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Macroeconomics expert, Professor Graeme Leach discusses how the pandemic could continue to impact global economies and productivity, change consumer habits and accelerate innovation. As CEO of Macronomics - a macroeconomic, geopolitical and future megatrends research consultancy and author of the report Coronanomics – he addresses the positive and negative shocks of the pandemic. Graeme also covers the forces shaping the health care industry, inflation rates, manufacturing, global mobility, expat communities and international talent pools. 

Lorien Norden discusses workplace health and wellness trends with Dr Hemal Desai and Simon Miller. How can employers pivot to create a culture of well-being in today’s fluid world to ensure the health, happiness and productivity of their people wherever they’re working from? Our experts offer their opinions, insights and advice.

With lockdown restrictions being re-imposed across many countries, new insights from four major global markets have revealed the significant impact they’re having on office worker performance and productivity. Lorien Norden discusses COVID-19 and productivity with Head of Health Services Kate Karwelies. 

For this episode of our award-nominated podcast, Dr Sneh Khemka returns, this time to mark World Spine Day. Sneh and our host, Lorien Norden, discuss musculoskeletal conditions (MSK), the second largest contributor to disability - with low-back pain being is the biggest cause. This insightful conversation includes the role of primary care in helping to tackle MSK, treatments such as laser spine surgery and what people can do to avoid musculoskeletal conditions.

For World Mental Health Day, Dr Sneh Khemka discusses how the pandemic is affecting people’s mental health as the fight to erode mental health stigma around the world continues. We also cover how mental health affects the body, the self-help revolution and the influence of community and social connectedness on our overall mental health. Sneh also explains what forward thinking companies are doing in the mental health space.

Heart disease – or cardiovascular disease (CVD) – is the world’s biggest killer, responsible for approximately 30% of global deaths. To mark World Heart Day (29th September 2020), we speak to Dr Sneh Khemka to discuss how COVID-19 and lifestyle choices impact CVD, why mortality and patient figures are hard to pin down, global trends, and the critical steps governments and employers can take to help individuals build good heart health.  

Aetna International’s Caroline Pain (Senior Vice President, Customer Proposition) and Dr Hemal Desai (Global Medical Director) discuss the findings of our new survey which asks: is workplace digital tech making employees ill or enabling better health? And will the Covid-19 pandemic increase adoption of digital tech to support health and well-being at work? They also discuss practical ways companies can use digital tech to support employee well-being.

Lorien Norden and Dr Sneh Khemka discuss the many issues surrounding tobacco use around the world. The episode covers changing trends in tobacco use around the world, the impact on individuals and health care systems, and what we know about ‘vaping’ and its effects.Sneh talks about smoking in the context of the global pandemic, how it is a great opportunity to stop smoking and offers advice for those looking to quit.

Simon Miller and Lorien Norden discuss the emerging trends in corporate health and well-being, from new tech and changes in investment to shifting attitudes to wellness in the workplace. In this 45-minute episode, Simon also explains how businesses can use new and changing ideas to help their employees on the path to better health — including the importance of purpose, social connectedness, financial well-being and access to the right mental health tools. Finally, Simon provides valuable guidance for organisations to help improve the well-being of their employees, no matter where the entity sits on the spectrum of well-being maturity. Useful links:SleepioMIND Workplace Wellbeing IndexDeloitte: Mental health and employers – Refreshing the case for investmentAviaPodcast Transcript Link

In this 30-minute episode, Simon Miller (Senior Director, Customer Proposition, Aetna International) explains what organisations gain by implementing corporate wellness programs, and discusses how they can support their employees to overcome ‘health inertia’ to be happier, healthier and more productive. Simon answers questions about the roles of workforce data analysis, communication and measurement in corporate wellness, and examines how international organisations can cater to different cultural and regional employee needs to help raise awareness of everyday healthy behaviours. Finally, Simon outlines the three vital elements of any successful corporate wellness strategy. Below, you’ll find links to some of the resources, studies and source materials for points covered in the podcast.Useful links:Inside-Out Mental Health CharterMental Health at Work Stevenson Farmer ReviewWHO Healthy Workplace Framework and ModelBusiness of health 2020: how organisations can overcome employee health inertia5 corporate wellness strategies to help encourage employees to take control of their own healthPodcast Transcript Link

Dr Anushka Patchava discusses her predictions for 2020 and beyond and reflects on a number of emerging health care trends, from technology such as virtual health to shifting attitudes to mental health.Podcast Transcript LinkUseful links:Expat social determinants report 2019: How living abroad impacts employee health and well-beingInternational health care trends 20195 ways Aetna International is embracing the health care revolutionHow personalisation is transforming health care