It’s no secret that all companies want healthy employees.
Healthy employees are dependable for daily tasks and support a lively and active culture. With many employers absorbing more than 75% of health insurance premiums, there are obvious benefits for them to encourage habits that shape healthy lifestyles.
For many companies, though, wellness programs focus primarily on results, rewarding people who earn high marks on health screenings. They may provide a fitness tracking device and a few words of encouragement.
E&A’s program, which has roots dating back to 2008, represents a different philosophy. In 2017, President Tom Nussrallah and Human Resources Director Nicolette Villwok reexamined E&A’s offerings with the goal of encouraging healthier lifestyles at no cost to our employees. Tom hoped to incentivize a greater level of involvement with deeper discounts for insurance premiums that reflected participation.
So, Nicolette worked with Kersh Health to develop a plan that aligned with our unique requests. This plan merges physical activity challenges, wellness education, preventative care and coaching. Those who participate in a majority of activities and also score well on their biometric screening (or meet the “improvement goal”) can receive a reduction in their health care insurance premium. This reward ranges from 0-50%, depending on participation.
Beyond the incentivized program, wellness at E&A includes access to the Best Care Employee Assistance Program, a source for counseling, training and other support. We also encourage employee participation in the Corporate Cycling Challenge, a “Biggest Loser” style competition and weekly on-site yoga classes.
According to Jeremy Nichols, civil engineering designer, “the yoga classes are amazing! Definitely one of my favorite E&A wellness activities. It weaves relaxation and team building together, all while being conveniently located on-site.”
Moving into 2019, we have partnered with HealthCheck360 to provide support to our wellness program and look forward to a continued evolution of our company wellness.