing on nearly two decades in adult learning, leadership coaching, and organizational development, Wendy guides participants through the direct connection between a leader's personal growth and their team's well-being outcomes. Attendees will examine their own growth edges, learn how those edges shape team culture, and leave with a practical framework for building a personal development practice that doubles as a team well-being strategy. This is leadership development reimagined as well-being infrastructure, and a compelling answer to why personal growth belongs in every organization's well-being investment.

Employee well‑being is shaped not only by workplace policies, but by access to care and resources in the surrounding community. This session explores how strategic community partnerships can extend the reach of workplace wellness programs while remaining cost‑effective and sustainable. Using a real‑world example of collaboration with community health care organizations, participants will examine how partnerships can support preventive care, mental health, and employee access. Attendees will gain practical insights for designing partnerships that complement internal wellness efforts and strengthen organizational well‑being cultures.

What separates a wellness program from a culture of well-being? A strategic framework that transforms good intentions into sustainable impact. In this practical and engaging session, attendees will explore a proven three-phase approach for building workplace well-being through leadership alignment, employee voice, wellness champions, and data-informed decision making. Drawing from a nationally recognized, WELCOA Platinum–designated program, participants will discover actionable strategies to strengthen engagement, retention, and organizational culture. Attendees will leave with practical tools, templates, and a roadmap for creating a sustainable culture of well-being in their own organizations.

Health care organizations often invest in wellness programs, engagement events, and recognition initiatives—but too often, these efforts operate in silos, limiting their overall impact. UI Health transformed this approach by building an integrated Employee Experience strategy that aligns wellness, recognition, and engagement under a unified, mission-driven framework.

This session explores the often-overlooked intersection of menopause and workplace psychological safety. It equips leaders, HR professionals, and employees with practical tools to foster inclusive environments. Participants will examine how symptoms such as hot flashes, brain fog, and emotional shifts can silence voices and erode confidence—and uncover the hidden costs of stigma and lack of support.

Through real-world case studies, interactive discussions, and evidence-based strategies, attendees will learn how to normalize menopause conversations, implement supportive policies, and build cultures where midlife women feel seen, safe, and empowered to contribute fully. The workshop highlights actionable steps for creating psychological safety, including manager training, flexible accommodations, and peer support networks. By the end, participants will leave with a clear roadmap to reduce turnover, boost engagement, and transform menopause from a hidden challenge into an opportunity for greater empathy and inclusion in the workplace.

Disengagement isn't caused by stress alone; it occurs when employees operate under sustained pressure without enough stability or validation to know what is working. In this interactive session, we will reframe mental health—moving it from a "wellness add-on" to the essential foundation of decision quality, communication, and organizational culture.

Attendees will identify reactive pressure patterns and master the critical difference between superficial praise and authentic validation. Participants will leave with practical, psychology-informed communication tools for themselves and their team to actively foster psychologically safe cultures where employees can think clearly and perform effectively in high- demand environments.

Employee experience is now one of the top three drivers of attraction and retention. Within that experience, financial security has emerged as a critical, but often overlooked, part. As employees increasingly expect personalized and holistic support, financial well-being plays a growing role in shaping trust, engagement, and satisfaction. This session explores how integrating comprehensive financial education, retirement planning, and one-on-one support into your employee experience strategy can reduce employee stress, strengthen loyalty, and improve plan engagement. Attendees will learn where financial guidance creates meaningful “moments that matter” and how HR teams can elevate the employee experience by making financial security a core component of their people strategy.

What does it really take to create a workplace culture where employees can thrive? Join a panel of Wisconsin-based Well Workplace Award winners as they share their experiences implementing the Well Workplace Process and building sustainable cultures of well-being. Through candid conversation and real-world examples, panelists will discuss how they engaged leadership, assessed organizational needs, aligned wellness efforts with business goals, and navigated challenges along the way. Attendees will gain practical insights into the strategies, lessons learned, and key milestones that helped these organizations progress from intention to action and ultimately earn Well Workplace recognition, using the Well Workplace Process.

Whether your organization is just beginning its well-being journey or looking to take the next step, this session will provide inspiration, actionable ideas, and peer-tested approaches to help elevate workplace well-being.

Employee well-being scores are down, burnout is up, and leaders are often the last to understand why. This session makes the case that well-being is not an HR program to roll out; it is a daily leadership practice. Participants will work through real challenges using proven participatory methods (Circle and World Café), identify the specific leader behaviors that research shows predict psychological safety, and leave with a 90-day action plan they can begin implementing that afternoon. Leaders and HR partners work side by side, surface what's actually happening on their teams, and commit to visible, measurable next steps. Whether you're trying to move the needle on engagement scores or build a culture where people genuinely thrive, this session gives you the evidence, the tools, and the plan.

This session will highlight real-world examples that help employers and health promotion professionals use data to support prevention efforts and drive better employee well-being outcomes. Participants will learn how organizations can use data-driven insights to increase engagement, activate benefits more effectively, and create meaningful impact across the employee experience. Attendees will explore strategies for using data to better understand workforce needs, connect employees with relevant resources, and support healthier outcomes both at work and beyond.

We often measure our self-worth through achievements and external results, focusing on hitting goals rather than enjoying the journey. This same mindset spills into the workplace, where success is often defined by productivity at the expense of well-being. But what if the secret to retaining staff isn’t about pushing harder, but about rediscovering joy and connection through play?

Research shows that play is a powerful tool for unlocking creativity, focus, and engagement, key drivers in creating a thriving workplace where employees want to stay. When people tap into their play values, they connect with their work on a deeper level, reducing burnout and increasing loyalty. By embracing play, organizations can build workplaces where employees feel valued, engaged, and inspired, leading not only to better results but also to stronger retention. Rediscovering play might just be the key to keeping your best talent.