20 Sep 2015 Running with it: 'A healthy employee is a safe and productive employee'

by Sonja J. Keith

Local companies are finding success in corporate wellness programs that demonstrate they value their employees while also trying to curb the rising cost in health care.

These programs are more than a fitness center membership or a weight loss program.

“Corporate wellness is when an employer provides an opportunity to improve employee wellness, health and safety,” said TRS Wellness Chief Operating Officer Jackie Bracey. It’s an emphasis on prevention instead of reaction when it comes to their employees’ health.

There has been no greater need for wellness initiatives as statistics show that one third of the population is classified as obese.

Wellness programs typically include components like smoking cessation, disease management (diabetes, blood pressure) and biometric testing, but the overall goal is to change a company’s mindset and culture. “Corporate wellness isn’t about losing weight but weight loss is a big part of it.”

Some of the largest employers in Conway have implemented corporate wellness programs, including Nabholz Client Services, Conway Regional Health System, the University of Central Arkansas, Kimberly-Clark and Conway Corporation.

TRS Wellness is, in fact, the result of a corporate wellness initiative.

In 2013, Therapy and Rehab Solutions in Conway was a well-established and growing company in Central Arkansas with more than 100 employees providing rehabilitation services, specifically physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.

In anticipation of the Affordable Care Act, Therapy and Rehab Solutions undertook a wellness initiative in an effort to continue to provide excellent benefits for staff. The wellness-trained staff was already working with Kimberly-Clark on health promotion and injury prevention services. “The sad part is that despite our efforts to improve the health of thousands of patients and clients each year, our staff was also falling victim to a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet.”

Jackie points out that most of the TRS employees have earned master’s degrees or doctorates and have a background in health care. “They know what it takes to be healthy but we weren’t taking care of ourselves.”

A multi-disciplinary team was created at Therapy and Rehab Solutions and members worked over six months to develop a program. “We developed our first corporate wellness program for our employees,” said Sandy Greeson, director of corporate and industrial wellness at TRS|Wellness. “It was incredible.”

The initiative was called “Transform, Revive, Succeed” and was developed to assist employees in improving their own health and well-being while being dedicated to the health and well-being of all those people they cared for on a daily basis.

The TRS program includes quarterly biometric testing to monitor important health measurements, like blood pressure and cholesterol levels. “Our staff wants to be healthy,” Jackie said, adding that employees are still excited about the program.

Health coaches also have “real” face-to-face conversations with employees each month, making them feel important but also holding them accountable for their health choices. “If you don’t take care of yourself, who will take care of your kids?”

This wasn’t the first time that the company had tried to encourage a healthier workforce, according to Jackie. In 2007, a dietitian was brought in to promote healthy eating but it was not built upon and the efforts fell to the wayside.

“It’s been a remarkable evolution and it has evolved continuously.”

While some may consider a corporate wellness program as a company’s attempt to control another part of an employee’s life, Jackie points out most participants feel better and feel valued by their employer. She points out that if an employer didn’t care about its workers, it would not undertake a corporate wellness program.

For TRS, the program has meant happier and healthier employees, greater job satisfaction and increased productivity. About 82 percent of employees participate in the program. “We knew if our staff was healthy, they would be more productive and better at their jobs.”

There have been other positive outcomes. “We have not had an increase in our health insurance since we implemented this program in 2013,” Jackie said. “That’s essentially unheard of in this day in time, especially with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.” She added that while the number of insurance claims by TRS employees has dramatically dropped, a wellness program cannot prevent claims associated with accidents or other health situations. However, wellness efforts can impact health insurance costs, which can nearly bankrupt a successful company.

“Something has to be done to turn the tide of obesity in the United States. Employees have to feel valued and employers have to make an effort to make a healthy lifestyle available. We have to do something to control health care costs in this country.”

The wellness program has re-defined the corporate culture for TRS, according to Jackie. For example, the company used to host Barbecue Wednesday to show employee appreciation or reward staff with donuts but realized it was sending a mixed message. Now, the company provides food less often but still tries to reward their employees in other ways. “When we do serve food, we make an effort to serve only healthy options. Now we really do practice more healthy lifestyles.”

TRS also encourages walking, and some employees have developed groups to take advantage of a nearby park during their lunch break.

“Corporate wellness can be tricky,” said Sandy, adding that the message sent to employees has to be aligned with the health focus.

The program has also meant success for employees. Jackie illustrates the rewards by explaining that one employee lost 30 pounds and was able to resume outdoor activities that her weight had made difficult. “She got so heavy, she couldn’t comfortably get in a canoe,” she said. “She took charge of her health again. She was able to take back the portions of her life that gave her the greatest joy. To me, that’s what corporate wellness is.”

Jackie added that if TRS had not said to the employee that she and her health were valued and encouraged her to take care of herself, it would not have become a priority.

Today, TRS works with small to mid-size companies to develop a customized wellness program. (For more information, visit trswellness.com.)

“It’s not cookie cutter or one size fits all,” Jackie said. “No company is too small to invest in their employees’ health.”

TRS Wellness provides personalized service through its programs, according to Jackie. Where some programs will mail test results, TRS Wellness employees go over testing results to ensure employees understand. Coaching is also not limited to online or over the telephone, in fact, they prefer to coach in person.

TRS also looks at employee safety and injury prevention by offering ergonomic training and consultation. “A healthier worker is a safer worker.”

For a wellness program to be effective, Jackie said it must permeate the entire operation. “In order for corporate wellness to be successful, it needs to be top to bottom,” Jackie said. “It has to be all hands on deck.”

The message must also be consistent – “You matter…Your health matters. Your health does matter to us and we’re going to help you.”

 “It’s not about perfection and it’s not about looking better in a two-piece swimsuit,” Jackie said. Instead, it’s about being healthy and not letting the team down at work because health issues meant missing. “It’s about progress, not perfection.”