Hennepin County has awarded RJF Agencies, a risk management and insurance firm, with a gold Wellness by Design Award for the third consecutive year. This award recognizes companies that demonstrate achievements in promoting healthy lifestyles for their employees.
“Our wellness program participants have reported improvements in lab results, increased physical activity, and a shift towards a consumerism approach to health care,” said Bill Jeatran, CEO, RJF Agencies. “Participation has been phenomenal. In 2008, 98 percent of the employees covered by our group health plan elected to participate in our new Wellness Rewards program. We now have healthy initiatives such as a Fresh Market Exchange where employees bring in garden goods.”
The RJF leadership team instituted the wellness program in order to perpetuate a culture of wellness and support employees as they work to improve their and their families’ health. This past year, RJF Agencies’ health initiatives included a Wellness Interest Survey, and “Water Fight,” a two-week period in July when employees tracked their intake of water and awarded themselves a point for each day they consumed the minimum amount required for their bodies.
RJF’s Health Management Consultant Rosie Ward leads RJF’s Wellness program and works with clients to develop similar programs for their own health initiatives. For more information on RJF’s services, contact Ward at wardr@rjfagencies.com.
The Wellness by Design Worksite Award recognizes organizations that have strong senior management support for health promotion, and realize that employee health and productivity are closely intertwined. Organizations should also have a wellness infrastructure in place and provide supportive environments for developing lifelong, healthy behaviors. Award criteria are based on guidelines from The Wellness Councils of America. In 2008, Hennepin County honored 39 worksites and 10 schools. For more information on the Wellness by Design Award, visit the Hennepin County Web site at http://www.hennepin.us and do a “Wellness by Design Award” key word search.
