What real engagement looks like: Strategic lessons from Harris County’s wellbeing program

When your workforce includes 43,000 employees, retirees, and dependents across dozens of departments, a one-size-fits-all wellbeing program won’t cut it. That’s why Harris County, Texas, one of the largest public sector employers in the country, partnered with Navigate to build a strategy rooted in clarity, personalization, and cultural alignment.

During our recent webinar, The HR Playbook for a Healthier, More Engaged Workforce in 2025, hosted in partnership with Employee Benefit News, we explored real-world strategies for employee wellbeing. Harris County leaders Sarah Acosta and Victoria Spencer, along with Navigate Strategic Advisor Matt Percia, joined us to share their approach and the measurable results they’ve seen.

Here are the most strategic takeaways from the webinar that HR leaders need to know. 

Rethinking engagement: It’s not just activity

The session began with a fundamental reset on how engagement is defined and measured.

At Navigate, engagement is tracked across three key signals:

• Portal engagement which includes onboarding, downloading the app, joining a challenge, posting on the social wall, or watching a wellbeing video course. These are signs that employees are not just logging in—they’re exploring and engaging with the experience.

• Challenge enrollment and completion tracks both individual and group challenge completion. Starting a challenge is good, but completion tells us that someone stayed involved and followed through.

• Incentive program completion measures the percentage of plan activities completed. Are employees taking the steps required to earn their reward based on points or required tasks?

This multi-dimensional approach gives HR teams a clearer view into what’s actually working and where efforts are falling flat. 

Four engagement drivers every organization should prioritize

Navigate’s data shows that clients who activate at least three of the four drivers below consistently see higher program participation and engagement. Here’s how Harris County brought them to life: 

1. Leadership support

Buy-in at the top doesn’t just drive awareness; it shapes culture.

“When employees see leaders showing up, participating in events, and being featured in communications, it signals to employees that wellbeing matters,” said Sarah Acosta. 

Harris County elevated elected officials and department heads in campaign messaging, which increased visibility and normalized wellbeing participation.

HR takeaway: Make leadership visible and approachable. A short quote in a campaign email or showing up at a wellness event can shift perceptions.

2. A diverse wellbeing committee

Representation leads to relevance. By including employees from different departments, roles, and backgrounds, Harris County ensured their program reflected the needs of a wide range of individuals.

“Our committee helps us shape messaging and program design based on what actually resonates with their teams,” said Victoria Spencer. 

HR takeaway: Don’t build wellbeing in a vacuum. Your best messaging and programming ideas might come from someone on the front line.

3. Community & charitable involvement

Purpose deepens engagement. Harris County’s annual Employee 5K connects health, visibility, and community service; turning wellness into something bigger than individual goals. 

“It’s more than a race—it’s a statement that wellness is something we value and do together,” said Sarah. 

HR takeaway: Consider aligning wellness challenges or events with causes your workforce cares about. Purpose creates energy and connection. 

4. Strategic communication

Engagement isn’t possible without clarity. Harris County built a year-round communication plan using emails, flyers, digital signage, and targeted messaging through Navigate’s platform. 

“Consistency was a game changer,” Victoria noted. “We went from scattered announcements to a rhythm employees could rely on.”

HR takeaway: Build a 12-month communication calendar and integrate wellness into open enrollment, team meetings, and other moments that already have employee attention. 

The results

After just 18 months with Navigate, Harris County saw:

• A 41% increase in onboarding to the wellbeing platform

• A 49% overall engagement rate across employees, retirees, and dependents

• Strong traction even among hard-to-reach populations like retirees 

“We’re still growing, but the foundation we’ve built is driving real momentum,” said Victoria. 

So what does this mean for you?

Whether you’re just getting started or refining an existing strategy, the Harris County model offers a roadmap:

• Start simple: Focus on visibility and foundational drivers

• Build inclusion: Use committees and leadership to extend credibility

• Align with purpose: Tie wellness efforts to your values and community

• Communicate with intention: Make it easy for employees to know what’s happening and why it matters

And above all, measure what matters. Go beyond clicks and logins. Look for signs of meaningful participation that move the needle on wellbeing and culture. 

Want to see these strategies in action?

Download the Engagement Drivers eBook

This guide breaks down the four engagement drivers with benchmarks, real examples, and actionable tips to help your team improve participation, clarity, and impact.

Download the eBook →

Missed the webinar? 

You can reserve the recording here and catch up on everything we covered with Harris County and EBN.