What Makes a Company A Healthy Place to Work?

Jan. 3, 2006
HealthSpace Cleveland has selected Medical Mutual of Ohio as a winner of the Healthy 50 award, one of the fifty best companies in northern Ohio for its dedication to employee health and wellness.

"We are recognizing Medical Mutual for taking a leadership role in establishing cutting-edge solutions for improving the health and well-being of its employees," said Patricia Horvath, executive director and CEO of HealthSpace Cleveland, which is affiliated with the Health Museum of Cleveland. "Thanks to forward-thinking companies, such as Medical Mutual, northern Ohio is establishing itself as a very desirable place to work."

HealthSpace Cleveland singled out programs such as Medical Mutual's SuperWell Wellness for Life program, which encourages employee health awareness, positive health behavior changes and ongoing healthy lifetsyle choices to improve worker health and well being.

Paula Sauer, Medical Mutual's vice president of Care Management, said the program offers employees Weight Watchers, smoking cessation, fitness center access, walking for wellness program, health screenings and health education seminars.

"We have also introduced a SuperWell Nurse Line, which provides employee access to a registered nurse and health information 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week, at no out of pocket expense," said Sauer.

Medical Mutual also offers employees a Health Risk Assesment (HRA). "The HRA is comprehensive, self-adminstered, online review of past medical and family history, plus current health habits and lifestyle," said Sauer.

Sauer said a reminder program helps keep employees healthy and informed. "The primary goal of this program is to promote the importance of preventive care services and how it can impact disease prevention and early detection," she said. "At Medical Mutual, we use a dual approach, whereby employees and their primary care physician are notified of services and tests, due or overdue."

A recently renovated company cafeteria offers employees a complete Weight Watchers menu and a wider array of healthy eating choices and options. A new, state-of-the-art employee fitness center is scheduled to open in January at Medical Mutual's downtown Cleveland headquarters. A similar facility in the company's Toledo office opened in August.

"Our approach to employee health ties into the organizational mission by creating a more energetic, positive and productive workplace that ultimately leads to meaningful gains for both employee and company," said Sauer.

About the Author

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.

Sponsored Recommendations

10 Facts About the State of Workplace Safety in the U.S.

July 12, 2024
Workplace safety in the U.S. has improved over the past 50 years, but progress has recently stalled. This report from the AFL-CIO highlights key challenges.

Free Webinar: ISO 45001 – A Commitment to Occupational Health, Safety & Personal Wellness

May 30, 2024
Secure a safer and more productive workplace using proven Management Systems ISO 45001 and ISO 45003.

ISO 45003 – Psychological Health and Safety at Work

May 30, 2024
ISO 45003 offers a comprehensive framework to expand your existing occupational health and safety program, helping you mitigate psychosocial risks and promote overall employee...

Case Study: Improve TRIR from 4+ to 1 with EHS Solution and Safety Training

May 29, 2024
Safety training and EHS solutions improve TRIR for Complete Mechanical Services, leading to increased business. Moving incidents, training, and other EHS procedures into the digital...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!