LEONARDTOWN, MD (April 22, 2013) – The St. Mary’s County Health Department has joined the list of Healthiest Maryland Businesses through its Workplace Wellness initiative. Workplace Wellness describes efforts by businesses and other employers to improve the health of their employees through strategies in the workplace. These efforts often encourage healthy eating, increasing physical activity in and out of the workplace, and smoking cessation. Working Marylanders spend an average of 9.2 hours per day at work.
A comprehensive employee health management strategy helps to prevent and control chronic disease and other conditions that can be a problem for the workforce. The direct (including medical treatment costs, insurance premiums, disability claims) and indirect (including missed days of work, lower productivity, higher turnover) costs of poor employee health financially strain businesses and organizations across Maryland. By addressing employee health through workplace wellness initiatives, businesses can benefit from a significant return on investment.
The Health Department is implementing evidence-based strategies in its own workplace to encourage its employees to be healthier with technical assistance from MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital. A cross-agency wellness committee is leading the work on this initiative. Strategies include an employee pedometer challenge, providing healthier snacks in vending machines, a “Lose to Win” weight loss competition, and exchange of healthy recipes. The Health Department has also set up a gym membership package available for employees to purchase through World Gym. Additionally, an employee health fair has been scheduled which will include health screenings and fitness demonstrations. More strategies will be implemented over the next several months.
“Workplace wellness initiatives ensure that everyone wins,” said Tasha Henderson, the Health Department nurse who is leading the agency’s Wellness Committee. “Workplaces should consider signing up with the statewide Healthiest Maryland Businesses effort to get access to free workplace wellness resources and technical assistance.”
Healthiest Maryland Businesses is a statewide effort launched by Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in May 2010, and provides support to businesses and organizations implementing workplace wellness strategies. For more information about Healthiest Maryland Businesses, please visit http://dhmh.maryland.gov/healthiest/
Media Contact
Meena Brewster, MD, MPH
301-475-4330
smchd.healthdept@maryland.gov