Worksites take steps to decrease healthcare expenses, increase productivity
Cambia Health Solutions has been recognized as a Platinum-Level Fit-Friendly Worksite by the American Heart Association for helping employees eat better and move more. Additionally, Cambia earned a worksite innovation award for its “Breakaway” program, to encourage workers to take mini-breaks from their computer to stretch, move and breathe, coached by short videos and incentives to participate.
“Physical activity and employee wellness are important priorities at Cambia. We are honored and excited to be recognized by the American Heart Association as a Platinum-Level Fit-Friendly Worksite,” said Mark Stimpson, vice president of Human Resources. “This is our seventh consecutive year of being recognized at the platinum level. We’re committed to providing the best workplace environment possible. This will benefit our employees’ health and produce even more positive results for our worksite overall.”
Platinum-level employers:
- Offer employees physical activity options in the workplace.
- Cambia offers on-site gyms and popular themed exercise competitions
- Increase healthy eating options at the worksite.
- Cambia offers 35 percent discount on healthy food choices
- Promote a wellness culture in the workplace.
- Implement at least nine criteria outlined by the American Heart Association in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and culture.
- Demonstrate measurable outcomes related to workplace wellness.
- 27 percent more employees received some financial incentive for participation
- 11.16 percent fewer sick days, on average: 3.74, down from 4.21 days (per employee per year)
- 10.2 percent lower average health costs per employee, $7,574, down from $8,435
The Fit-Friendly Worksites program is a catalyst for positive change in the American workforce by helping companies make their employees’ health and wellness a priority.
American employers are losing an estimated $225.8 billion a year because of healthcare expenses and health-related losses in productivity, and those numbers are rising. Many American adults spend most of their waking hours at sedentary jobs. Their lack of regular physical activity raises their risk for a host of medical problems, such as obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. Employers face $12.7 billion in annual medical expenses due to obesity alone. The American Heart Association is working to change corporate cultures by motivating employees to start walking, which has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity.
Recognition is a critical component of the Fit-Friendly Worksites program. Employers that join this program qualify for official recognition by the American Heart Association. Cambia is listed on the program’s national website, as well as being designated as one of Oregon’s Healthiest Employers.
Qualifying worksites also have the right to use the program’s annual recognition seal for internal communications and with external, recruitment-related communications.
“The Fit-Friendly Worksites Program offers a unique, easy-to-implement opportunity for corporations to increase employees’ physical activity, which will help improve their health – and their employers’ bottom line,” said Amy Walloch, wellness program coordinator. “Even people who haven’t exercised regularly until middle age can reap significant benefits by starting a walking program. A study published in 1986 in the New England Journal of Medicine found that some adults may gain two hours of life expectancy for every hour of regular, vigorous exercise they performed.”
For more information about the Fit-Friendly Worksites program and how it is helping to improve the health of Americans by focusing on an activity that is convenient, free and easy, call Jenni Dingledein at (503) 820-5304 or visit startwalkingnow.org.
