In this episode of The Health Literacy 2.0 Podcast, host Seth Serxner welcomes Ellen Kelsay, President and CEO of the Business Group on Health, for a timely conversation on the findings of the 2026 Employer Health Care Strategy Survey and what they signal for employers heading into the next phase of workforce health strategy.

The survey offers one of the clearest snapshots available of how large employers are responding to accelerating health care costs, mounting pharmacy pressure, and growing concerns about care quality.

As President and CEO of the Business Group on Health, Ellen Kelsay brings more than 30 years of experience in employer-sponsored health care, including senior leadership roles at Mercer and Aetna. Since 2019, she has led the organization’s strategy, advocacy, and research agenda, working directly with self-funded employers as they confront some of the most consequential health care decisions of the past decade.

Drawing directly on the 2026 survey findings, Seth and Ellen explore:

• Health care costs at a critical inflection point: Employers reported a 9% increase in health care costs, the highest level in more than a decade, underscoring why cost containment alone is no longer a viable long-term strategy.
• A forced reset in health care strategy: The survey shows employers actively reassessing benefit designs and vendor ecosystems, with a growing focus on integration, transparency, and coordination as levers to improve both cost control and care quality.
• Shifting from reaction to prevention: Findings point to renewed employer attention on primary care, prevention, and healthy behaviors, alongside careful experimentation with supply-side innovations such as value-based care and alternative health plan models.
• Engagement as a make-or-break factor: Survey insights reinforce that even well-designed programs fail without sustained engagement, prompting employers to simplify offerings, improve communications, and clarify shared accountability for outcomes.
• Employers as trusted guides: The survey highlights an expanding role for employers as credible sources of health information, particularly as employees navigate misinformation, complex benefits, and rapidly changing care options.
• Wellbeing investments under scrutiny, not retreat: Contrary to expectations, the findings show continued and in some cases growing investment in wellbeing initiatives, reflecting their perceived role in addressing downstream cost and productivity challenges.
• Health literacy moving to the center of strategy: While not always named explicitly, the survey reinforces the importance of equipping employees to understand benefits, evaluate care options, and make informed decisions, especially as AI accelerates access to health information.
• Preparing for longer working lives: The findings also point to the need for employers to adapt health and wellbeing strategies to support an aging workforce with evolving needs across longer career spans.

Ellen and Seth discuss why the 2026 Employer Health Care Strategy Survey is becoming a practical guide for employers navigating rising costs, limited options, and growing complexity.

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Want to see how EdLogics' gamified platform can boost health literacy, drive engagement in health and wellness programs, and help people live happier, healthier lives?

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In this episode of The Health Literacy 2.0 Podcast, Seth Serxner welcomes Janis Davis-Street—nutritionist, educator, public health leader, and global wellness strategist—to unpack the complexities of workforce health literacy and share lessons from her impressive career.

Janis brings a unique blend of frontline experience and academic depth to the conversation, with roots in nutrition and health education, a doctorate, and advanced certifications in organizational leadership and informatics.

Her career journey spans pivotal roles at NASA, where she contributed to space nutrition science and youth outreach, and nearly two decades at Chevron, championing global cardiovascular health initiatives and adapting wellbeing programs for diverse, multinational workforces.

Seth and Janis also discuss:

• Translating science into action, highlighting the art of turning complex nutrition and health research into practical, accessible information for astronauts, students, and employees alike.
• The importance of tailored communication, noting that effective health messaging requires local context and lessons from customizing outreach for global populations to ensure representation and relevance in every region.
• Visual inclusivity, emphasizing that imagery in wellness campaigns matters and participants must see themselves reflected to feel engaged and respected.
• Cultural sensitivity, stressing that partnering with local teams—through language, context, and community stories—helps overcome barriers and drive trust.
• Peer Health Educators (PHE), describing how Chevron’s model empowers trained employees to provide basic health education, advocate for prevention, and refer peers to expert resources, expanding workforce engagement.
• Data-driven impact, explaining that participation and outcomes are tracked, with Chevron’s Enterprise Health Index creating organizational accountability and keeping leaders invested in health culture.
• The power of collaboration, highlighting that health, HR, and benefits teams must break silos and jointly nurture a culture of health for real impact.
• The growing urgency of health literacy, noting that misinformation—especially during the pandemic and now the AI era—affects everyone, making addressing it and increasing equitable access a priority.
• Responsible use of AI, emphasizing that new digital tools present both promise and risk, requiring critical thinking, source verification, and prompt engineering to combat misinformation in health.

For anyone invested in workforce wellbeing, global health, or effective communication, this conversation underscores that impactful health initiatives are not one-size-fits-all—they require empathy, inclusivity, and practical translation of knowledge into action.

Learn About EdLogics

Want to see how EdLogics' gamified platform can boost health literacy, drive engagement in health and wellness programs, and help people live happier, healthier lives?

Visit the EdLogics website.

Links:

Janis Davis-Street: www.linkedin.com/in/janis-davis-street-26232315/

In this episode of The Health Literacy 2.0 Podcast, Seth Serxner welcomes Blair Durham, co-founder and CEO of Black BRAND, to discuss the intersection of workforce health literacy, economic empowerment, and community development, with a special focus on narrowing the racial wealth gap in Hampton Roads.

Blair Durham is a dynamic leader who has spent the past decade building Black BRAND - Hampton Roads’ Regional Black Chamber of Commerce - into a powerhouse for business and professional development. With a background in psychology and sociology, and a keen passion for social equity, Blair is leading transformative initiatives in entrepreneurship, workforce preparation, access to capital, and financial sustainability that aim to strengthen and expand Black-owned businesses while fostering regional economic growth.

Seth and Blair explore the strategies and outcomes of Black BRAND’s work, touching on the vital importance of health literacy in personal and collective economic success. Their conversation offers powerful insights for anyone interested in building healthier, more resilient, and inclusive communities.

Key takeaways from their conversation:

☑️ Black BRAND is committed to addressing gaps in business development, professional advancement, and entrepreneurship for the Black community - while simultaneously promoting regional economic growth.

☑️ Black BRAND has facilitated millions of dollars in grants and loan access, and is now working to build its own financial institution to better serve graduates and local businesses.

☑️ With over 700 entrepreneurs supported since COVID and targeted initiatives for women in workforce development, Black BRAND meticulously tracks outcomes to demonstrate real impact to funders and the community.

☑️ Blair emphasizes that Black BRAND’s focus on workforce readiness and inclusive economic development transcends political winds, serving a broad business case that benefits all.

☑️ Recognizing that health literacy is the single greatest determinant of health outcomes, Black BRAND integrates wellness initiatives - from educational forums to healthy workplace practices - into its broader economic mission.

☑️ The organization is pioneering efforts to raise awareness among business owners about the critical connection between their personal well-being and professional success.

Blair’s optimism and clear-eyed vision highlight the power of community-rooted partnerships and targeted action to advance both health and economic well-being.

Links:

Blair Durham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blair-durham-15528a17a/

Black Brand: https://www.blackbrand.biz

Learn About EdLogics

Want to see how EdLogics' gamified platform can boost health literacy, drive engagement in health and wellness programs, and help people live happier, healthier lives?

Visit EdLogics.

About The Health Literacy 2.0 Podcast

Improving health literacy — the ability to understand and act on health information — is key to improving health outcomes and lowering costs. Together with business and community leaders, we'll explore effective, behavior-changing solutions that can improve health literacy — and drive engagement in corporate and public health and wellness programs.

The Health Literacy 2.0 Podcast is produced by the HR podcast production agency.