14 area employers among those recognized for supporting worksite wellness

By Stacia Spaulding and press release
©2022 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Seventy-two Vermont employers — 14 from the local area  — recently received the Governor’s Excellence in Worksite Wellness Award at the annual Worksite Wellness Conference. The awards recognize Vermont employers for activities, programs and policies to help employees improve their health.

Most Vermonters spend more than one-third of their day at work. Research has shown that an environment promoting employee wellness in the workplace, actively supported by policies and programs, can have a significant influence on employees’ health and well-being. These practices also yield benefits for employers, such as a positive workplace culture attractive to prospective employees, improved employee morale and reduced absenteeism and health care costs.

Area employers that received a 2022 Governor’s Excellence in Worksite Wellness Award:

• Albert Bridge School, Brownsville
• Chroma Technology Corp., Bellows Falls
• Co-operative Insurance Cos., various locations
• Grace Cottage Hospital, Townshend
• Heritage Family Credit Union, various locations, including Londonderry, Ludlow and Manchester
• IVEK Corp., North Springfield
• King Arthur Baking Co., Norwich
• Mascoma Bank, various locations, including Springfield, Windsor and Woodstock
• Mt. Ascutney Hospital, Windsor
• Springfield Hospital, Springfield
• The Richards Group, various locations, including Bellows Falls and Springfield
• The Vermont Country Store, Manchester Center, North Clarendon, Rockingham & Weston
• Vermont Packinghouse, North Springfield
• VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region, Rutland

The Worksite Wellness Conference brings together Vermont business owners, human resources professionals and wellness experts from across Vermont to exchange ideas and best practices for promoting healthy workplaces. This years’ conference – the first held in person since 2019 – was themed “Cultivating Wellness and Resilience During Times of Change.” The event featured a panel discussion, workshops and a keynote address by Vanessa Santos Eugenio, Development and Diversity manager for the City of Burlington and executive director of We All Rise Yoga and Meditation. The conference is presented by the Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and the Department of Health.

Presenting the awards, Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD thanked participants for their partnership in promoting health and wellness. Levine acknowledged the challenges that employers and employees have faced as a result of the pandemic and called on employers to continue to contribute to efforts to ensure resilience in the workplace.

The Department of Health provides support and guidance for businesses looking to implement wellness policies. Some key things employers can do include setting family-friendly policies, such as being a breastfeeding-friendly employer, fostering employee tobacco use cessation, providing opportunities for physical activity and stress reduction during the day and increasing access to healthy food choices at the workplace.

Click on the links for more information about worksite wellness initiatives for employees and businesses and sample strategies and policy templates,

Your local health office also offers support for employee wellness initiatives. Find your local office here.