Health Links (HL): Why is the health and wellness of your employees important to you?

Sky Ridge Medical (SRM): Our corporate mission statement reads “Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life.” This aligns with Sky Ridge’s vision for how we care for our patients, guests and colleagues. Our desire is to not only provide the very best clinical care but to also treat the mind, body and spirt of our patients and their families. To do this effectively, we need to tend to the health and well-being of our employees.

HL: How will you/do you know your program is successful?

SRM: We have several methods of measuring success, including participation rates for various health and wellness related activities, benefit enrollment rates and health screenings. Sky Ridge conducts informal surveys periodically to gather information on how we can better meet the needs of our employees.

HL: What obstacles did you have to overcome to get your program started? How did you overcome them?

SRM: Similar to other organizations, there can be hurdles with limited resources and time commitments. We overcome this by frequently communicating with employees and offering exciting new programs and fitness challenges. Our Wellness Committee meets monthly to brainstorm inventive ways to engage employees and address their needs.

HL: Do you incorporate safety along with your wellness program? If so, what does this look like?

SRM: We frequently evaluate worksites for ergonomic safety and work with employees to ensure they are comfortable with their work stations. Every employee is educated on proper lifting techniques, which includes body mechanics education and stretching programs. In addition, we have a Safety Officer on site to ensure that we provide education on trip and fall hazards and other workplace safety initiatives. We also have a dedicated “safety” line for employees to report any safety issues or concerns as well as a Safety Committee comprised of employees from every department.

HL: What tip/advice would you give to a business that is considering starting a workplace wellness program?

SRM: Be open-minded when faced with challenges, such as low interest in a particular program or offering, or limitations in resources, when starting your efforts. Remember that wellness means different things to different individuals and that being creative and diversified with offerings to employees gives you a better opportunity to reach a greater cross-section of your workforce.