New Poll: Americans Expect Businesses to Invest in Community Health

As the nation recovers from COVID-19 pandemic, businesses should focus on improving community health, not just employee health, according to a new brief by the Health Action Alliance and the de Beaumont Foundation. Citing research conducted by Morning Consult in May, the report shows that businesses and customers are beginning to acknowledge that healthier businesses start with healthier communities.

Among the new research findings:

• 70% of adults say private companies should be involved in encouraging employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Slightly fewer, 61%, said companies should encourage customers to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
• 82% say employers have a responsibility to invest in the health and well-being of their local communities.
• A large majority of adults — more than two in three — believe it’s important for the companies they purchase from to invest in food security, education, mental health, housing, child care, substance use, and transportation.

In the brief, HAA makes the following recommendations for businesses:

• Determine what issues are causing employee absenteeism, retention failures, stress, and anxiety. Work with public health leaders to map health solutions to these challenges.
• Build partnerships in your community, and invest in solutions that meet both employee and community needs.
• Tell your local and state governments that supporting public health is good for business and must be a priority.

See the six-page summary, “Healthier Businesses Start with Healthier Communities: New Research and Recommendations for Business Leaders.”