Our Firm’s Trailblazing Approach to Employee Wellbeing

Do I feel comfortable here? Can I bring my whole self to work? If I need help, will I get it?

Questions like these launched a wellness revolution at Booz Allen that Ethisphere Magazine described as “a model for other leaders and companies seeking to transform their own culture.” It’s all part of our commitment to empowering employees to find their best professional selves. And it’s one of the reasons the leading nonprofit Mental Health America awarded our firm the first-ever Mental Health Corporate Excellence award in 2019.

As has so often been the case with transformational initiatives at Booz Allen, creating a culture where everyone values the importance of supporting emotional wellbeing started with the efforts of some key people. In this case, those individuals were Andrea Inserra, the leader of our global defense operations and crosscut marketing strategy, and Joe Sifer, the leader of our defense and military intelligence business.

In 2014, after the firm had launched PowerUP—an internal program aimed at helping employees improve their physical wellness—Andrea began advocating for the addition of an emotional wellness component. A long-time proponent of health strategies that treat the whole person, she wanted the firm to emphasize the importance of mental and emotional wellbeing at work. As she explained to Ethisphere Magazine, “I told them I’d only participate if we incorporated mental wellness.”

Senior leaders at the firm heeded Andrea's advice and broadened PowerUP’s focus to include resources for supporting emotional fitness at work. Adding that component proved to be the easy part. Changing firm culture so that individuals struggling with mental health issues felt comfortable seeking help presented more of a challenge. That’s where Joe's advocacy work came into play.

Joe has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder in the past, and after the rollout of the new PowerUP program, he repeatedly told his story through in-person speaking engagements and firmwide videos that put a personal spin on the issue. The courage he displayed in sharing his personal struggles created an environment where more people felt comfortable openly discussing mental health issues.

Today, PowerUP features a fully-integrated emotional wellness component. In addition, all Booz Allen employees are educated on the Five Signs of Emotional Suffering, and the firm has trained hundreds of first responders around the world to direct those in need of help to an employee assistance program and a full array of mental health resources.

All of this has resulted in a profound culture shift and created an environment that supports employees’ mental and emotional wellbeing. It’s a vivid illustration of Booz Allen’s values and people-first culture. Learn more about our three-part promise to employees.