The results of the American Heart Association 2019 Workplace Health Achievement Index were announced on Oct. 22, and CentraState Medical Center achieved gold-level recognition for taking significant steps to build a culture of health in the workplace.
CentraState was recognized for its Employee Wellness Program, introduced in 2005, that focuses on stress management, heart health, nutrition, fitness, and self-care that all employees are encouraged to participate in, many times at little or no cost. The program includes monthly lunch and learns, healthier food offerings in the employee cafeteria, interactive online nutrition education, free yoga and meditation classes, and reimbursed membership for its on-site fitness and wellness center.
The American Heart Association created the index with its CEO Roundtable, a leadership collaborative of more than 40 CEOs from some of America’s largest companies who are committed to applying evidence-based approaches to improve their employees’ overall health. The index uses science-based best practices to evaluate the overall quality and comprehensiveness of their workplace health programs. Studies show that worksites with a culture of health with comprehensive, evidence-based policies and programs, and senior leadership support are more likely to have engaged employees and a healthier, more productive workforce.
A unique feature of the Index is that it calculates an average heart health score for employees of participating companies that securely submit aggregate health data. Companies receive benchmarking reports, which allow them to identify potential areas of improvement so that they can advance their annual performance and recognition.
“We are proud of the AHA’s recognition of our employee wellness program and strive to continue to offer our employees innovative programming that provides support and education to make long-term, positive health changes,” said Tracey Saliski, manager of Employee Wellness at CentraState.
As part of its commitment to healthier workplaces, the American Heart Association offers Health Screening Services, an onsite biometric screening solution which allows organizations to collect and submit employee health data seamlessly. The health screenings are combined with a health assessment and education to motivate participants to make behavior changes or seek support for lifestyle changes and follow-up medical care as appropriate.
For more information, visit www.heart.org/workplacehealth.