Award-Winning Wellness Program Leads to a Healthier Workplace
CultureNov 15, 2016
At Brooks Rehabilitation, we make a commitment every day to improve the health of our patients and our employees. We began our Employee Wellness Program in 2012 as a way to proactively curb rising medical costs and engage employees in healthy habits. The program features education and activities on health topics such as prevention, nutrition, stress management and physical activity. The collective of these efforts has delivered award-worthy results!
Brooks recently received the Cigna Well-Being Award for the third year in a row. This award recognizes employers who actively and positively impact the overall health and well-being of their employees. By including wellness initiatives such as quarterly health challenges focused on health assessment, biometric screenings and lifestyle management, Brooks has seen:
- Improved employee health outcomes based on trends and claims costs
- Increases in both health assessment and biometric completion rates from 29% to 91% (2012 to 2016)
- Increases in lifestyle management and chronic condition coaching
Brooks also began including spouses in all activities by running targeted campaigns to encourage preventive screenings. In addition, a full-time wellness coordinator was hired to visit our more than 45 sites to promote the wellness program and promote healthy lifestyles.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. employers lose more than $225 billion each year in productivity due to employee health problems. “Cigna has been a leader in driving health improvement in the workplace and we are committed to recognizing companies like Brooks Rehabilitation that are passionate about investing in a culture of health,” said Dean Mirabella, president and general manager for Cigna in Florida.
This year, Brooks also attained the highest level of workplace health and wellness distinction—PLATINUM—on behalf of the First Coast Worksite Wellness Council and the Mayor’s Council on Fitness & Well-Being. This is the fourth year Brooks has received this top-level honor. Brooks was also recognized by the American Heart Association’s Workplace Health Solutions as a Platinum Fit-Friendly Worksite.
Wellness is a major component of Brooks’ culture and we continually strive to increase programming across our organization. Our ultimate goal is to improve the health of our employees and inspire them to pursue healthier lifestyles.