From June 9–11, Park City, Utah became the place for Empower 2026, our annual client event. Connections were made, ideas came to life and everyone left inspired to make an even greater impact in well-being for their organizations. Here’s a recap of the standout moments.
This year’s Empower theme, “Where Purpose Powers Well-Being,” resonated throughout the event through inspiring keynotes, powerful client stories, and thought-provoking discussions. Together, we explored how organizations are moving beyond treating well-being as a perk and instead making it a key driver of culture, leadership and business success. The result? Stronger workplaces, more engaged employees and a deeper connection between purpose and performance.
At Empower, it’s certainly not all work and no well-being.
Each day of Empower started with trail walks, yoga and personal connections. We empowered our client leaders to make well-being part of each day. But it didn’t end there. Afternoons included an immersive sound healing experience, a guided stretch class with Empower-famous Coach Todd, a visit to downtown Park City to explore or personal downtime.
How self-compassion can be a leadership tool.
One of the event’s standout moments was the keynote, “Radical Self-Compassion—Your Leadership Superpower in Uncertain Times.” Dr. Andrea Hollingsworth challenged attendees to rethink how they respond to setbacks and uncertainty. Rather than viewing mistakes as failures, she explored how self-compassion can help leaders navigate challenges with greater resilience, perspective and confidence. In today’s workforce, her message was powerful and left attendees ready to build resilience and unlock greater strength.
Well-being in times of change.
John Harrison, President & General Manager at WebMD Health Services spoke about how well-being strategies anchored in purpose can create stability and momentum in today’s rapidly changing world. John also shared leadership perspectives on the market landscape, our position within it, key big bets and growth opportunities for 2027. At the end of his presentation, we all left with no doubt about the important role well-being plays in the evolving workplace.
What our latest research revealed.
No Empower event would be complete without the latest research shaping the future of employee well-being and workplace culture. Attendees got an exclusive look at findings from the 2026 Workplace and Employee Survey Report presented by Dr. Judy Lee, Sr. People Scientist and Erin Seaverson, Sr. Director and Head of the Center for Research at WebMD Health Services.
Their session explored emerging workforce trends and offered valuable perspectives on what leaders need to know to support employees and drive organizational success in today’s evolving workplace.
The conversation continued with Dr. Christina Shane-Simpson, Researcher at the Center for Research, who led an interactive session on the science behind effective incentive strategies. Participants examined how incentive programs are changing, compared approaches with peers and explored new ways to align rewards with employees’ needs, motivations and expectations.
The learning, sharing, and connecting didn’t end there. Clients also had the opportunity to hear from their peers on best practices, lessons learned and big wins:
- The importance of creating a menopause-friendly workplace with the City of Mesa and April Haberman, CEO and Co-Founder of MiDOViA.
- The reimagining of well-being through preventive care with ZOLL Medical.
- How health plans can build and package well-being solutions that stand out in the market with the WebMD Health Plan Client Success and Solution Architect Teams.
- How well-timed prompts, or “nudges,” can turn insights into action during our Product Lab.
- How to strengthen well-being engagement within your own organization with the City of Mesa’s emphasis on strategy, leadership and data.
- A candid discussion on what it takes to make well-being work with Wellmark, Chevron and AmTrust Group.
WebMD ONE partners showcased their expertise.
The Sponsor Lounge, Spotlight Sessions and breakouts also gave clients the opportunity to learn more about new opportunities to evolve their well-being programs with our WebMD ONE partners. Clients had the opportunity to hear from Dario, LifeSpeak, MOBE, Quest, Enrich Financial and Workpartners about how their unique solutions help support employee well-being and the meaningful impacts they are driving for their peers.
And the Empower Award goes to…
The final evening of Empower brought a favorite tradition: the Empower Awards. We recognized six clients whose creativity, commitment and leadership are helping redefine what it means to build a culture of well-being. Their stories showcased how purposeful investments in people can drive measurable results, strengthen organizational culture and create lasting impact.
The awards were a powerful reminder that when well-being is visible, valued and woven into the employee experience, everyone benefits—from employees and teams to the communities they serve.
The 2026 awards included:
- Well-Being Champion Network of the Year
- Purpose To Impact Award
- Innovations in Well-Being Culture Award
- Well-Being Leader Spotlight
- Well-Being Partner Impact Award
- The Transformational Leadership in Well-Being Award
In addition to recognizing these six exceptional organizations who are at the forefront of employee well-being, we also celebrated:
- Four clients attending Empower who marked their 10-year anniversary milestone with us.
- Eight client individuals who have attended Empower every year since the start with the “Empowered for Life” award.
That’s a wrap for Empower 2026.
As I shared during our event kick-off, “We view our clients as a community. Empower is not just another event—it’s a space where purpose and well-being grow through community and meaningful experiences.” Our shared mission is to make well-being a cornerstone of every workplace—not someday, but now. I hope you enjoy watching this highlight reel:
