Advancing Governmental Public Health Workforce Well-being: Lessons From a Maryland Pilot Test

ABSTRACT: Prioritizing employee well-being is critical to retaining and sustaining a strong, prepared, and effective public health workforce. The Putting Our People First: Discussion Guide for Public Health Agencies to Advance Worker Well-being, a customizable tool to address worker needs and promote a culture of well-being, was pilot tested with 3 Maryland local health departments. Although employees across the 3 pilot agencies shared a strong public health mission orientation and commitment to their work and the communities they serve, key priority areas identified to advance a culture of well-being included internal communications, leadership, and organizational infrastructure and policies. This shares lessons from Maryland's pilot sites and highlights how the guide can be adapted to local context, with insights that can be scaled across public health agencies to foster a culture of well-being and better support and sustain a strong, effective workforce to deliver essential services and respond to community needs.