The Healthy Spirit wellness program at CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs is an important and systemic health curriculum designed to keep employees on the job and at their best.
“If wellness is ignored, you see a decrease in employee morale and an increase in employee stress. If employees are unhealthy, more sick days are used, which is detrimental for both the employee and the company,” said Shannon Ledbetter, wellness coordinator.
“Our employees see the devastating effects of unhealthy living every day, but we know it can be hard to live healthy when lives are so busy. That’s why we try to bring wellness into the workplace.”
The program provides a comprehensive range of activities and health-related services in which employees are encouraged to participate, including regular health fairs, health expos and biometric screenings as well as opportunities to incorporate more movement into the workday.
“I implemented the CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs Happy Feet Walk Club, where employees participate in Step Challenges for prizes,” Ledbetter said. “Our hospital also sponsors the Spa Running Festival every November.”
Other wellness reminders around the hospital include healthier food options and hydration stations that encourage water intake. Ledbetter said it’s all about integrating small changes into daily activities.
“Can’t go to the gym after work? Take a quick walk around the hospital on your lunch break,” she said. “Thirsty? Don’t reach for another soda, grab some free water with fruit. That’s why we choose to offer employee incentives for healthy living.”
The hospital also uses data from biometric health screenings to set a baseline for employees to set health goals such as the popular weight-loss challenges.
“Our facility takes biometric screenings of our employees and enters the information into a database,” Ledbetter said. “Employees can monitor their progress from year to year. We also monitor the number of employees participating in weight-loss challenges and walk or step challenges. We are always looking for ways to improve wellness so we hope to continue to grow these programs.”
Employees can earn prizes as they reach milestones, but that’s merely a bonus. The real payoff, Ledbetter said, is in the positive and lasting changes the hospital’s wellness program brings to daily operations.
“CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs is working hard to promote good workplace health,” she said. “Signs of a facility with good workplace health include providing employees with important health information, offering healthy meal, snack and drink options, providing walking paths and other programs for employees to get exercise or relieve stress, and, most importantly, offering gentle encouragement without harassment. I am happy to say we provide all of those things.”
Highlights
The CHI St. Vincent health and wellness program provides a comprehensive range of activities and health-related services in which employees are encouraged to participate, including regular health fairs, health expos and biometric screenings as well as opportunities to incorporate more movement into the workday. Wellness Coordinator Shannon Ledbetter implemented the CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs Happy Feet Walk Club, where employees participate in Step Challenges for prizes. The hospital also sponsors the Spa Running Festival every November.
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