“How do we do an evidence-based wellness program when there is no evidence?”
This was a question asked of me by a distinguished wellness director. She also happened to be a physician who understood better than most the meaning of evidence-based practice.
You may agree or disagree that there is no evidence supporting specific employee wellness interventions, but for now, the more important questions are: How do you decide? And what is evidence anyway?
I've come to realize that most wellness leaders, as well as HR directors and CEOs, don't care about evidence and aren't even persuaded by it when it's presented to them.
So be it. But as today's episode makes clear, you'll be better equipped for wellness success if you understand what scientific evidence is; what its hallmarks are; and why — and this piece often gets lost — wellness programs should not be directed exclusively by evidence.
Wellness program leaders are especially likely to benefit from today's AI-assisted deep dive into evidence, as the conversation is shaped with your needs in mind.
To keep it tight, I had to omit some things I would have liked to include. But only the nerdiest listeners will object to their absence: The difference between prospective and retrospective studies; the definition and value of cluster randomized controlled studies, which are an important part of the scientific literature on wellness; more details about bias, systematic review, and meta-analysis; and the role of gray literature, like those white papers produced by commercial enterprises and nonprofit agencies.
Be that as it may, in an era when we all get drawn into conversations, especially around science, regarding what's true and what isn't, anyone willing to spend a few minutes with some attention on this lively, practical dialog will learn something relevant to your everyday life.
Off we go!
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