Worksite Health Award Special Insert

Supplement to Rhode Island Monthly
Worksite
20TH ANNUAL
HEALTH AWARDS
3 Companies Share
Their Stories
· On-site fitness
centers
· Employee gardens
· Fitness challenges
Well Workplaces
70+ Rhode Island
businesses keeping
employees healthy
Navigant Credit Union’s
worksite wellness program
has helped Angie Medeiros
lose almost 30 pounds.
About the
Worksite Health Awards
For the last 20 years, the Worksite Health Awards have recognized businesses
that go the extra mile to improve the health and wellness of their employees.
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and the Greater Providence Chamber of
Commerce have sponsored the Worksite Health Awards since the awards began in 1995.
Get inspired
In the following pages, you’ll read how local businesses have helped their employees
be happier, healthier, and more productive. We hope these will encourage you to
participate in worksite wellness, either as an employee or an employer. If you’d like
help starting a worksite wellness program at your company, Blue Cross & Blue Shield
of Rhode Island can customize a program that meets your needs. Learn about our
Wellness Works program by contacting Kim Cormier, Director of Product Marketing,
Strategic Marketing & Product Innovation, at (401) 459-5165 or [email protected].
Enter in 2015!
All Rhode Island businesses that offer worksite wellness programs are invited to enter. Winning
businesses may offer programs such as flu clinics, health screenings, smoking cessation classes,
weight-loss seminars, and exercise classes. To learn more about the awards and the 2015
application process, please contact Barbara Laurino at the Greater Providence Chamber of
Commerce at [email protected]. There’s no cost to enter!
2
20TH Annual Worksite Health Awards
welcome
A 20-YEAR TRADITION
Over the last two decades, the Worksite Health Awards winners have led the way in
making wellness an important part of the culture in Rhode Island businesses. As you’ll
read in these pages, our 2014 winners are continuing the tradition. Their innovative
programs are helping employees be healthier at work and at home.
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island has sponsored these awards with the
Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce since the beginning. This year marks two
milestone anniversaries for us—20 years for the Worksite Health Awards and 75 years
for Blue Cross! Three of the 2014 winners have been with Blue Cross for all of our
75 years: Newport Hospital (Lifespan), Newport Public Schools, and South Kingstown
School Department. Congratulations to them and to all of the winners.
If you read our winners’ stories and are inspired to expand your wellness offerings,
you don’t have to create a program on your own. Blue Cross offers a Wellness Works
program that provides customized tools and resources to help improve the health of
your employees—and your business. Our winners clearly show the value that wellness
can bring.
Peter Andruszkiewicz and Laurie White
are proud to continue the tradition of the
Worksite Health Awards, which honors
more than 70 businesses this year.
Peter Andruszkiewicz
President and Chief Executive Officer
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island
A FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE
When I read about the different wellness programs that our winners offered,
I thought they seemed organized, comprehensive—and just plain fun. Walking
meetings. Hula hooping classes. Cooking demonstrations. And that’s just to name
a few! Workplace wellness programs were just getting off the ground 20 years ago,
when we introduced the Worksite Health Awards. This year, we are honoring more
than 70 businesses for their programs.
What’s the reason for the change? Numerous studies have shown the value of
worksite wellness, and local employers have also seen the effects firsthand. Healthier
employees mean improved morale, lower healthcare costs, and reduced absenteeism.
That’s what every employer wants.
The Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce is pleased to partner with Blue Cross
& Blue Shield of Rhode Island to sponsor these awards. We want to recognize the
employers and employees who are changing the future of business in our state.
Laurie White
President
Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce
20TH Annual Worksite Health Awards
3
Exemplary Award Winner
‘BANKING’ ON EMPLOYEE WELLNESS
Navigant Credit Union is ‘banking’ on the
positive effects of their wellness program
for their 250 employees. The company has
a nine-member wellness committee, led by
Jeff Lemos and Terri Brophy, VP and AVP of
Human Resources respectively. “We’ve had
a formal program for about two years,” says
Terri, “and we’re constantly researching new
ways to enhance it.”
The program gets a boost from
Wellness Works, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of
Rhode Island’s employer wellness program.
Navigant’s dedicated Blue Cross wellness
representative helped them design their
program and access a variety of tools, like an
online employee health assessment, on-site
seminars and health screenings, and
comprehensive reporting to help evaluate and
improve their results.
Navigant also participates in Shape Up RI, and
held its first-ever Wellness Day last year (see
below). Future activities might include events
focused on financial health, a healthy marketplace, or farmers markets.
A challenge for the committee is motivating
employees at their 13 local branch offices to
get involved. “We now have wellness
champions at each branch who are our
‘cheerleaders,’ encouraging their colleagues
to participate,” says Kelley Schimmel, Marketing
Coordinator and committee member.
Kelley was the driving force behind Navigant’s
first-ever Wellness Day last October. Held at
Employees Julie Thibodeau and Joe Monteiro get in a workout at Navigant’s
on-site fitness center.
their main office, this successful event made
wellness fun with raffles, cooking demonstrations, a Zumba class, health screenings, and
much more. It lasted into the night so branch
office employees could come.
Angie Medeiros, an IRA/CD Representative at
Navigant’s headquarters, is a terrific example
of their wellness culture. After learning she
was pre-diabetic last year, she met with a
nutritionist and began eating healthier. She
also began exercising at Navigant’s on-site
gym and on her own. Angie has since lost 29
pounds while lowering her cholesterol and
blood sugar levels. “One of my keys to
success is having ‘workout buddies’ for
support,” she says, “and having a gym at
work is a huge plus.” The gym is free for all
employees, and a trainer is available two
days a week.
Aside from specific events, there are subtle
changes too. “The elevators are virtually
unused, and many employees now park
further away from the door,” notes Jeff.
“There’s a sense of wanting to be
healthier.”
Gary Furtado, President and CEO, says, “I’m
so proud of our employees’ efforts—and
especially our wellness committee—for
creating an award-winning program and
embracing wellness as such an important
part of our culture.”
Navigant’s award-winning wellness
program is a team effort. Pictured (left
to right) are Chris DerVartanian, Terri
Brophy, Kelley Schimmel, Ruth Messier,
Gary Furtado, Angie Medeiros, Carla
Gubitosi, Carrie Thrul, and Jeff Lemos.
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20TH Annual Worksite Health Awards
Exemplary Award Winner
CREATING A CULTURE OF WELLNESS
You don’t need six-pack abs to work at
Preventure Inc., a corporate wellness company,
but you do need to believe in the power of
wellness to improve employees’ lives—and
employers’ bottom lines.
engagement across the spectrum, says Kathy
O’Neel-Webster, Senior Vice President of
Operations. Preventure’s employees range
in age from 24 to 67, so what works for one
person may not work for another.
a shower room so people would feel
comfortable exercising during the work day.
They also encourage “walking meetings,”
and there’s a volleyball court behind the
parking lot.
That’s what Preventure is all about. This
leading wellness company, headquartered in
Coventry, helps companies like Lowe’s,
Dannon, and many others reduce healthcare
costs while improving employees’ productivity,
morale, and quality of life. Over the past year,
the company has doubled its workforce and
moved into a larger office space.
In addition to the Fit for Life program,
Preventure fosters a culture of wellness
with big and small ideas. The company added
And new ideas, no matter how odd they may
seem, are always welcome, says Cindy Butts,
Director of People Services.
Earlier this year, Preventure employees asked
if they could build raised-bed vegetable
gardens behind the building. At first the idea
seemed off the mark, but then Cindy says
they realized that the gardens would encourage
physical exercise, reduce stress, and promote
good nutrition. Employees now eagerly sign
up for 15-minute garden-tending duties in the
“Preventure Patch.”
That success, says CEO Mark Correia, springs
from Preventure’s commitment to wellness
under its own roof. “Our goal for our own
wellness program is to set the standard, try
new things, pilot ideas we can use with our
clients,” he says.
Preventure’s Fit for Life program offers
employees a cash incentive to complete
biometric screenings, a health
assessment, and an exercise challenge—
common components of a wellness program.
But Preventure’s approach goes further.
They also promote healthy activities that
foster social, cultural, intellectual, emotional,
and spiritual wellness.These efforts inspire
Kathy says, “What’s most important to us is
establishing a culture of wellness within the
organization. And that means something
different to everyone.”
Preventure employees compete in an
impromptu volleyball game on the
court behind their office. Preventure
encourages employees to be active
during the work day.
CEO Mark Correia, People Services
Director Cindy Butts, Senior Vice President
Kathy O’Neel-Webster, and Controller Sarah
Charette believe that creating a culture of
wellness is the key to having happy, healthy,
and productive employees.
20TH Annual Worksite Health Awards
5
Exemplary Award Winner
GOING THE DISTANCE FOR WELLNESS
The employees at Hexagon Metrology love a
challenge. When it comes to wellness, their
competitive nature has led them to take
millions of steps and shed dozens of pounds.
In 2013, their worksite wellness program
included participation in a pilot for Shape Up
RI’s European Expedition Challenge, a virtual
trek across Europe starting in The Netherlands
and ending in Greece. Bea Palmer was the
captain of Hexagon’s leading team, which
came in third in the overall competition.
Together, Bea’s team walked more than
eight million steps during the eight-week
challenge.
“It was a great concept,” says Bea. “I enjoyed
researching the destination cities along
the way and sending facts to my team
members. It motivated me more than just
walking would.”
When they’re not on a virtual European
tour, Hexagon employees spend their lunch
breaks walking the path by the beach in
Quonset, sharing tips and support at Weight
Watchers® At Work meetings, or participating
in the company health fair. They even took a
hula-hooping class.
Health Services Manager Susan Booth, RN,
has commandeered an empty conference
room for more classes, and soon hopes to
bring in a yoga instructor. She is also starting
Thomas Sladen, Mariano Martins, Gregory Suvajian, and Steve Brehm get
their steps in on the scenic walking path near Hexagon’s headquarters.
a “Lose and Win” weight-loss challenge for
all of Hexagon’s North American locations.
“Team challenges work well for us,” Susan
says. “People enjoy the support and
camaraderie.”
Glenn Wambolt, Vice President of Human
Resources, is just as enthusiastic about
wellness. “Our wellness program is about
improving quality of life. Since we spend so
much time at work, it’s important to us to
provide education and resources to help
people lead healthier lives while we’re
here,” he says.
Hexagon has proven that wellness pays off
for everyone: their employee satisfaction
surveys show morale is high, and their
employee healthcare costs have been
running lower than the national trend.
Those are results worth competing for.
Hexagon Metrology’s wellness team
guides the company’s wellness
programming. Pictured (left to right):
Elissa Lombardo, Kristin Bailer, Glenn
Wambolt, Beatrice Palmer, Susan Booth,
Adina Downing.
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20TH Annual Worksite Health Awards
2014 Worksite Health Award Winners
EXEMPLARY
Rhode Island Zoological Society
AIPSO
Rhode Island Hospital/Hasbro
Children’s Hospital
Amica Insurance
Rhode Island Housing
South Kingstown School Department
BankNewport
Rhode Island Medical Imaging
Swarovski North America Limited
Blue Cross & Blue Shield
of Rhode Island
Rhode Island Quality Institute
Roger Williams University
South County Hospital
Healthcare System
Taco, Inc.
The Moore Company
Bradley Hospital
Brown University
Bryant University
Saint Elizabeth Community
Town of Narragansett
TriLiteral, LLC
Tri-Mack Plastics Manufacturing
Corporation
Cadence, Inc.
The Beacon Mutual Insurance
Company
Care New England/Women & Infants
Hospital of Rhode Island
The Miriam Hospital
Centreville Bank
CharterCare Health Partners
& Affiliates
Toray Plastics (America), Inc.
Ferland Corporation
Town of Smithfield
FGX International
Cooley Group
West Bay Residential Services, Inc.
Kenyon Industries
CVS Caremark
West View Nursing & Rehabilitation
Center
Modine Manufacturing
Fidelity
SUPERIOR
Parkinson Technologies, Inc.
FM Global
American Mathematical Society
Pet Food Experts
Gateway Healthcare
Autocrat, LLC
Smithfield Public Schools
General Dynamics Electric Boat
Broker’s Service Marketing
Group, LLC
Town of Lincoln
ChemArt Company
ACHIEVEMENT
Hexagon Metrology
City of Warwick, Dept. of Tourism,
Culture & Development
Family Service of Rhode Island
Hinckley Allen
Coastway Community Bank
Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co., Ltd.
Crowne Plaza Hotel at the
Crossings
DeWAL Industries Inc.
Gilbane, Inc.
Hasbro, Inc.
Lifespan Corporate Services
Moran Shipping Agencies, Inc.
Navigant Credit Union
Newport Hospital
Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP
Fellowship Health Resources, Inc.
Preventure Inc.
Hope Global, A Division of NFA
Providence College
Meeting Street
Raytheon Integrated Defense
Systems
Paul Masse Automotive Group
20TH Annual Worksite Health Awards
Glencore Recycling
Home & Hospice Care of
Rhode Island
Pawtucket Credit Union
OUTSTANDING
Newport Public Schools
By participating
in Preventure’s
wellness program
and making small
adjustments to her
diet, Fulfillment
Specialist Angie Downing lost weight
and brought her blood sugar and
cholesterol down to healthy levels.
7
Healthy Employees = A Healthy Business
The health of your business is about more than just profits and losses…it’s
about your most important asset—your employees. Keeping them healthy
is good for your bottom line, because healthier employees typically have:
• Fewer health insurance claims
• Less sick time
• Increased productivity
• Better morale and higher retention
It’s simple—healthy employees can lead to
a healthier business. Find out how with
Wellness Works™, Blue Cross & Blue Shield
of Rhode Island’s worksite wellness
program that offers:
• An enhanced online portal
• On-site and online
programs and tools
• Health assessments
• Screenings
• Health coaching
• And so much more
Let Wellness Works go to work for you!
To learn more about how Wellness Works can help
your business, contact Kim Cormier, Director of Product
Marketing, Strategic Marketing & Product Innovation
at (401) 459-5165 or [email protected].
500 Exchange Street • Providence, RI 02903-2699
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
05/14
SAL-14875

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