Diversified Group Named One of CT’s Healthiest Employers by Making Wellness Part of Company Culture

This article was published on September 16, 2019 on Hartford Business written by Wendy Pierman Mitzel. Photo source is Hartford Business Journal.

1st Place | Category: 1,000 or fewer employees

Diversified Group

Headquarters: Marlborough

Industry: Health insurance and benefits administration

Top Executive: Brooks T. Goodison, President

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Diversified Group not only offers its customers a worksite wellness plan, it offers programs to its own employees as well.

Company leaders say creating a healthy workplace translates to happier employees, high retention rates and increased customer service.

According to Alison Searles, Diversified Group’s client service specialist, continuity and accessibility are key to defining the culture of wellness within the health insurance firm. Workers can take exercise classes during lunch breaks and organize their schedules in a way that allows them to attend monthly programs like meditation, wellness coaching and fitness challenges.

“Employees want to be healthy and just a little push from Diversified Group has helped some individuals make huge strides when it comes to health,” she explained. “When employees come back from their spin class, yoga or meditation session, they feel a little more clear-headed, a little more energized and ready to tackle the rest of their day as opposed to hitting that 2 p.m. crash.”

Employees can choose from activities led by educated and trained professionals and held on a regular basis. They include weekly fitness classes such as yoga, spinning and strength; monthly meditation sessions; monthly wellness-focused activities; quarterly wellness challenges; and on-demand health coaching or dietetic counseling.

Diversified Group provides programs regularly so employees make wellness part of their everyday routine, said Searles.

“The goal of our program is to instill the concept that wellness is a lifelong priority,” she added.

Targeting the needs and wants of some 55 employees is another important part of offering the right programs to gain participation. Recently, Diversified Group began instruction in yoga nidra, also referred to as sleep yoga, on the suggestion of the holistic health specialist.

Diversified Group also has a robust incentive campaign that offers small rewards for meeting certain benchmarks and larger ones for commitments spanning the entire year.

“Rewards initially motivate employees to participate in our wellness challenges and activities, but many have recognized that they truly feel better when they participate and this encourages them to keep going,” Searles said. “We have quite a few people who now lead healthy lifestyles simply because they learned how great being healthy feels.”

The program is communicated to employees through a new wellness portal. In addition, a yearly aggregate evaluation, along with satisfaction surveys and one-on-one meetings, allow for adjustments and improvements.

Click here to view the full list of HBJ’s 2019 Healthiest Employers awards.

How Will You Celebrate National Employee Health & Fitness Day?

Wednesday, May 15^th is National Employee Health & Fitness Day and it’s a great opportunity to remind your employees about the importance and benefits of regular exercise!

Exercise has been linked to numerous benefits, such as reducing your risk for chronic health issues like heart disease, diabetes, depression and several types of cancer.

And yet millions of Americans fall short of meeting their daily recommended guidelines; despite the fact that it can be a significant factor with impacting medical expenses. In fact, a 2016 study published by “The Lancet” determined that individuals who participated in a 30-minute walk at least 5 days a week on average spent $2,500 less in annual medical-related expenses than those who didn’t.

So, what can be done? Use this opportunity to kick-start some new wellness initiatives. Start by expressing that this is being implemented because you care about your employees and make it an opportunity to celebrate good health. Instead of providing a pizza party, maybe mix it up with food from a place that offers sandwiches on whole wheat bread or wraps with lean protein options (such as chicken, turkey or even vegetarian options), salads and even fruit in place of cookies. Or you could organize a company-wide walk. As we mentioned before, a 30-minute walk can go a long way and by making time for it, you’re showing employees that it is a priority. Even starting small, with leading a 2-minute midday stretching break can be a small change that eventually leads to a big impact.

The bottom line? Consistent exercise and other healthy habits can save companies millions of dollars in healthcare expenditures. Yet it seems to be one of the hardest habits to make. And since people often spend 40+ hours of their week at work, it’s a great place to also encourage more regular participation. In can be a win-win benefit for both the individual and the company.

Share your plans to celebrate! Send Corporate Fitness & Health your National Employee Health & Fitness Day plans and they will send you a shout out on their social media pages! Email your stories and pictures to kcalverase@cfandh.com.

The Diversified Group family of companies includes Corporate Fitness & Health. If you’re looking for a workplace wellness program that you’ll be excited to invest in, one that can help you reduce healthcare costs and help employees avoid elevated health risks, then it’s time you learned about CF&H. With over 30 years of experience, CF&H can help your organization implement a wellness program that will keep your employees happy, healthy and engaged.

Diversified Group Named One of Connecticut’s Healthiest Employers of 2018

This announcement from the Hartford Business Journal was published on December 3, 2018.

Meet CT’s healthiest workplaces

Hartford Business Journal’s first-ever Healthiest Employers Awards recognize organizations dedicated to employee health and safety in addition to their efforts to implement wellness programs.

The awards program was done in partnership with the Healthiest Employers Group, which determined the finalists and winners using a scoring methodology managed by Springbuk, a privately held technology and data research firm.

Companies that participated in the awards program had to complete an hour-long online assessment. Companies were then ranked based on their performance on the following six measures: culture and leadership commitment; foundational components; strategic planning; communication and marketing; programming and interventions; and reporting and analytics.

CATEGORY: 0-150 CT EMPLOYEES

1st Place | Antea Group

2nd Place | FM Global

3rd Place | Gallagher

4th Place | Diversified Group

5th Place | Safelite AutoGlass

Photo Source: Hartford Business Journal

Diversified Group

4th Place | Category: 0-150 CT employees

Industry: Employee benefits

CT Headquarters: Marlborough

CT Employees: 64

When Diversified Group (DG) started its fitness program back in 1985, it basically consisted of a boot camp-style fitness contest.

But over the years, commitment to health and wellness among employees has intensified to where DG now has a wellness department staffed by six certified health coaches, personal trainers and registered dietitians. The wellness team is responsible for spearheading the company’s wellness program.

DG has also maintained a modest fitness facility on its grounds, and within the last five years, certified instructors have been stopping by on a weekly basis for cycling, strength and yoga classes.

DG also hosts regular meditation workshops giving workers access to guided meditation sessions to decompress and recharge.

Factoring in wellness programs during open enrollment

This article was published on November 5, 2018 on Employee Benefit News, written by Ann Marie O’Brien.

This fall, millions of employees are deciding which health plan to select for 2019. They are reviewing and comparing a variety of factors when making this important decision, such as costs, benefits and care provider networks.

Another component that crops up to the surprise of many workers? Wellness programs.

Employers know that a healthy employee can make for a more productive, satisfied employee. And many workers want to improve their health and are often surprised to learn that employers offer wellness programs. That mutual interest is behind the rise of workplace wellness programs.

Wellness programs usually are made available to employees by their companies directly or through health benefit plans. In either case, employees can factor in the value of wellness offerings, such as weight-loss programs, tobacco-cessation programs or health screenings when determining a health plan that best meets their needs.

A recent UnitedHealthcare report, “Employee Wellness Programs Bring Results,” suggests that companies that strengthen their wellness offerings can yield cost-savings and improve employee health over the long-term.

Many companies, like those highlighted in the report, have successfully established a culture of well-being through their wellness programs.

While each company’s wellness program may be strongest when tailored to its employees’ needs, successful programs often include offering meaningful financial incentives, or a mental health focus through offerings like mindfulness classes and relaxation rooms, or a financial well-being component, like estate-planning seminars. And, many employers find offering the services of a wellness coordinator or nurse liaison onsite encourages a culture of health.

The report compared companies with award-winning wellness programs alongside a peer group of similar companies. It found those that make positive changes to their health offerings over the years may reap the rewards of healthier employees and reduced healthcare costs down the road.

For example, these companies experienced 14.2% per-member, per-month lower costs, even with a 7.5% greater claim risk score (based on their employees’ health status), than the peer group, and the employees at the high-performing companies experienced 24% fewer emergency room visits. Also, the report finds that it can take time for employer wellness programs to yield significant benefits.

Strengthening wellness programs strengthens employees.

The report revealed that the companies with the most effective programs had several common characteristics that contribute to their plan’s positive results and encourage a culture of health, including enthusiastic involvement by senior leaders, positive encouragement from internal advocates, offering employee incentives and putting in place measurable success barometers.

Also, these companies conduct health surveys and challenges, biometric screenings and financial well-being programs, and they all survey their employees to gather feedback to refine their programs.

The informational benefits meetings that are often part of open enrollment offer companies a good opportunity to collect and analyze employee feedback to further strengthen their wellness offerings. It is also an ideal time for employers who have not yet done so to consider offering a wellness program that supports their employees’ health and may improve their well-being while reducing costs for employees and the company.

The Changing Definition of Wellness

After decades of preaching to workers about the importance of staying fit and physically healthy, the term worksite wellness is beginning to mean much more to employers and employees alike. Leading companies are expanding their workplace wellness initiatives to address mental health and financial security – key components of their employee’s overall well-being that go way beyond physical health.

The National Business Group on Health shows that a majority of employers are addressing emotional and mental health as well as financial security as part of their overall well-being strategy. Other initiatives, such as support for community involvement and social interaction, are pointing to a growing trend of focusing on the entire person and not just physical health or fitness. Research is showing that addressing physical health is only one way to improve the workplace experience and reduce employee turnover.

More Choice Means Greater Satisfaction

While traditional wellness programs have been more “one size fits all” and lacking in personal appeal, some employers are encouraging employees to do the things they like to do by giving employees a flat dollar amount to spend on a gym or pool membership, personal trainer or other self-defined activity they find rewarding. Volunteering to help with community causes or enrolling in educational classes are not out of the realm of possibilities, since these activities can do a lot to help an employee gain a healthier perspective on work and life.

When choices are made by individuals and not for them, better decisions often result. As people share their experiences with others, the impact on a company’s culture can be extremely positive. Better well-being becomes an important priority for everyone and not just those who like spending time on treadmills or yoga mats. From the employer’s perspective, objectives can expand beyond healthcare cost savings and increased productivity. As an example, offering health coaching is a great way to focus on the needs of individuals rather than the group as a whole. It can help companies address emotional and mental needs as well as physical needs.

If worksite wellness is a priority for your organization, this might be a good time to review the goals of your program and then to make sure the activities you are offering are in line with those objectives. There is a lot more to be gained from worksite wellness than lower medical claim costs and redefining wellness may be just what your organization needs.

Soda Tax Moves Ahead

In a prior newsletter, we reported on the City of Philadelphia’s intentions to tax sugary and sweetened drinks. While the beverage industry and retailers sued saying the tax is unconstitutional, a judge recently dismissed the legal effort, clearing the way for the 15 cent per ounce tax to take effect January 1, 2017.

While Philadelphia will become the first major U.S. city to pass such a tax, several other governmental entities, including the City of San Francisco and Cook County, Illinois, are taking similar action. In Cook County, which includes the City of Chicago, the tax will go into effect on July 1, 2017 and will add 68 cents to the cost of a 2-liter bottle of soda and a penny per ounce to all sugary fountain drinks.

Overtime Rules Tough on Small Business

New rules mandated by the Department of Labor could affect many small businesses, driving up labor costs and creating more red tape. These rules, effective on December 1, 2016, raise the salary threshold for eligible workers from $23,660 to $47,476 and to $134,004 for highly compensated employees. This means that salaried workers earning less than $47,476 will now be eligible for time-and-a-half for every hour they work beyond 40 hours per week. While the rules were intended to help millions of workers, they assume that every business will absorb the increased costs and pay overtime, rather than limiting hours for salaried employees.

Research by the National Federation of Independent Business shows that nearly half of all small businesses will be affected by the mandate. NFIB foresees a slowdown in productivity if salaried employees are forbidden from exceeding 40 hours per week. Another concern is that some employees may be converted from salaried to hourly, effectively receiving a demotion.

The rules also include a mechanism to automatically update the salary and compensation levels every three years in order to ensure that they continue to provide useful and effective tests for exemption.

Zika Virus and Summer Travel

Summer is upon us and with it comes more outdoor activities, more sunscreen and, for some, more travel. What you may not expect summer to bring is the risk of the Zika virus. But, U.S. health officials warn that mosquitos carrying the virus could hit the mainland’s southern borders, starting with Florida and the Gulf Coast, in a few weeks.

Whether you’re traveling this summer or you’re staying put, the CDC says the best way to reduce your risk is to avoid bug bites by using repellent and covering your skin. If possible while traveling, choose hotels with screens or air-conditioning. While using both sunscreen and repellent, apply the sunscreen first, let it dry and then apply the repellent. However, you do not want to use products that contain both sunscreen and repellent and you should not spray repellent on the skin under clothing.

Pregnant women, especially those in their first trimester, are most at risk for the virus and should take every possible precaution and are advised to avoid affected areas. A current list of countries where Zika is active can be found on the CDC’s main site – http://www.cdc.gov.

Game Show Education

Healthcare education is rarely all fun and games, but a new approach might be succeeding at making it just that! They’re being called online education programs – offered to employees as both mobile and online applications.

One popular program called “Quizzify” promises to save money, boost morale, improve health and engage employees by making learning about medical care fun and interesting. And, it promises to do this all without requiring any medical data from participants. Using a game-show contest format, the program asks participants to click through questions as they compete with co-workers for prizes. Not only do people get the chance to receive wellness information, but they also learn about taking care of themselves and even avoiding costly treatment when it may not be needed at all.

And, while this particular service is not free, it may offer a fun, refreshing approach to traditional wellness communication.

Drugs Drive Rising Costs

While all treatment costs have risen consistently in the past 2 decades, the pharmaceutical sector has put up some amazing numbers. In 2011 alone, Americans spent an average of $985 per person, approximately twice the amount spent in other developed countries for the same benefit. In 2015, aggregate prescription drug sales in the U.S. totaled $374 billion – $190 billion more than other industrialized countries would have spent for a similar population.