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MICHIGAN’S
HEALTHIEST EMPLOYERS PROMOTIONAL SECTION SPONSORED BY
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mployers talk about wanting productive employees, but what about healthy employees? There is a secret out there, in fact, that can drive absenteeism down and push up employee morale, engagement and, yes, even productivity. The approach is corporate wellness. This print supplement recognizes employers across Michigan whose policies and programs promote a healthy workforce. It is part of a statewide program called Michigan’s Healthiest Employers, which is sponsored by Priority Health, Crain’s Detroit Business and MiBiz. Now in its second year, the program had a simple goal: Showcase how companies are using wellness programs to make a positive impact on their employees’ lives — both at work and at home. Employers across the state were invited to submit a nomination for the program. Through a specific analysis process, employer surveys were analyzed by Indianapolis-based Healthiest Employers LLC using a proprietary scoring algorithm. There were six specific categories examined: Culture and leadership commitment Foundational components Strategic planning
How we did it The process for choosing Michigan’s Healthiest Employers is the fruit of three years of research by Indianapolis-based wellness proponent Rod Reasen. Reasen created Healthiest Employers LLC with a team of wellness experts, physicians and statisticians, Reasen with a goal to bring attention to workplace wellness efforts. The awards not only create recognition for workplace wellness, but also create national benchmark reports. Starting in Indianapolis, it has grown across the country. With this year’s program in Michigan, it counts 42 markets, representing 50 million employees. As a result, Healthiest Employers can create national-level reports (for sale at www. healthiestemployers.com), available to companies interested in seeing how they stack up. Surveys look at six components in a wellness program: Culture and leadership commitment. Foundational components. Strategic planning. Communication and marketing. Programming and interventions. Reporting and analysis. After a company fills out the Healthiest Employer survey, Reasen’s team evaluates the program on those criteria. The result is a numeric index. Crain’s and MiBiz used that index to pick the winners and finalists. The top six companies in each category were named to the “Honor Roll.” Winners were chosen in two regions and five categories based on the number of global employees. Metro Detroit comprises Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston and Washtenaw counties. Greater Michigan encompasses employers outside that area.
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Communication and marketing Programming and interventions Reporting and analysis
Health assessments for employees, on-site fitness centers, nutrition programs, yoga classes and even biometric testing for families to assess their health risks are becoming more common. These are the kinds of programs that were looked at. And these are the programs that you will read about in the following pages. In fact, the programs go far beyond the basics. Not just Zumba, but rooftop Zumba — with customers invited at Lambert, Edwards & Associates. Not just testing, but in-office doctor visits. There are plenty of other examples in these pages, as well. Companies have hosted their own 5K races, such as the Greenhouse event hosted by Herman Miller. If running’s not for everyone, there are organized activities, like the ultimate Frisbee games organized at a local park by Royal Oak-based Vectorform. There are programs that approach eating, as well. Mercy Health Saint Mary’s offers a low-calorie, high-fiber food choice for employees each day. XMCO, a producer of technical and training man-
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uals, plays to its strengths as a publisher to create a weekly publication on wellness for staff. There are plenty of examples in this report. More are available from the firm that helped Crain’s and MiBiz compile this list: Healthiest Employers LLC. Reports that cover trends and data, for Michigan, and compared to the rest of the nation, are available for sale at www.healthiestemployers.com. The finalists and winners featured in this edition will be honored at two events. Crain’s Detroit Business will hold a Michigan’s Healthiest Employers breakfast event on Oct. 29 as part of the Health Care Leadership Summit at the San Marino Club in Troy. MiBiz will host an event Jan. 10 in Grand Rapids. We hope you can join us at either or both of these events. And, as well, we hope there are some ideas and a takeaway for you in these pages.
Brian Edwards Daniel Duggan Managing editor/custom Editor and publisher MiBiz and special projects Crain’s Detroit Business
Contents Changing the culture for more participation
Q&A Three experts, including Becky McLaughlan, McGraw Wentworth, Troy, offer wellness program dos and don’ts
Experts say to get more workers involved in wellness programs, employees need to buy into lifestyle change Page 2
The awards 5,000+ employees Metro Detroit Winner: Beaumont Health System, Royal
Oak Finalist: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Page 4
Greater Michigan Winner: Herman Miller Inc., Zeeland Finalist: Perrigo Co., Allegan Page 5
1,500-4,999 employees Metro Detroit Winner: Oakland County, Waterford Township Finalist: Ryan LLC, Detroit
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Greater Michigan Winner: Mercy Health St. Mary’s, Grand
Rapids Finalist: Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant Page 7
500-1,499 employees Metro Detroit Winner: XMCO Inc., Warren
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McLaughlan
Finalist: Michigan Cat, Novi Page 10
Greater Michigan Winner: Holland Hospital, Holland Finalist: Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy,
Flint
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100-499 employees Metro Detroit Winner: Experi-Metal, Sterling Heights Finalist: Vectorform LLC, Royal Oak Page 12
Greater Michigan Winner: Consumers Credit Union,
Kalamazoo Finalist: Uniform Color Co., Holland Page 13
2-99 employees Metro Detroit Winner: Asset Health Inc., Troy Finalist: Cambridge Consulting Group, Troy
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Greater Michigan Winner: Lambert, Edwards & Associates,
Grand Rapids Finalist: Granger Construction Co., Lansing Page 15
Crain’s Detroit Business has been providing news and analysis since 1985 for the business community of metro Detroit. In print and online, Crain’s covers industries such as law, finance, health care and nonprofits, and fosters business relationships through events and webinars. For statewide business news, Crain’s Michigan Morning now gives daily headlines by email. To sign up, go to www.crainsdetroit.com/morning.
About the writers Doug
Henze is a metro Detroit journalist. He has been a beat reporter for five Michigan newspapers, including The Oakland Press, The Bay City Times and Henze The Midland Daily News, winning multiple awards. The Michigan State University graduate lives in Macomb County and is a contract writer, providing content to publications including Crain’s Detroit Business.
Lissa Barron is a metro De-
troit writer and broadcast journalist who worked as a news reporter and anchor at WJR radio for 15 years. She has a journalism degree Barron from Ryerson University in Toronto and has written articles for The Toronto Star and several Detroit-area newspapers, including The Detroit News, Oakland Press and Rochester Eccentric.
Constance Crump cut her
teeth writing for Billboard Magazine. More freelancing followed staff jobs at The Ann Arbor News and Crain’s Detroit Business. She is an accountant and a licensed builder/remodeler.
James Mitchell is a veteran
community journalist and author of four books including the forthcoming “The Walrus and the Elephants: John Lennon’s Years of RevMitchell olution.” Mitchell lives in Southeast Michigan and has written for a variety of newspapers and magazines.
Mark Sanchez is a senior writer
at MiBiz, covering the business of health care, life sciences, finance and small business. He has 25 years of experience in West MichiSanchez gan and does an every-other-week business segment on WGVU, the public radio station in Grand Rapids. The Royal Oak native and Grand Haven resident also has worked for the Grand Rapids Business Journal and The Holland Sentinel. Design: Mark Fisk and Bob Allen, Crain’s Detroit Business
MiBiz provides regional business news to C-suite executives, professional advisers and company owners in West Michigan. With a print readership of nearly 40,000 and a growing digital presence, MiBiz is a source for business intelligence in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek and along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Visit www.mibiz.com.
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Experts: Dump gift card, create wellness culture By Mark Sanchez orget the gift card. If you want to make wellness work well at your company, Jamie Mills suggests that you aim higher. Make taking good care of yourself a way of life and a part of the company’s culture, then you won’t have to spend time and money trying to get employees to participate in your wellness program, and you just may see better results, Mills said. “Incentives and penalties — I think they’ve run their course,” said Mills, executive vice president of the Grand Rapids-based Mills Benefit Group, which offers wellness services to employers. As wellness takes further hold in the American workplace, and as the Affordable Care Act alters how employers can craft incentives, Mills is one of a growing number of voices in the field that expect more participation. Rather than focus on providing financial rewards that drive employee participation in workplace wellness programs, or for achieving specific health outcomes, and penalizing those who don’t, employers should focus on creating a culture that em-
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Workers may participate in wellness “because they get some money or they don’t have to pay some money, but in time it has to become a lifestyle change.” Jamie Mills, executive vice president, Mills Benefit Group phasizes overall well-being, she and others say. Ultimately, what affects medical claims and rising health care costs over the long term comes down to people wanting to maintain good health or become healthier, she said. Workers may participate in wellness “because they get some money or they don’t have to pay some money, but in time it has to become a lifestyle change,” Mills said.
Affordable Care Act changes Those sentiments come amid changes in federal rules over the kind of incentives that employers may incorporate in their wellness program under the Affordable Care Act beginning Jan. 1, 2014. One of the biggest changes is an increase in the maximum financial reward for wellness from 20 percent to 30 percent of the cost of the premium for a health policy. The incentive can go to 50 percent if it’s designed to help someone quit smoking or is tobacco-related. Employers must still offer a reasonable alternative for employees who are unable to meet a specific health outcome — losing weight, lowering their cholesterol or blood pressure, for example — to receive a reward. Mills doubts the changes in the wellness rules under the ACA will make much of a difference in the number of small-business clients her firm serves or any effect on employee participation rates at those that already have a program. Clients in the last year have focused more on whether to even
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See Culture, Page 16
HOLLAND HOSPITAL
Sandy Navarro, Holland Hospital’s employee wellness coordinator, teaches a fitness class to workers. The hospital was a winner in the Greater Michigan category. See story on Page 11.
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Wellness programs: Some do’s and don’ts Congratulations Uniform Color Company on being named one of Michigan’s Healthiest Employers.
By Mark Sanchez
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ellness programs never can take a one-size-fitsall approach. And experts offer a number of opinions on how to approach the topic, how to put programs in place and what to avoid. The following are some ideas on corporate wellness programs from Jamie Mills, Mills Benefit Group, Grand Rapids; Becky McLaughlan, McGraw Wentworth, Troy; and Ken Holtyn, Holtyn & Associates, Kalamazoo.
How do you define wellness? Mills: People taking accountability for their own well-being. People have to assume the responsibility. If they expect employers to invest in their health and well-being, then there has to be a partnership with the employee and the buy-in from the employee. McLaughlan: Improving health. Improving lifestyles. It’s not when someone’s already sick and you need it treated, but really improving lifestyle factors, motivating people, building incentives and measuring the results of that so that you improve peoples’ health in the long term. Holtyn: To improve the health and well-being of employees and to create a culture of wellness within corporate organizations. Any workplace wellness program should include or must do what: Mills: Top management participation. If you don’t have it from the top, it won’t work. It has to be the culture. It has to be a commitment from the top, and employees are influenced when it comes from the top. If you do it for the masses and the management gets an exclusion from it, then it’s not going to work. It is not a cultural change. McLaughlan: A baseline assessment and then measure, so you get a measure of where folks are and then you measure that over the long term. I think that’s critical. Holtyn: Create a culture of wellness. Without creating a culture of wellness, you cannot sustain health risk reductions, you cannot sustain behavior changes within the population. That’s much, much too difficult.
Mills
McLaughlan
If you do not create a culture of wellness and an environment that’s supportive, you will not be successful with your wellness program, period. Any workplace Holtyn wellness program should avoid doing what? Mills: Avoid implementing programs that don’t have any validity to the participants. An example would be if you have a very young workforce and you don’t have a lot of people with diabetes, then don’t spend your time with diabetic education. Look at where your claims are as an employer and focus on those areas, and don’t overwhelm the participants. Too many programs do it all. McLaughlan: If you are too aggressive, too fast. If you went into a full-blown outcomes-based plan without starting with a participationbased program and good employee communication and establishing a wellness committee and starting to build that culture. You skipped those steps and went right into an outcomes-based plan, you’re going to have unhappy employees. Holtyn: Short-term episodic programming. ‌ We do a wellness program because we’ve done a weightloss challenge here at our worksite, or we’ve done a smoking cessation or a nutrition class. That’s our wellness program. But what the science says, and what the evidence has shown, is you have to have a comprehensive model that works not only with the individual employee at identifying health risks, providing skill sets to lower those health risks and change behaviors, but then it has to look at the environment and policies in the workplace.
edifynorth.com
HOW DOES MICHIGAN STACK UP? After collecting information about wellness programs in Michigan and across the country, Indianapolis-based Healthiest Employers LLC compiled the data below, showing how wellness programs in Michigan match up to the national average in 2013. Numbers shown are an index based on a value of 1 to 100, with 100 being the best. Program Healthiest Employer index Culture and leadership commitment Foundational components Strategic planning Communications and marketing Programming and interventions Reporting and analysis Tobacco-free workplace policy Dependent access to wellness initiatives Health risk assessment/appraisal Biometric screening (vein puncture or finger stick) Obesity coaching or management Incentives for “at risk� to modify behavior
Michigan 53.82 68 58 50 49 53 28 88 65 76 65 65 48
National 55.42 67.03 56.61 50.33 50.06 57.97 28.03 79 60.17 80.23 69.74 69 49.29
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MICHIGAN’S HEALTHIEST EMPLOYERS - PROMOTIONAL SECTION
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Award Category
5,000+ employees
Metro Detroit Winner: Beaumont Health
System, Royal Oak Finalist: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Lucy Sternburgh, manager of employee wellness at Beaumont Health System, said Beaumont has made healthier food choices available in the cafeterias and vending machines, which don’t stock snacks such as Doritos and Ho Hos. GLENN TRIEST
Greater Michigan Winner: Herman Miller Inc.,
Zeeland Finalist: Perrigo Co., Allegan
Honor Roll Henry Ford Health System,
Detroit Wellness & Prevention Inc., Ann Arbor DTE Energy Co., Detroit BAE Systems Inc., Sterling Heights Robert Bosch LLC, Farmington Hills Domino’s Pizza LLC, Ann Arbor
Beaumont: 12 years of health evolution By Doug Henze
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hen employees of Beaumont Health System come to work in the morning, it’s hard for them to forget about being healthy. Designated WINNER parking areas in the back of the Metro Detroit parking lot remind them to walk farther, while signs in the buildings remind them to take the stairs instead of ride the elevators. Digital monitors in the cafeteria inform them of the amount of sodium and grams of fat in their food choices. “We’ve evolved from a laundry list of (available health initiatives) to focus more on the environment people work in,” said Lucy Sternburgh, manager of employee wellness for Beaumont. “It’s just part of coming to work every day.” Top brass, who encourage employees to serve as role models for patients, threw their weight behind the effort by piloting a walking challenge
Start of wellness program:
Twelve years ago, but was formalized and expanded in 2007. Participation: 65 percent of Beaumont Health System’s 18,000 employees take advantage of health screenings and risk assessments. An estimated 75 percent use some part of the program. Most innovative feature: The program has evolved from a list of available activities to a constant reminder to be healthy — from parking lot signs encouraging workers to park farther away and walk, to messages in buildings promoting stairwell use. Positive impact: Healthier employees are more energized and better able to take care of patients. called “Ready Step Go.” The challenge, later rolled out to all employees, equipped executives with pedometers to measure their movement.
To encourage workers to “step it up” at home as well as at work, Beaumont subsidizes up to 50 percent of the cost of the Fitbit pedometers for employees and family members. One barrier to keeping employees moving at work has been the sedentary nature of the 21st century workplace, Sternburgh said. To address that in its call centers, Beaumont installed adjustable monitors that can be raised and lowered so workers can alternate between sitting and standing. To address the intake side of the health equation, Beaumont has made food choices healthier, both in the cafeteria and in vending machines. Cafeteria dishes are made with less meat, and flavored waters are offered to cut down on soda consumption. “In our machines, you won’t see Ho Hos and Doritos,” Sternburgh said. “You’ll only see things that are of good nutritional value.” Soda is available, but healthier
drinks have been moved to eye level. And a bottle of soda costs $2, compared with $1 for a bottle of water. Workers who make healthy cafeteria choices or participate in other programs can earn up to $100 in retailer gift cards. And employees who take part in a Beaumont health screening get $480 in cash, to be used in any way an employee chooses. That screening also is available to employee spouses. Beaumont, which has gone nicotine-free, also pays for workers’ smoking cessation devices, such as gum and patches. The health care provider’s newest effort — an awareness program called “Stomp Out Stigma” — will be aimed at addressing mental illness. An estimated one in five people suffers from anxiety, depression or some other disorder, Sternburgh said. Beaumont will provide seminars as well as emails directing workers toward resources such as a 24/7 employee assistance line.
UM: Where employees are motivators Start of wellness program:
Efforts were consolidated into a universitywide program in 2009 to meet a challenge by UM President Mary Sue Coleman. Participation: About 56 percent of UM’s 38,000 benefit-eligible employees take part in the program. Most innovative feature: Nearly 400 volunteer wellness champions motivate employees in their departments to participate in wellness activities. Positive impact: Through wellness screenings, which measure risk factors such as blood pressure and high cholesterol, UM has seen a significant improvement in employee health since the beginning of the wellness program.
By Doug Henze
R
olling out a wellness program may make an organization’s leaders feel good. But if it doesn’t engage employees, it’s of little benefit. That’s why FINALIST the University of Michigan has Metro Detroit set up a network of nearly 400 wellness “champions” — department volunteers who motivate co-workers. “We’ve really been emphasizing taking programs to people,” said LaVaughn Palma-Davis, senior director of university health and wellbeing services. Wellness champions “have truly made the difference.” One champion rented bikes and organized a group ride, Palma-Davis said. Besides providing exercise, that’s
the type of activity that’s a teambuilder. UM is getting the same type of result from its twice-yearly ActiveU program — a spirited competition to see who can reach activity Palma-Davis goals during a 12-week period. All participants — 16,000 last year — get a T-shirt, while winners received prizes. UM now uses social media to drive participation, allowing competitors to post pictures of themselves in action. “We got pictures from people all over the world who were on vacation,” Palma-Davis said. Technology also has caused participation in wellness seminars to rise. “We started offering webinars ver-
sus in-person seminars,” Palma-Davis said. “Where we might normally have 20 to 40 (attendees), we got 200.” Targeting employee wellness in more traditional ways, UM offers subsidized weight-loss programs, telephone coaching and screenings to check for risk factors. To improve eating habits, UM labels healthy food choices in cafeterias and vending machines and holds farmers’ markets. “We have a chef who demos how to cook or prepare a healthy item and then we have samples,” PalmaDavis said. “It goes over really well.” New initiatives include stress management and back care programs as well as outreach programs for spouses. Wellness efforts have made a difference, Palma-Davis said. “Overall,” she said, “our health risks are coming down in our population.”
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Herman Miller: Screening finds problem 䡲 Start of wellness program:
Various wellness opportunities for employees in the past; its current program created in 2010. 䡲 Participation: About 81 percent of the company’s 4,500 employees 䡲 Most innovative feature: An on-site diabetic and heart health management program focusing on nutrition and exercise. Participants total 160 employees and spouses. 䡲 Positive Impact: Being healthy has become ingrained in employees’ minds. Biometric screenings have discovered employee health issues. By Doug Henze
H
eather Brazee tells the story of a Herman Miller Inc. worker who, having recently had a doctor’s exam, decided to take part in the company’s biometric screening program anyway. The woman was surprised to learn she was prediabetic — a revelation that caused her to begin an exercise program and drop 75 pounds. “Her doctor WINNER never ran that Greater Michigan test on her,” said Brazee, health and wellness manager for the furniture company’s Zeeland office. “She said if she hadn’t had the testing done at work, she would have been diagnosed with diabetes.” Part of the company’s overall wellness program, the screening is offered to employees who want discounted health premiums. Workers who get the screening, undergo a physical from a doctor and take a health assessment — which asks questions about things such as seatbelt use and frequency of dental visits — can knock $500 off their annual premiums. If the worker’s spouse completes the tests, there’s another $500 reduction. The discounts aren’t based on test outcomes.
HERMAN MILLER
Herman Miller entered roughly 70 riders in this summer’s Gran Fondo, a bicycle event in Grand Rapids held by the Michigan State University College of Medicine.
The health tests benefit not only the workers but also the employer, by reducing potential health care costs. “It’s difficult to say how much money is being saved, because we’re avoiding costs,” Brazee said. “You don’t necessarily know you (stopped) a heart attack three years down the road, but you may have.” While industry health care costs increase 6 percent to 10 percent a year, Herman Miller’s costs go up 3 percent, Brazee said. The biometric screenings are part of a menu of healthy initiatives Herman Miller offers. Among them is an on-site diabetic and heart health management program that focuses on nutrition and exercise. About 160 employees and spouses participate. Workers also can take subsidized yoga, Pilates, spinning or Zumba
classes. An eight-week session may cost about $25, Brazee said. “We have on-site fitness centers with equipment that’s free for our employees and their spouses,” she said. About 40 percent of Herman Miller’s employees participate in “Healthy You” challenges. These competitions pit teams against each other to see who can walk the most steps or lose the most weight. Employees, who log results online, get $25 to $50 in their paychecks — double that if their team wins. Herman Miller also sponsors employee teams in walking or cycling events. The “Run, Ride, Remember” event, which includes 20-mile and 40-mile bike rides and 10K and 5K runs, raises money for families of employees who died in the past year.
During an on-site twilight walk, third-shift workers trek around a 1.1mile loop. “The more times they go around, the more entries they get to win prizes,” Brazee said. In its cafeterias, the company has instituted a red, yellow and green labeling system, with green foods being the healthiest. Vending machines now offer healthy choices. Herman Miller uses its intranet to post employee success stories, and digital signs throughout facilities provide a way to promote upcoming seminars and events. “Being healthy is becoming ingrained in our culture at Herman Miller,” Brazee said. Employees know that Herman Miller “is going to provide the programs to make them as healthy as they want to be. We want employees to be around for a long, long time.”
Perrigo: Spouses reflect worker health 䡲 Start of wellness program:
2004 䡲 Participation: About 70 percent to 80 percent of the company’s 5,500 Michigan employees take part in a health screening, participate in other wellness activities or both. 䡲 Most innovative feature: Since 2011, in order for Perrigo employees to get health premium discounts, both the employee and his or her spouse must get good results on a biometric screening. Spouses were included to address healthy habits at home — nutritious meal preparation, for example — that also affect the employee. 䡲 Positive impact: The percentage of employees with two or fewer risk factors from a list including tobacco use, high blood pressure and other factors has increased from 54 percent in 2004 to 72 percent in 2011, based on the most recent data available.
By Doug Henze
S
ome employees lead double lives — healthy at work, not so healthy at home. That’s why Allegan-based pharmaceutical maker Perrigo Co. requires employee spouses to participate in biometric FINALIST screenings and Greater Michigan to complete a health profile before workers can get health care premium discounts. It’s a way to find out whether unhealthy dinners, for example, are affecting a worker’s wellbeing. “In my house, the person who decides how healthy we eat is not me,” said Mike Stewart, senior vice president of global human resources for Perrigo. Testing spouses is an extension of the employee screenings Perrigo began in 2004 as a way to stem skyrocketing health care costs. Workers who hit health benchmarks when tested for things such as tobacco use and body mass index and who
“We were one of the first companies that instituted an outcome-based program.” Mike Stewart, senior vice president of global human resources complete a profile can get a discount of about $1,000 a year on health premiums. “We were one of the first companies that instituted an outcome-based program,” Stewart said. “We have taken employees right to the hospital from the biometric assessment.” The “Fit for Life” wellness program has allowed the company to increase employee health benefits while keeping costs down. Perrigo health care costs are two to three percentage points below those of the overall industry, Stewart said. Perrigo sponsors a 5K “Reindeer Run” in the winter, as well as employee sports teams. The company re-
cently opened a 7,200-square-foot fitness center where workers can use equipment or take Zumba classes. Perrigo also has established an online wellness portal that allows employees to track eating, number of steps taken or workout time. Through a weigh-in program, known as “Working and Taking Charge of my Health” and healthier vending machine options, employees have dropped pounds, Stewart said. “We believe that healthier employees are more likely to be here on a given day and to be more productive,” Stewart said. “They certainly know they’re part of an organization that cares about them.”
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Award Category
1,5004,999 employees
Metro Detroit Winner: Oakland County,
Waterford Township Finalist: Ryan LLC, Detroit
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Oakland Co.: Taking paws to shape up Start of wellness program: January 2007
Participation: About 62 per-
cent of the county’s 3,200 fulltime employees participate in biometric screenings, which look for risk factors such as high cholesterol and body mass index, while an estimated 80 percent take advantage of some aspect of the program. Most innovative feature: Through a program called “Fitness Unleashed,” county employees use their lunch hours to walk dogs brought over by the county’s Animal Control and Pet Adoption Center. Both workers and dogs get needed exercise. Positive impact: The county’s emphasis on fitness has increased employee awareness and boosted morale during a period of tough budgetary times. By Doug Henze
O Greater Michigan Winner: Mercy Health St.
Mary’s, Grand Rapids Finalist: Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant
Honor Roll Shape Corp., Grand Haven Borgess Health, Kalamazoo Altair Engineering, Troy Duncan Aviation,
Battle Creek Compuware Corp., Detroit Gensler, Detroit
akland County government employees aren’t just getting in shape — they’re having a doggone good time doing it. Through an initiative called “Fitness Unleashed” — part of the County’s OakFit wellness program — workers are WINNER using their lunch hours to Metro Detroit walk dogs brought from the animal control and adoption center. Employees logging steps aren’t the only ones benefiting. “It’s a really good program for the dogs, to get the dogs out,” said Nancy Scarlet, county director of human resources. The socialization makes the dogs more adoptable, she said. The initiative is one of the unusual ways the county tries to make fitness fun. At the farmers’ market, workers show off their hula-hooping skills and burn calories at the same time. “We’ve been innovating ever since we started,” Scarlet said. And with the past decade of tough budgetary times, the program has become a low-cost way to give back
OAKLAND COUNTY
Oakland County’s health program lets the dogs out as workers walk the canines during their lunch hours.
to hard-working employees, she said. “It’s become just a positive for morale,” Scarlet said. In addition to its unusual wellness activities, the county offers many of the standard wellness program features. There’s an annual health fair, Pilates classes and a “Count Your Steps” program, in which pedometer-equipped staffers participate in a four-week competition. “We’ve got bike racks on campus to try to encourage people who are interested in biking to work,” Scarlet said. County workers can get free flu shots, take part in a subsidized Weight Watchers program or attend a lunch-and-learn, with topics ranging from caring for older adults to tuning out technology. “I’m always looking for new ideas to draw employees,” said Dawn Hunt, wellness coordinator. The county recently rolled out a tobacco-cessation program using laser treatment.
“We’ve had some really incredible testimonials from our employees who were lifelong smokers and were able to kick it,” Scarlet said. She said the program is too new Scarlet to have produced much usable data. Other county wellness activities include training for the Brooksie Way races, employee massages and efforts to make cafeteria food healthier. For workers who spend much of their time driving — road patrol officers, for example — the county has developed laminated nutritional guides detailing the healthiest fastfood choices. Using a $100 paycheck credit, the county encourage employees to take part in biometric screenings, which measure BMI, cholesterol and other
factors; and health risk assessments, which ask lifestyle questions. “When we started the (screening), 15 percent of our employees were at high risk,” Scarlet said. “This past year, we were a little over 3 percent.” About 62 percent of the county’s 3,200 full-time, eligible employees participate in screenings, while 80 percent are active in some aspect of the wellness program. Because the county is self-insured, it pays directly for the cost of hospital stays, for example. “When we avert a heart attack or somebody doesn’t develop type 2 diabetes, not only is the employee so much better off, the employer is better off,” Scarlet said. The wellness program keeps good health at the forefront of employees’ minds and lets them know their employer has their best interests at heart, Scarlet said. “It really sends a message to the employees that we care about them,” she said.
Ryan LLC: Good numbers bring dollars Start of wellness program:
By Doug Henze
Participation: About 70 per-
healthier person makes a more energetic and productive employee. That’s the simple philosophy embraced by tax consulting firm Ryan LLC in creating the company’s wellness program in 2010. “We just really FINALIST wanted to promote health and Metro Detroit wellness within our company,” said Alison Crockett, benefits analyst for the Dallas-based company, which has offices in Detroit and Troy. CEO Brint Ryan “is a big believer that your work is a direct reflection of your health.” The company backs up that assertion with cash. Employees can earn up to $80 a month in credits toward health care premiums by participating in a biometric screening that measures
Fall 2010
cent of the 1,500 global employees take part in biometric screenings and fitness challenges. Most innovative feature: The on-site screenings are tied to health premium credits. Depending on the results of those screenings — which test for blood pressure, body mass index, cholesterol and tobacco use — workers can get a credit of up to $80 a month. Positive impact: From 2011 to 2012, the average number of risk factors dropped from 1.4 to 1 per employee. The average health score, based on a health assessment and the screening, increased from 83.4 to 86.7, out of 100.
A
blood pressure, BMI, cholesterol and tobacco use. About 70 percent of workers participate in those screenings and the fitness challenges the company offers. The challenges range from water-drinking programs to walking competitions. One called “On the Move” tracked minutes of activity. Participants received items such as pedometers and water bottles, while winners were given gift cards. Ryan holds health fairs for workers — coinciding with the screenings — where workers can hear from health care providers and get discounts on items such as running shoes and spa visits. “We’ve had a masseuse there that gave chair massages,” Crockett said. Ryan also offers employees and their dependents a 75 percent reimbursement on gym memberships,
and the company holds free educational wellness seminars. “We’ll have speakers come in and speak on breast cancer and pediatric health care,” for example, CrockCrockett ett said. To encourage healthy eating, Ryan stocks vending machines with more nutritious choices and replaces doughnuts and bagels with fruit, yogurt and granola at company meetings, Crockett said. The company’s overall wellness program has noticeably increased employees’ interest in their health, as well as promoted team spirit during challenges, she said. “I definitely think it’s motivated them,” Crockett said.
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Sheryl Lozicki, director of nutrition and wellness, and Chef Bryan Nader at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s in Grand Rapids, where the cafeteria staff promotes lower-calorie, highfiber food choices each day.
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JON BROUWER
Mercy Health Saint Mary’s: Taking care of caregivers by managing what they eat By Doug Henze
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eing a health care provider means spending most of your time taking care of other people. So it’s easy to forget about your own well-being. That’s why Mercy Health Saint Mary’s in Grand Rapids tries to make it easy for its workers to lead a healthy lifestyle, WINNER both at work and Greater Michigan at home. And patients benefit from healthier caregivers, as well, hospital officials say. The hospital launched its wellness program in January 2011, aiming to improve the mind, body and spirit of its employees. “Health care is a very stressful environment when you’re always caring for others,” said Sheryl Lozicki, director of nutrition and wellness for the hospital. “We really push that you take time for yourself. “The premise behind it all was healthier staff (members) contribute to healthier patients.” As with many wellness programs, a key component is helping employees manage what they eat. Through its “Good4U” cafeteria program,
Saint Mary’s offers workers more nutritious food choices at lower prices than less healthy selections. In the drink section, water is the least expensive option, while caffeine-containing beverages cost the most. The cafeteria staff promotes lower-calorie, high-fiber food choices each day. “I get a lot of people responding that they like to come in and know what the best option is for them — without thinking about it,” Lozicki said. On designated days in the summer, employees can buy fresh produce, such as sweet corn and apples. Saint Mary’s promoted a “dinner pledge,” a 16-week program aimed at getting workers to replace eating out with healthier at-home dining. Participants — armed with grocery guides and nutritious recipes — pledged to eat at home four times per workweek. “The goal was for people to cook from scratch and get comfortable in their kitchens again and feed their families more wholesome food,” Lozicki said. Saint Mary’s also sponsors the “Hold it Through the Holiday” pro-
gram, in which teams of employees compete to see which group of workers can maintain their weight — within a pound per person — from before Thanksgiving to after New Year’s Day. Teams have included LUNG (Let Us Not Gain) from the pulmonary group and the Beating Hearts from the cardiac department. Saint Mary’s also focuses on exercise programs for its workers. Workers can choose from Pilates, Zumba and circuit training classes, for a small fee. “Two years ago, when we started doing it, we barely got enough people to break even,” Lozicki said. “We had to cancel classes. Now, we’re standing-room-only.” Employees also have access to cardiac rehab equipment, at no charge, when it’s not being used by patients. And Saint Mary’s sends teams to events. Last year, 67 workers participated in the Fifth Third River Bank Run, compared with 28 employees in 2010. Saint Mary’s sent 72 volunteers to its first Habitat for Humanity build in 2012. The hospital also offers smoking cessation, sleep disorder and other programs.
䡲 Start of wellness program: 2011
䡲 Participation: Varies by pro-
gram component. Of the hospital’s 3,600 employees, 20 percent participate in the “Good4U” cafeteria effort, for example, while 10 percent to 15 percent of associates participate in the “Hold it Through the Holiday” weight maintenance initiative. 䡲 Most innovative feature: Many experts for smoking cessation, sleep disorder and other programs are available on staff. Hospital also uses a variety of media — from Web portals to a Facebook page — to get employees wellness information. 䡲 Positive impact: The program has expanded the employee definition of wellness to mind, body and spirit versus simply weight loss and has seen increasing employee participation.
“The goal is to offer a variety that has an appeal to a lot of different groups,” Lozicki said. “When (our associates) choose to retire, we want them to retire healthy.”
CMU: 14-year program gets good grades 䡲 Start of wellness program:
By James Mitchell
䡲 Participation: More than half of
T
1999
2,500 employees took the risk assessments; events are attended in varying numbers. 䡲 Most innovative feature: “Gainsharing” rewards employees who complete four wellness components with annual incentives. 䡲 Positive impact: Annual costs for two self-insured health plan choices declined in 2012 by 8.7 percent and 4.5 percent from the previous year, compared with a 10 percent average national increase.
here was limited data available on the potential benefits when Central Michigan University began a wellness program nearly 15 years ago. And the commitment was FINALIST made with few Greater Michigan expectations, said Jacqueline Pridgeon, the university’s benefits and wellness director. “Wellness was not on everyone’s radar in 1999,” Pridgeon said. “Financially supporting a program can be challenging when you’re not sure of the return on investment. That we had such support was outstanding
and took a lot of commitment.” The current program, “For the Health of It,” offers CMU faculty and staff regular screenings, group walks, weight management, fitness facilities, stress reduction and more. Popular annual events include a scavenger hunt, poker walk and a campus picnic, a popular event that typically welcomes more than 750 employees and families. The emphasis on people paid off for both the Mt. Pleasant-based university and staff. Pridgeon said a recent addition to the program applied profit-sharing concepts to wellness: “Gainsharing” rewards employees in self-funded plans who complete four program components with annual in-
centives: a portion of the collective savings. “As our costs continue to be low, the higher the Gainsharing payment will be,” she said. Leadership was the main factor in getting the program started, Pridgeon said, but its continued success is the result of a campuswide effort. “Top-level leadership has to be supportive, not only financially but visibly engaged and participating,” she said. “That trickles down to middle management, and now it’s more of a grass-roots effort with committees developing and maintaining the program. From the bottom up, that’s where the synergy starts to kick in.”
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SHOP A LITTLE. SAVE A LOT.
A HOUSE
A CAR
A COMPUTER
WHAT DO THESE HAVE IN COMMON? They vary in cost and quality, and it's easy to shop for them by comparing prices and reading reviews. Shouldn't your employees also be able to shop for health care services they need — and are likely sharing the cost of? We think so — especially since prices can vary by hundreds, or even thousands of dollars for the same service. Priority Health is the first health plan in Michigan to publish health care costs and quality information for physicians and the facilities where they work — so your employees can take a more active role in health care decisions and spending. Learn more at priorityhealth.com.
DBspreadAD_DBspreadAD.qxd 10/4/2013 9:11 AM Page 1
SHOP A LITTLE. SAVE A LOT.
A HOUSE
A CAR
A COMPUTER
WHAT DO THESE HAVE IN COMMON? They vary in cost and quality, and it's easy to shop for them by comparing prices and reading reviews. Shouldn't your employees also be able to shop for health care services they need — and are likely sharing the cost of? We think so — especially since prices can vary by hundreds, or even thousands of dollars for the same service. Priority Health is the first health plan in Michigan to publish health care costs and quality information for physicians and the facilities where they work — so your employees can take a more active role in health care decisions and spending. Learn more at priorityhealth.com.
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Award Category
5001,499 employees
Metro Detroit Winner: XMCO Inc., Warren Finalist: Michigan Cat, Novi
XMCO Inc.’s wellness program snowballed after starting small with some walking programs and lunchand-learns, said Sharon Alred, human resources manager. LARRY PEPLIN
Greater Michigan Winner: Holland Hospital,
Holland Finalist: Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy, Flint
Honor Roll Calvin College,
Grand Rapids Sun Communities Inc., Southfield MSU Federal Credit Union, East Lansing Royal Technologies, Hudsonville Neace Lukens, an AssuredPartners company, Southfield Reliance One Inc., Auburn Hills
XMCO: Workers spread wellness word By Lissa Barron
A
s a producer of technical and training manuals, Warrenbased XMCO Inc. takes advantage of employee expertise in promoting its health and wellness program. Employees collaborate in the production of a weekly publication including information on wellness and prevention as well as a healthy recipe and workout of the week. The company sends out a weekly email reminder to pick up the materials at a specific area called the information station. The process WINNER engages people who might not Metro Detroit otherwise participate in the health and wellness program, said Sharon Alred, human resource manager. “Our employees lend their technical expertise with layout and illustrations and give us suggestions on what information to include,” Alred said. “One guy suggested on-site
Start of wellness program:
About 2½ years ago. Participation: Roughly 75 percent to 80 percent of the 86 employees participate in some part of health and wellness program; 25 percent participate in exercise classes alone. Most innovative feature: An employee-produced weekly health and wellness publication. Positive impact: Lower absenteeism, higher efficiency and lower health care costs. chair massages, and we were actually able to do that.” The company started its wellness effort about 2½ years ago. “It kind of snowballed,” Alred said. “We started out small with some walking programs and lunch-andlearns, and now we have a really comprehensive program going that we’re really proud of.” XMCO has worked with Oakland University’s Health & Wellness Promotions program for three years and
hosts students for an internship during their senior year. This internship program provides biometric screenings and individual health coaching. Online health coaching, disease management and a 24-hour nurse are available through the company’s insurance carrier. Alred said the company encourages employees to participate in programs offered by its insurer, like a recent webinar on tobacco cessation. “Whenever possible, we try to use those resources,” said Alred. “We’re already paying for them, and we want to make sure our employees understand they have access to them.” XMCO also offers an on-site exercise program three days a week at lunchtime and walking challenges for all employees. “When we launched our walking program, everybody walked as a group at the same time,” said Alred, “But now can look out the window and always see small groups or individuals walking every single day.” The company says its wellness ef-
forts are paying off in the form of employees who have lost weight, quit smoking and lowered their risk for disease. “One gentleman who had been insulin-dependent for 3½ years was just taken off of insulin and able to control it through diet and exercise,” said Alred. “Others have lowered their cholesterol and blood pressure.” Insurance claims data measuring the impact of the wellness program is not yet available, but Alred said the company is already seeing savings through reduced prescription drugs, and she expects at least a three percent to five percent reduction in health costs as a whole. She said other benefits are low absenteeism and a high efficiency rate. “People who do engage in our program are doing it because they genuinely want to make changes in their own lifestyle,” said President and CEO Linda Czajka. “If we’re all healthy, then the company is just going to be able to function better.”
Michigan Cat: A healthy team effort By Lissa Barron
T
he health and wellness program at Michigan Cat is a team effort. A wellness committee composed of employees from each of the Novibased construction equipment sales company’s eight FINALIST locations coordinates many Metro Detroit events and fitness challenges. With the help of an outside vendor, the committee chooses programs to address the company’s needs based on biometric testing results and employee surveys. Employees who complete biometric tests are given a wellness reimbursement, which can be used for fitness-re-
Start of program: 2007 Participation: Varied over the
years. As high as 80 percent of 600 employees for on-site barometric screening. Most innovative feature: Employees are given a monetary reward for each of 6 biometric targets they achieve with total awards as high as $1,200. Positive impact: Reduction in the number of employee health risks. lated purchases such as a gym membership or weight-reduction program. Employees are given additional money for each of six biometric targets they achieve. The reward
amounts vary according to employee group, but the maximum for an employee and spouse is $1,200. The company also offers employees loans for home exercise equipment. Employees also participate in individual and team fitness challenges in which they earn points for physical activity outside of work. “We have some employees who walk around most of the day,” said Kari Campbell, the company’s manager of benefits and compensation. “The goal is to do more than what they’re doing, so you can’t count the time you walk around on the job.” Other wellness programs include weight-loss challenges, lunchtime health presentations and a companywide spring walk.
“We try to change it up a little bit each year to continue to challenge people and get them engaged,” said Campbell. One measure of the program’s success is the increase in employees considered low risk, from 73 percent to 78.8 percent, and a decrease in those who are high risk, 7.8 percent to 5.9 percent. Another sign of progress is employee feedback. “We get people calling to say they didn’t realize they had high cholesterol and would have never gone to the doctor if not for our program,” said Campbell. “Our employees are predominately male … and not all of them take the time to go to the doctor, especially for preventative care.”
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Holland Hospital: Rewards for health 䡲 Start of wellness program:
The hospital has always had a wellness program. The current program has been in use for the past 10 years. 䡲 Participation: 1,840 employees and spouses, or 60 percent 䡲 Most innovative feature: Employees are offered a reward of up to $600 if they complete free health coaching to come up with a strategy to meet biometric health targets. 䡲 Positive impact: Employees have improved their blood pressure, stress levels, emotional health, diet and exercise habits. By Lissa Barron
C
holesterol a little high? If you work at Holland Hospital, bringing it down might help you cash in. Employees who learn how to bring it down through free health coaching will save up to $600 in lower premiums for PPO plans, and up to $500 on a highdeductible plan. WINNER The hospital’s Greater Michigan health-contingent wellness programs set various biometric targets, but health coaching allows employees to redeem rewards even if they don’t meet all the criteria. “Health coaches work on the whole person, not just on that one specific value out of range,” said Sandy Navarro, the hospital’s employee wellness coordinator. “Perhaps there are other things going on in that person’s life that’s affecting the cholesterol value.” Navarro said a recent employee survey showed 98 percent of those who used a health coach gave favorable reviews. Employees get a minimum of four health coaching visits and usually a maximum of six, but they can do more if needed. In addition to the outcomes-based incentives, employees can also earn a $50 gift card from a local department store if they complete a health risk assessment, pledge to be tobac-
HOLLAND HOSPITAL
Sandy Navarro, Holland Hospital’s employee wellness coordinator, teaches a fitness class to workers.
co-free, get a flu shot and attend the numerous hospital-sponsored wellness events. Employees and spouses can also take advantage of many hospital programs, including free tobaccocessation classes, depression screening and use of the fitness center. Employees are offered free chair massages and lunchtime exercise classes taught by Navarro. “Our administrative team puts a high importance on our wellness program,” said Navarro. “We have a high standard of quality care here for our patients, and one of the ways of providing that high level of care is by taking care of ourselves.” Some of the hospital’s other health programs include gym membership discounts with payroll deduction, pedometer physical activity challenges, and Weight Watchers sessions during lunch times. “To boost morale and stress the positive side of open enrollment, every year we offer a festive wellness and benefits fair featuring a
“We have a high standard of quality care here for our patients, and one of the ways of providing that high level of care is by taking care of ourselves.” Sandy Navarro, employee wellness coordinator wellness theme,” the company said in its Michigan’s Healthiest Employees entry. “Employees and spouses can mingle with the benefits vendors, along with local merchants who provide healthy lifestyle opportunities in the community.” The hospital’s investment in wellness is paying off. Employees have seen improvements in blood pressure, stress levels, emotional health, and diet and exercise habits. Last year, the hospital reported that risk factor mitigation for employees accounted for an annual savings of
nearly $400,000, and Navarro said more savings are projected for the current year. With 60 percent of employees currently participating in the outcomesbased wellness program, the hospital wants to bring even more on board. “Our wellness programs are always a work in progress,” said Tim Breed, the hospital’s community relations director. “We are always looking for ways to keep it fresh and interesting, and I think that’s what’s helped us over the years to build the level of participation to the point we’ve reached today.”
Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy: Workers are encouraged to play to be healthier By Lissa Barron
E
mployees at Flint-based Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy are encouraged to go out and
play.
A back-to-school celebration was held to promote outside recess breaks during the workday. On rainy days, employFINALIST ees have many Greater Michigan ways to stay active inside. They can walk the company’s lengthy hallways known as the “Diplomat Mile,” play pickleball or pingpong, or work out in the newly renovated on-site gym. If they prefer virtual exercise, they can play a variety of fitness games with the Wii gaming system. Diplomat initiated its formal wellness program in 2011 with the hiring of wellness coordinator Becky Foerster. “We’ve been working really hard
䡲 Start of wellness program:
March 2011 䡲 Participation: Varies with events. More than 200 employers, 25 percent, participate in wellness challenges. 䡲 Most innovative feature: Creative programs promoting physical activity including ongoing fitness challenges, pingpong March Madness, indoor pickleball, and beanbag toss games. 䡲 Positive impact: Employees have quit smoking and lost up to 70 pounds. in trying to engage our employees to move more and make healthier choices,” said Foerster. “We’re excited that we’re starting to hear testimony from our employees that it’s working and they’re getting more motivated.”
The company’s approximately 800 regional employees can take advantage of daily fitness or yoga breaks, twice-weekly chair massages, or monthly lunchtime health presentations. “This summer we added the summer survivor competition, and that’s where we saw a big increase in participation,” said Foerster. The four-week challenge encouraged employees to take time during their break and other times during the day to get 30 minutes of activity daily before they went home. An indoor “walk across America” challenge rewarded top individual finishers with prizes such as iPods or running shoes, and top teams won souvenirs from the “cities” along the indoor route. Foerster said the company holds fitness challenges quarterly and sometimes coordinates with commu-
nity events. There are also ongoing weightloss challenges every two months, and during holidays the employees are challenged to maintain their weight. Foerster Diplomat said its wellness program is already seeing positive results. Employees have lost weight or quit smoking, and diabetes claims are down. “There are items we focus on based on our claims information,” said Tracey Watlington, human resource director. “It’s definitely decreased claims, and that’s showing it’s having an impact on employee lifestyles, resulting in a better quality of life.”
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Award Category
100499 employees
Metro Detroit Winner: Experi-Metal,
Sterling Heights Finalist: Vectorform LLC, Royal Oak
JOHN SOBCZAK
The nature of the work at Experi-Metal can be physically demanding and a challenge to healthier lifestyles, said Valiena Allison, president and CEO.
Greater Michigan Winner: Consumers Credit
Union, Kalamazoo Finalist: Uniform Color Co., Holland
Honor Roll Bank of Ann Arbor,
Ann Arbor Pennock Health Services, Hastings Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Hascall Steel, Grandville Ramco-Gershenson Properties Trust, Farmington Hills Rockford Construction Co., Grand Rapids
Experi-Metal: Tailoring tools of wellness By James Mitchell
Start of wellness program:
T
Participation: Varies by event;
he process of developing and adapting a wellness program came naturally to a company whose business is the task-oriented creation of tools. “We are a prototype manufacturer,” said Experi-Metal President and CEO Valiena Allison. Whether solving a design problem or tailoring a healthy living program to the needs of a workforce, ideas from all sources have been put to a test. “It’s not topWINNER down, it’s a collaborative apMetro Detroit proach,” Allison said. “The most unique thing we do is personalize it. We really listen.” Suggestions from employees have been added to the program since its launch in 2000, which at the time focused on flu shots and encouraging healthy lifestyles. By 2009, participants were eligible for full biometric surveys in addition to resources for smoking cessation, weight loss and nutrition awareness, and quarterly lunch-and-learn events
2000
all departments and shifts are represented on program committees. Most innovative feature: The program is tailored to the workforce engaged in manual labor with factory safety issues. Positive impact: Voluntary enrollment in 2012 allowed up to a 20 percent discount on out-ofpocket health insurance costs. that emphasize eating and exercise options. Allison said that a particular challenge to healthier lifestyles is the nature of Experi-Metal’s business. The company’s Sterling Heights facility operates on three shifts, work that can be physically demanding with irregular schedules. “It’s not a 40-hour week, more like 50 or 60,” Allison said, and employees struggled to balance work and family lives. Through the wellness program came the suggestion of al-
ternate schedules — four days on, four off — which proved beneficial for many workers. Also inherent with manufacturing work are the potential workplace hazards. Allison said the need to provide a safe environment is an equal priority. “Safety and wellness overlap, especially in a factory environment,” Allison said. Proper lifting techniques and proper eye and ear care are frequently addressed, as are reminders of obesity prevention and safe driving (no hand-held devices). Allison said the program has developed over time based on recommendations from committees representing all shifts and departments. Some suggestions, such as information about men’s cancer, allergy medications and dental hygiene, have been implemented from these meetings. “I look at real issues, the ones most affecting my guys,” Allison said. Among the intangible results has been an overall change of factory culture, with fresh fruit often replac-
ing doughnuts in the break room, and workers more in tune with healthier lifestyles. At the plant, Experi-Metal offers the use of two gyms for its 150 employees, and an on-site garden provides vegetables in season. A barbecue in June courtesy of Filippa’s Wine Barrel was a summer celebration, but it also included education on healthy grilling habits. “I see guys out walking at lunch just to get out and stretch their legs,” Allison said. Programs have stressed the need for healthy sleep habits — particularly important to the varying shifts — and a total life balance not limited to personal benefits, Allison said. Employees have volunteered their time at Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan, and the company hosts annual blood drives, reaping the intangible benefits of giving back to the community. “Just a lot of smaller things that add up,” Allison said, and the program is like a personal form of preventive maintenance. “We just try to get them to want to improve and take care of themselves.”
Vectorform: A nontraditional approach By James Mitchell
T
raditional wellness programs just didn’t seem the right approach for Vectorform LLC. President and CEO Jason Vazzano said the diverse workforce of computer coders, artists and engineers operates in a very stressful environment, with a range of schedules and needs. The solution FINALIST was “VectorHealth,” a Metro Detroit whole mind-andbody health plan that involves meditation, diet — and even ultimate Frisbee. “It’s interesting how widely adopted it’s been,” Vazzano said. “It’s not
just eating, but meditation, healthy competition. It’s an awesome program.” Executive Assistant Amy Vasilev launched VectorHealth last year from the company’s Royal Vazzano Oak headquarters. More than half of the 100 global employees — in Michigan, New York, Seattle, Germany and India — have participated in one or more activities. Fridays in Royal Oak, for example, typically end with ultimate Frisbee time in the park. “Most wellness programs focus on
Start of wellness program:
October 2012 Participation: Varies with activities, with more than half of 100 employees taking part in most programs. Most innovative feature: Introducing nontraditional approaches to better health, including sleep recovery, meditation, sugar intake and more. Positive impact: Improved inter-departmental cooperation through team-building exercises. food, diet and exercise,” Vasilev said. “We wanted to encourage healthy living at work, lowering stress, team-building and inter-office
collaboration. It was more to increase awareness and reduce stress.” Financial benefits have been limited early on — long-term insurance savings are expected. While the program’s offerings are diverse — traditional weight-loss and exercise activities, along with attention to hydration and sleep — participation is kept as simple as possible. Vasilev said making the program accessible was the key to its success. “When it started, it was more complicated and time-consuming,” Vasilev said of program registration, tracking and updates. “Dumb it down, make it as simple and easy as possible for people. Don’t let the process stress you out.”
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Consumers Credit Union: Coaching lessons emphasize the quality of life Start of wellness program: 2012
Participation: Nearly 90 per-
cent of 200 employees participate in wellness initiatives; between 75 percent and 80 percent regularly take part in special activities. Most innovative feature: Cash incentives in addition to insurance coverage for coaching, nutritional guidance, smoking cessation and other goals. Positive impact: Reduced claims loss ratio on company health insurance policy after first year of program from 90 percent to 65 percent. By James Mitchell
T
he goal of saving money wasn’t the top priority when Consumers Credit Union launched a formal wellness program in early 2012, which may be why it worked. The focus, said Shawn Permer, vice president of human resources, was to do the right thing for employees, and bottom-line numbers were a bonus. “If you can WINNER reach them at Greater Michigan the heart of what wellness is about, which is quality of life, you’ll have a much more successful program,” Premer said. Premer recalled a previous employer’s program that had been launched with cost savings as the stated priority; the offerings generated little or no staff enthusiasm. “The employees knew that’s why it was being done,” Premer said, and workers felt forced into enrolling mostly because of higher health care premiums for non-participants. On the other hand, she said, Kalamazoo-based Consumers Credit Union had always been health-minded, and last year’s launch of a formal, vendor-supported program, “The Studio: A Path to Personal
ERIK HOLLADAY
Consumers Credit Union workers show their enthusiasm for the company’s vendor-supported health program.
Health and Wellness,” was a natural progression. The program includes activities and education, such as three coaching sessions per year, weekly updates on the company’s website, and wellness challenges throughout the year. Some incentives are monthly gift-card drawings, cash bonuses for completing mandatory screenings, and elective activities, such as smoking cessation and walking-biking events. The first year’s results were encouraging, with 80 percent of the employees signing up immediately, Premer said. Bottom-line numbers followed suit: A 35 percent reduction in claims loss ratio coupled with the company’s health insurance costs rising just 3 percent this year compared
“If you can reach (workers) at the heart of what wellness is about, which is quality of life, you’ll have a much more successful program.” Shawn Permer, vice president of human resources to a 21 percent increase in 2012. “Icing on the cake,” Premer said of the financial benefits, which helped offset a $30,000 program investment made on behalf of nearly 200 em-
ployees. Premer emphasizes the personal stories about the impact on peoples’ lives: Smokers kicked the habit; friends helped each other lose weight; one young woman said she took the lessons learned about diet and exercise and coached her father through heart-related health issues. Another employee learned to extend the life of bones and joints for a family member suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. “That’s what makes it so rewarding,” she said. “Some things are hard to define when you’re looking at a program like ours. Quality of life has such a value, even without hardline dollar savings. But reduction in health care claims speaks to the volumes of impact.”
Uniform Color: Consulting firm’s idea for culture change sparks program Start of wellness program:
2007 Participation: More than 90 percent of the company’s 240 employees attend special events; 15-20 percent attend regular activities. Most innovative feature: Offered a discount for health insurance premiums to employees who took a biometric screening — participation increased from 30 percent to 96 percent — and employees saved $520 for the year. Positive impact: Fewer workers’ compensation claims and improved attendance.
By James Mitchell
T
he timing was right when Uniform Color Co. set about expanding its wellness offerings two years ago. The auto-dependent manufacturer of color concentrates had survived a harsh economy and was ready to rebuild. “When the FINALIST auto industry Greater Michigan tanked, we lost a lot of employees,” said Abby Emmerich, the company’s human resources specialist. Signs of recovery in 2009 allowed the Holland-based company to reconsider strategies for both products and people. “Since then, we’ve been building new business units, and employees were working a lot and were ex-
hausted,” Emmerich said. The 240 employees had shown little interest in wellness events or activities, and participation was limited. A new approach was Emmerich needed, she said, and a revamped plan, guided by Holland-based benefits consulting firm Edify North, was put in place. “They encouraged us to make some changes to our culture,” Emmerich said. “And culture change is slow, especially if you want to sustain it.” Initial efforts included a revised production schedule that eliminated what had become regular stretches
of consecutive days without a break. Wellness-related company events became well-attended affairs — 97 percent at the last large event. Company spirit improved with the “Route 66” challenge, a team-based, eight-week competition to earn 2,400 “mile” points (the length of the famed highway) through regular exercise, diet adherence and other challenges. Emmerich credited management with recognizing and supporting the need for a cohesive and healthy staff. “It gets people active, with teams heckling each other,” Emmerich said. “There are so many wheels that spin to put a wellness team together, but if management isn’t involved, there won’t be any impact.”
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MICHIGAN’S HEALTHIEST EMPLOYERS - PROMOTIONAL SECTION
Fall 2013
Award Category
2- 99 employees
Metro Detroit Winner: Asset Health Inc.,
Troy Finalist: Cambridge Consulting Group, Troy
From left: Showing their exercisetracking armbands are Joe Hart, president; Terry Meter, senior vice president of operations; and Michael Creal, vice president.
Greater Michigan Winner: Lambert, Edwards
& Associates, Grand Rapids Finalist: Granger Construction Co., Lansing
Honor Roll SunTel Services, Troy Service Brands
International, Ann Arbor Vi-Chem Corp., Grand Rapids Center for Financial Planning Inc., Southfield Grand Haven Board of Light & Power, Grand Haven 616 Lofts/616 Development, Grand Rapids
JOHN SOBCZAK
Asset Health: Online tools help tune up workers by tracking goals, activities By Constance Crump
J
oe Hart wears an exercisetracking armband at the office. When he glances at it during the day, it’s a reminder to get up and get moving. As president of Asset Health Inc., he is a fan of the Troy company’s high-tech health management tools that are used both internally and marketed to clients. “We provided WINNER employees with extensive eduMetro Detroit cation about their health and health care, as well as why it is critical to be a proactive and engaged patient, a better consumer of health care, and a healthier person,” Hart said. Communication and education are most important. You have to lay a good foundation, he noted. Employees need to understand that a well-
Launch date: 2009 Participation: 100 percent en-
gagement in some aspect of the program, with about 80 percent completing the health assessment process. Most innovative features: High-tech approach with mobilebased tracking and extensive online resources. Positive impact: The 60-plus multimedia online courses are important tools in building health as a core company value. ness program is a benefit. Asset Health’s proprietary tools link through an easy-to-navigate online portal tracking goals and activities. It’s also rolling out on a mobile platform. The program offers more than 60 multimedia courses on a wide range of health topics. They’re 15-20 min-
utes long with audio, video and animation as well as a test to measure what people have learned. Newsletters and other resources are also available. Topics include “achieving a healthier weight,” in which employees enter their daily food intake to see how it affects their weight. With “protecting my back from injury,” they move virtual boxes to determine their capacity limit without hurting themselves. The program also encourages employees to establish one-on-one relationships with their doctors, leveraging health assessment and blood work, as well as courses, to have a more engaging and proactive patient experience. “We believe a strong patientdoctor relationship is critical — the idea that my doctor is an important part of my health team, that I don’t just go to the doctor when I’m sick,
but also when I’m well. Health is a core value of the organization,” Hart said. Asset Health has a full-replacement high-deductible health plan with a health savings account. Employees can earn HSA contributions — as well as entry into various drawings — based upon their participation in the health promotion program. “We still have competitions and challenges, but we also have things we didn’t have before … you don’t have to participate in a challenge,” Hart said. This quarter, the company is giving employees a sweepstakes entry for each glass of water they drink. “Our focus has been more on the value of the program than on specific metrics. We’ve seen employees who have lost weight, started to work out at lunch, quit smoking, (including) some people who had never done anything,” Hart said.
Cambridge Consulting Group: Keeping things positive to encourage participation By Constance Crump
C
ambridge Consulting Group of Troy wants to build a healthy and fun place to work. The financial planning and benefits consulting company has some irresistible carrots to FINALIST persuade its staff to go whole hog Metro Detroit for well-being. A food cart rolls through the office on Mondays with fruit, yogurt, breakfast bars and juice. Proceeds support charities. In another program, employees sample portion-controlled gourmet
Launch date: 2007 Participation: 50 percent overall. Most innovative feature: On Mondays, a food cart offers healthy breakfast options; proceeds benefit charity. Positive impact: Higher productivity, health-aware employees, improved morale and energy.
meals for two weeks with daily weigh-ins. If they don’t lose weight, they pay for the food. The average weight loss on the 1,500-calorie-perday program is 16 pounds.
Some employees have continued at their own expense and lost up to 20 pounds, said Cam Kennedy, partner and CFO. Highest achievers in the meal program aren’t announced by name; other health superstars get the spotlight as “wellness rockers” in the company newsletter. “Our executives get involved in most programs,” Kennedy said. “Employees see they’re involved, but not so much that executives are micromanaging or not letting employees have a say.” Cambridge doesn’t highlight people with high BMIs, either, he noted. “It’s important to be fair; otherwise
it hurts participation,” Kennedy said. “You have to keep it positive to get people involved.” Everyone takes part in biometric screenings. Buy-in for activities varies Kennedy from 30 percent to 80 percent. The wellness initiative doesn’t have direct impact on insurance costs — Cambridge is not selffunded; it’s more about productivity and culture.
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Lambert, Edwards: Building culture, recruitment, retention through health 䡲 Launch date: More than 10 years ago 䡲 Participation: More than 80 percent of the company’s 45 employees 䡲 Most innovative feature: Free weekly Zumba and yoga classes expanded to include clients and vendors. 䡲 Positive impact: Decline in net body mass index companywide; two people quit smoking, two lost more than 40 pounds each. By Constance Crump
J
effrey Lambert said employers need a new metric for return on wellness programs. The President of Grand Rapids-based Lambert, Edwards & Associates treats the company wellness program as a culture builder as well as a recruiting and retention tool. The public relations, corporate communications WINNER and investor-reGreater Michigan lations firm has 45 employees; 80 percent participate in LEAn, the corporate wellness program. Lambert Edwards has seen a net decline in body mass index, including two employees who lost more than 40 pounds each. Additionally, two smokers quit, a dozen staffers regularly participate in companysponsored yoga and Zumba classes, and absenteeism is down across the company, Lambert Edwards said in its entry to Michigan’s Healthiest Employers. “We put our people in charge of it; they develop a program that works for them,” Lambert said. “It’s mostly individual pieces, but this year we did team competitions — 85 percent of our staff was involved. They got points for exercise and healthy eating with gift certificates to the winning teams. “We track both the wellness part and different activities. The key is not only providing incentive but opportunity to participate. Every single C-suite person is involved. “We wanted our employees to be active, and so we encouraged event and activity participation, with a health assessment mandate at the beginning and end. Over the years, health care outcomes research and the growing body of knowledge related to preventive care and wellness caused
DEREK DEVRIES
Lambert Edwards offers some rooftop Zumba classes that are open to clients, vendors, partners and the public.
“By getting people involved in creating the activities, they take ownership both in planning and encouraging others to participate.” Jeffrey Lambert, president the company to expand the program and add incentives and dollars invested, the company said in its entry. That’s because it sees a long-term value to employees as well as the organization, the company said. It has also been a business devel-
opment tool. Some of its Zumba classes — on a rooftop deck — are open to clients, vendors, partners and the general public. “People connect, have fun and get healthy. By getting people involved in creating the activities, they take own-
ership both in planning and encouraging others to participate — groundup versus an edict,” Lambert said. Education programs take place at the YMCA, where the firm has a corporate membership. The Y does biometric testing and provides tips on nutrition as well as classes. In addition to a company wellness newsletter, Lambert Edwards gives cash reimbursement for wellness activities. “You can pick an activity (or) pick a single event,” Lambert said. “Start small. The impact will grow. Do some research, look at what other people are doing, treat wellness like any other best practice you would (use) in your business.”
Granger Construction: Wellness subsidies 䡲 Launch date: 10 years ago 䡲 Participation: Growing —
attendance at group training sessions has more than tripled in two years. 䡲 Most innovative feature: Free group training sessions with personal trainers at the MSU University Club. 䡲 Positive impact: The most effective tool to create a culture of health: buy-in from top management.
By Constance Crump ranger Construction Co. empowers employees to make their own choices with a wellness subsidy program. The construcFINALIST tion company Greater Michigan pays for half of a wide range of healthy activities up to $360 a year. Employees at the Lansing headquarters use a well-equipped in-house gym. Employees and spouses are eligible for annual health care screen-
G
ings. Aggregate results go to Granger, and individuals receive their own reports, said Emily White, human resources specialist. Participants get a healthy payment into their health savings accounts — $300 for individuals, $660 for families. Free lunch-and-learn sessions cover key wellness topics ranging from financial planning to nutrition and food labeling. Wellness extends to hiring as well: As of April 2013, all new hires must be tobacco-free.
Granger is self-insured for medical benefits, White said, so a wellness program can help costs. “We keep a really good eye on costs,” she said. “It’s hard to measure in terms of ROI, but you can see it every year in the health screenings.” Listening to employees, she said, is key, as is a commitment to a healthy lifestyle from management. “It’s important to care about the whole person, not just their workout,” White said. “Are they getting enough sleep? Is their home life going well?”
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Culture: One expert predicts on-site care to advise workers ■ From Page 2
maintain health benefits under the ACA, she said. “I still think, though, that having wellness is still important. If everybody goes to individual coverage and there’s no wellness, then everybody’s costs are going to go up. Regardless, we have to control costs as a nation and as a community,” Mills said. Seeking to prevent discrimination based on health status, the new rules from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services no longer allow outcome-based wellness programs to require that employees have a medical reason for not achieving a health outcome that’s linked to receiving a reward. Limiting the ability of employers to peg rewards to individual employee health outcomes will likely make workplace wellness programs more administratively intensive to operate and make it easier for participants to satisfy the requirements to receive a reward, said Marti Lolli, director of health care reform at Priority Health, a Grand Rapids-based health plan with more than 600,000 members. Despite the increased administrative burden, Lolli doubts the new federal regulations will deter employers from moving down the wellness road or disrupt present market trends. She still sees more employers jumping onto the wellness bandwagon regardless of the ACA rules. “Employers will want to have a healthy workforce because it benefits them on so many fronts,” she said. “But it is disappointing there isn’t more license for employers to implement outcomes-based programs that give them more flexibility in this regard.”
Numbers show high participation In Southeast Michigan, 81 percent of midsize employers responding to the 2013 survey of health benefits by Troy-based McGraw Wentworth indicated they had some form of a wellness program, ranging from a limited basis to a full-fledged initiative. In West Michigan, 46 percent of respondents to an annual cost survey by The Employers’ Association and the Alliance for Health in Grand Rapids said they have a wellness program, which compares to 43 percent in 2012 and 40 percent in 2010. Fifty-seven percent of the employers answering the McGraw Wentworth survey who have a wellness program say they offer incentives that drive participation rates of 76 percent to 99 percent. Employers whose wellness program lacks incentives had participation rates of less than 25 percent. The bottom line: Incentives do get people to participate in wellness. Without them, chances are that only healthy employees will participate just to get the reward and “you’re probably not going to get the people who need wellness benefits the most,” McGraw Wentworth Account Director Katie O’Brien said during a recent benefits seminar her firm hosted in Grand Rapids.
Changing the culture But while incentives may have helped wellness gain traction early on, rewarding employees for participation or achieving a one-year health outcome is financially unsustainable, said Ken Holtyn, owner and president of Holtyn & Associates in Kalamazoo. Holtyn, who operates wellness programs for employers, advocates that to control the everrising costs of health coverage in the long run, employers should take a broader, much more holistic approach to wellness as a business strategy, rather than a component of employee health benefits. “The key to that is people are intrinsically motivated. The key to behavior change is people want to do these things for their own per-
“It is disappointing there isn’t more license for employers to implement outcomes-based programs.” Marti Lolli, director of health care, Priority Health sonal benefit, not for the money,” he said. “That is exactly where our field is moving to.” On average, employers in Southeast Michigan pay $204 annually per employee in incentives to drive wellness participation. Employers also reduce participants’ share of the health premium by an average of $360 for single-person coverage and $707 for family coverage, according to the 2013 McGraw Wentworth survey results. Incentives are typically paid to employees who complete a health-risk assessment or undergo biometric testing to have their blood pressure, blood glucose, body mass index and cholesterol checked annually. Thirty-six percent of respondents to the McGraw Wentworth survey said they tie incentive payments to a health achievement such as quitting smoking, lowering blood pressure or losing weight, versus 27 percent in 2012. Sixty percent indicated they definitely would or are highly likely to do the same within 12 to 24 months. To get wellness to where it’s making more of a long-term impact on costs, employers need to approach it as risk management, just as they do worker safety, theft, facility security and liability, said Paul Brand of the Alliance for Health in Grand Rapids. Wellness needs to expand beyond testing and tracking employee health and do far more than offer a small cash reward, he said. “Wellness, as we’re defining it today, doesn’t get you healthier,” said Brand, who used to run an employer-owned health program. It misses the mark more than it hits.” Mills even sees workplace wellness programs in the next few years incorporating onsite care with physicians, physician assistants or care managers spending a few hours a week at a company to coach employees who need to change their lifestyle and improve their health. “Just giving them a penalty or a reward just because they had their biometric testing doesn’t do a darn thing,” Mills said. “What are we going to do about it? We have to provide somebody to help them.”
CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Hundreds of Central Michigan University employees take part in the annual Poker Walk, where teams earn poker hands and prizes based on walking laps during their lunch break. Participants included university President George Ross (right).
Finding the return McGraw Wentworth’s managing director, Becky McLaughlan, sees the change toward outcomes-based programs as a natural evolution of wellness as employers seek to drive participation rates higher and generate actual results. “Just inviting people to participate and show up for a (health) screening or do the health assessment isn’t enough to move the needle,” McLaughlan said. The change in how employers view wellness is being driven, in part, by the difficulty in gauging the financial return on investment for company wellness programs. Although a dollar figure is hard to gauge, the presumption for many employers is that reducing health risks will pay off eventually through lower medical claims if employees can be persuaded to stick with wellness and lead a healthier lifestyle. “You have to assume if people start losing weight and BMIs start going down, people stop smoking, and glucose levels go down, that should reduce their costs over the long term,” McLaughlan said.
HERMAN MILLER
Herman Miller hosted a 5K race in Holland for employees. It’s among the healthy activities the company encourages employees to take part in.
The difficulty in determining financial return on investment remains one of the main reasons employers don’t have a wellness program. Mills, however, believes employers need to look at more than just the straight financial considerations and how the money spent on wellness equates to lower employee medical claims and health care costs. The effects on employee morale, productivity and absenteeism should go into the equation, she said. “Somebody who is sick and missing work is not the same as somebody who is taking care of themselves and physically at work and per-
forming their job to the highest capacity,” Mills said. “We try to tell employers that although you’re not going to get a financial insurance reward, you’re going to get a financial employee reward. You’re going to have a healthy employee that is a bigger and better participant in your workplace.” And, as McGraw Wentworth’s O’Brien says, the cost of perhaps avoiding a major health problem creates a return for a company as well, even if you can’t put a dollar figure on it. “How do you tell your CFO, ‘Ken didn’t have a heart attack because we put in this wellness program’?” she said.
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Think of it as the good driver’s discount for the body. Healthy, productive employees are every company’s most valuable asset. Help them be their best. HealthbyChoice plans reward employees with lower out-of-pocket costs and deductibles for choosing to live and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
And, HealthbyChoice rewards your bottom line, too. From 2009 to 2012, employers who chose our HealthbyChoice plans saved more than $2.7 million on costs related to medical claims, absenteeism and presenteeism.
To learn how you can improve the health of your employees, contact your
independent agent or Priority Health sales representative today.
priorityhealth.com
A healthier approach to health care.
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Tuesday, Oct. 29 San Marino Club, Troy 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Maureen Bisognano, CEO, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Boston and author of Pursuing the Triple Aim, shares examples of how health care systems are lowering costs and improving care at the local level.
AGENDA 7:30 a.m Registration Opens 8 a.m
Michigan’s Healthiest Employers Breakfast I
Be among the first 200 registrants and get a FREE copy of Pursuing the Triple Aim by Maureen Bisognano
9 a.m
Noon
Breakfast Keynote: Ron Reasen, Healthiest Employer LLC
Health Care Leadership Summit Begins I
Keynote: Maureen Bisognano
I
Roundtable Discussions
I
Health Facts 2014
Health Care Heroes Luncheon
A luncheon program honors Crain’s annual Health Care Heroes awardees.
To register, visit www.crainsdetroit.com/events or call 313-446-0300.
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