Employers have the biggest potential for positive impact in employee's health because employees spend more than 50 percent of their waking hours at work . Cambia has been working for more than a decade to transform the health care industry and we believe that a healthy workplace is part of the solution. Due to our focus on workplace wellness, we were named Oregon’s fourth healthiest employer of 2016 for large employers (1,500 employees or more) by The Portland Business Journal. The annual award recognizes 60 Oregon employers with creative and successful health and wellness programs.
The award was given at the HR Summit & Healthiest Employers of Oregon and HR Leadership Awards. The award luncheon was part of a fourth annual half-day wellness expo that was held Friday, Aug. 19. In his opening speech at the event, Dr. Kerry Kuehl, Professor of Medicine at OHSU made a few points that resonated with us at Cambia. Dr. Kuehl explained peers and co-workers are more effective than doctors at changing health behavior. Because of this we organize walking groups and other programs, to provide social support and hold our employees accountable, empowering them to reach their health goals.
Earlier at the summit, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon’s VP of Business Development, Jim Walton, led a session on real issues affecting employees. Walton’s session, titled “Delivering the health care of tomorrow, today,” was about the technologies and trends that are putting consumers at the center of their health universe, delivering convenience, choice and cost savings to employers and employees alike.
We are proud of the environment we’ve created at Cambia where employees can thrive. We placed highly by demonstrating our culture of workplace wellness through a variety of activities:
- Culture and Leadership commitment: Leaders are involved in the company’s workplace wellness program, championing healthy lifestyle choices, developing health-focused company polices and participating in wellness activities events.
- Employee participation and engagement: We invest in our employees, encouraging healthy choices, from low monthly fee for our onsite gym to discounted prices for healthier meals at our café. Cambia employees also receive discounts on their health insurance premiums based on participation in wellness activities.
- Risk measurement: Free annual biometric screenings help employees monitor their risk factors, including blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass and weight, and provide a baseline to measure improvement.
