According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
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59% of employees do not get adequate exercise
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50% or more of employees have high cholesterol
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27% of employees have cardiovascular disease
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26% of employees are overweight by 20% or more
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24% of employee have high blood pressure
It’s true: A healthy workforce is a more productive and happy workforce. Unhealthy lifestyle choices are typically to blame for chronic diseases, costing businesses more than $1 trillion in lost productivity alone. That’s just one of the reasons promoting workplace wellness is so important. But it also helps reduce stress and motivate employees in achieving their personal and professional goals.
In 2013, HighGrove Partners brought in Rami Odeh, president and owner of Atlanta’s FormWell Personal Fitness Training, to run its wellness program. He presented to employees multiple times on the topic of fitness and nutrition and was available all year for individual consultations with employees to help them continue toward their goals.
What HighGrove’s Fittest Did To Meet Their Goals
The top three wellness program performers at HighGrove, who showed improvement in weight and body fat measurements, received cash prizes at year’s end—a $200 in health and wellness gift certificate, a $100 health and wellness gift certificate and a $50 health and wellness gift certificate.
What did the winners do to advance their training, better their nutrition and, ultimately, succeed in moving toward or meeting their goals? According to Odeh, they embraced all of the tools he provided as part of the program and were active participants. This included remaining in touch with him via email, reaching out and asking lots of questions.
This year, HighGrove is continuing the program with a few changes. What Odeh noticed is that an in-person check-in every 12 weeks just wasn’t enough — people need more accountability to keep stay motivated and focused. This year, Odeh will be visiting HighGrove employees more often to inspire and encourage them.
Another option corporations can adopt as part of their wellness programs is looking at more than just what the scale says. This is important since every company has a variety of employees with a range of fitness and nutritional challenges and needs. So he recommends looking at not only weight loss, but also body fat loss and muscle gain as three components to measure success.
Wellness Programs Just Make Sense (and Cents)
Why do companies like HighGrove adopt wellness programs?
Rising health insurance costs are a big driver. In fact, between 70 percent and 90 percent of health care spending is caused by preventable, modifiable health risks, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports.
Research also shows employees involved in corporate fitness programs are typically more productive, make fewer errors, cost companies less in health care, have higher morale and miss less work.
Improving Quality of Life for HighGrove Employees
HighGrove CEO Jim McCutcheon was an active participant in the wellness program in 2013, and will continue to be in 2014. This top-down example is a great motivator for other employees, Odeh explains — and Jim’s going to need all the energy he can get once he assumes the 2014 PLANET presidency! (Stay tuned for more details on that.)
HighGrove is proud to support the improvement of its employees’ health and wellness. If you want to learn more about our business, call us at 678-298-0550 or use our simple contact form for a free consultation!
