(November 24, 2009) Six members of the California Chamber of Commerce received Gold Medals at the 2009 Fit Business Awards ceremony.
The annual awards, presented by the California Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness, recognize companies that promote the positive connection between employee health and return on investment.
In announcing the awards, the task force cited a recent study published by the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, which found that physical inactivity, obesity and other health-related problems cost California employers an estimated $41 billion each year; this is a $12 billion increase from 2004 estimates.
The six CalChamber members were among seven receiving the Gold Medal for their “clear commitment to employee wellness,” according to the task force news release.
Winners were selected based on the priority employers have placed on employee health at the workplace, including the presence of healthy food options; employer-provided time, space and support for physical activity during the work day; CEO/management support; and worksite policies for providing health promotion programs during company time (other than the lunch hour).
Following is information presented by the task force on the CalChamber members receiving the Gold award:
BD Biosciences
BD Biosciences in San Diego brings innovative diagnostic research to the development of biopharmaceutical production and disease management.
Through its workplace wellness program, BD Biosciences has seen decreased costs associated with its employee health care plan and workers’ compensation injuries.
For example, over the last 18 months, the number of workers’ compensation injuries has been reduced from 32 to 12, resulting in an associated cost reduction from $120,000 to $10,000.
Company employees are offered several health-related competitions and training workshops, such as the Biggest Loser Weight Loss Program, biweekly yoga sessions, boot camp strengthening classes and an annual health fair.
Each month, BD Biosciences highlights specific health or fitness topics, which include “lunch-and-learn” sessions, wellness instructional materials, and company-sponsored activities based upon the monthly theme.
BD Biosciences also sponsors co-ed employee teams in sports such as softball, basketball and soccer.
Bentley Prince Street
Bentley Prince Street Programs for commercial carpet manufacturer Bentley Prince Street (headquarters in City of Industry) are designed to provide the education, tools and training to help improve employees’ quality of life, health and well-being, extending far beyond typical workplace benefits.
A core element of this commitment is Bentley Prince Street’s comprehensive health and wellness program offered to all employees—developed with the advisement of Catherine Rudat’s Wellness Corporation—which includes bilingual wellness coaching for employees who speak Spanish.
Every Bentley Prince Street employee can take advantage of a personal nutrition, fitness and wellness plan based on individual needs, with tailored exercise, nutrition, weight loss and training programs. More than 70 percent of employees have used and/or consistently use Bentley Prince Street’s on-site 3,000 square-foot, fully staffed state-of-the-art gym and workout facility for exercise, weight training and specialty classes, such as yoga.
Daily morning flexibility and stretch sessions for all employees have a near-100 percent participation rate, and 40 percent of associates participate in the company’s daily “walking club.”
Regular “lunch-and-learn” sessions feature guest speakers on topics such as nutrition, fitness, women and hormones, money management and stress management, with more than 50 percent employee participation.
“The Survival of the Fittest” physical activity competitions, including walking, gym attendance, yoga and sports, with gift certificates awarded to winners, have attracted participation from 70 percent of associates. The program has resulted in a 12 percent decrease in the number of paid sick days in 2009.
Bentley Prince Street recently ranked second on the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2009 “Best Places to Work” list.
DES Architects + Engineers
This 100-person Redwood City firm provides architectural, engineering and interior design services. The fitness program is defined and developed to include five major fitness components: physical, mental, financial, sustainable and community.
DES ensures its employees have access to a variety of healthy foods, including “fresh fruit Wednesdays,” a companywide salad bar and corporate food delivery services.
Its “Punch for Lunch” program furnishes a punch card for employees to participate in fitness events, “lunch-and learns” and activities. After receiving 10 punches, employees receive a $10 gift card to purchase a healthy lunch.
Food Pop Quizzes are done through e-mail. The first three employees who answer the most questions correctly get a $25 gift certificate to Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods Market.
The company also offers its employees a $25 per-month fitness stipend that can be used for gym memberships, golfing, dance classes, bicycle commuting, hiking gear, etc.
DES Architects estimates that more than $1,000 per employee is spent annually on promoting and engaging employees in fitness programs.
McDonough Holland &Allen PC
This law firm, which has offices in Sacramento and Oakland, shows its commitment to the health and well-being of its employees by offering everything from cash incentives to on-site fitness classes to healthy food options.
McDonough provides activity classes for all employees multiple times per week at a low cost or no cost. In addition to yoga, Pilates and resistance training, the firm also offers a cardio salsa class, which is taught by one of the firm’s employees, and a soul line dancing class.
Wellness walks are scheduled twice a week and lead Sacramento employees through the downtown area, the river and farmers markets.
The law firm offers free fresh fruit and healthy snacks to all employees firm wide. In addition, the Sacramento office has had a vending machine “make over” and now provides nearly 50 percent healthy snack options and 65 percent healthy drink options, including organic soups, herbed raw almonds, yogurt and naturally sweetened beverages. The firm’s Oakland office gets together twice a week to drink freshly juiced fruits and vegetables at the office.
McDonough brings in physicians, professors and wellness leaders from all over the Sacramento and Bay Area to provide “lunch-and-learn” sessions with high intellectual content to employees.
McDonough offers personal coaching services through Sutter Health Partners, whose Live Well for Life program CalChamber Members Get Medals for Promoting Employee Fitness includes a Health Risk Assessment (HRA), online tools and various workshops.
To get employees to read their regular Wellness Walk invitations, McDonough inserts funny health comics into the e-mails. It also organizes periodic contests to inspire friendly competition among employees. These efforts spark levity and almost guarantee exposure to the firm’s outreach efforts.
Safeway, Inc.
Safeway’s focus on the health and wellness of its employees is manifested through a variety of programs. Safeway’s campaign to promote healthy eating in the workplace includes changing options in the cafeteria to healthier foods, posting calorie and fat counts of menu items and subsidizing the cost of healthier options for employees.
Employees have access to a free, onsite, state-of-the-art fitness center at the corporate office in Pleasanton or membership at one of multiple major chain fitness centers at a discounted rate. 
The company has implemented an employee-friendly, market-based health care plan for non-union employees (and is currently negotiating many of these same concepts into union contracts) with prevention and behavior as core elements.
In 2008, Safeway added Healthy Measures, a free voluntary program designed to encourage employees to identify and understand their major health risks. Employees opt in to this program and agree to have their cholesterol level and blood pressure checked and recorded, their body mass index calculated, and take a test that shows whether they use tobacco products.
If all measures are good, the employee saves $780 in health care premiums. Those whose scores don’t meet the criteria for a discount can get reimbursed the discount amount if they make a change for the better.
All these measures helped hold down health care costs for the company and its employees, and helped foster a healthier workforce.
Vons
Vons, a division of Safeway, is committed to the health and wellness of its employees and strives to offer diversity in programs for healthy living. The Health and Wellness Committee, made up of 11 committed members, including the company’s chief financial officer, six members of management and a registered dietician, has launched 12 partnerships with nutrition and exercise organizations.
The most successful by far has been Lindora, a Southern California medically based and clinically proven weight control program. Vons employees receive a significant discount to both the clinic and the online programs.
Since July 2008, Lindora has enrolled 48 Vons employees, resulting in 1,033 pounds of weight loss. The committee also introduced The Healthy Cafeteria Program, which incorporated 20 new subsidized healthy entrees, snacks and beverages, and relocation of junk food items off the main floor. The company has subsidized more than $1,000 in healthy entrees and increased healthy snack choices by 10 percent.
In addition, the committee created the “Workplace Walk-Off Challenge,” with a goal to instill healthy exercise habits through a 10,000-step-a-day challenge. Thirty teams of five participated (33 percent participation) and tracked their steps for four weeks.
Positive outcomes of the challenge included increased morale, increased onsite gym usage (65 percent), and recognition to the team with the most steps, as well as the 37 individuals who completed at least 10,000 steps a day.