The Connection Magazine The Connection Magazine | Page 25

WORKPL ACE WELLNESS THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF WELLNESS IN THE WORKPLACE BY: MARTHA GAGNON, INJURY PREVENTION & WORKSITE WELLNESS SUPERVISOR, A.I.M. MUTUAL THERE WERE definitely skeptics out there. Wellness in workers’ compensation? That was an out-of-the-box concept when A.I.M. Mutual rolled it out in 2013. And really, five years later, it still is. Yet the success stories are real. The impact on claim experience is measurable. Employers are reporting increases in productivity and declines in absenteeism. Anecdotal evidence from workers making positive lifestyle changes is piling up. Increasingly employers are on board, asking how they can build wellness into their workers’ compensation insurance programs. Walking the Walk From the beginning, we recognized how important it was to first walk the walk. A.I.M. Mutual has a longstanding employee wellness program, with tenets that range from free fruit and education programs to meditation classes and an onsite gym. As we tell employers, it’s easier to introduce wellness than it is to sustain it. We show your business clients how to do both, and our own experience is testament to that. Taking Home Wellness Gold Our efforts have not gone unnoticed. Wellness Workdays, a leading provider of corporate wellness programs, awarded a Best Wellness Employer gold certification to A.I.M. Mutual earlier this year. The national program, developed in collaboration with Harvard Medical School, recognizes the achievements of employers dedicated to improving employee health and well-being. A.I.M. Mutual was one of six employers to earn the 2018 gold certification. To qualify, employers must meet rigorous evaluation standards in four categories: assessment, strategy, implementation, and evaluation. Debra Wein, CEO of Wellness Workdays, cited A.I.M. Mutual’s structured plan for assessing and implementing wellness strategies. The company’s wellness initiatives, she said, demonstrate a strong commitment to employee health. For more information on how your clients can take advantage of our injury prevention and wellness services, contact any member of your Broker-Centric service team. To sign up for our wellness e-newsletter, contact [email protected]. ABOUT MARTHA GAGNON MARTHA GAGNON , Injury Prevention & Worksite Wellness Supervisor, manages the A.I.M. Works: The Wellness Advantage program. Before joining A.I.M. Mutual in 2013, she was Director of Worksite Health Initiatives for the American Cancer Society. 25