R.I. employers celebrate healthy workplaces

TWO-HUNDRED AND FORTY people representing the Healthiest Employers in the region attended a luncheon celebration of their workplace wellness achievements put on Thursday by Providence Business News at the Providence Marriott Downtown. / PBN PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY
TWO-HUNDRED AND FORTY people representing the Healthiest Employers in the region attended a luncheon celebration of their workplace wellness achievements put on Thursday by Providence Business News at the Providence Marriott Downtown. / PBN PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

PROVIDENCE – In the fifth edition of Providence Business News’ Healthiest Employers celebration event, 28 local employers were recognized for their efforts – and successes – in creating healthy workplaces for their employees.
In addition to receiving their awards, the 240 attendees at a luncheon held Thursday at the Providence Marriott Downtown were entertained by WJAR-TV NBC 10 anchor Alison Bologna, whose keynote address touched on the control we each have on our wellness and happiness through the choices we make at home and in the workplace.
The recognized businesses have invested in their workers’ wellness through physical assets, such as onsite gyms, as well as creating classes with subjects that range from financial health to healthy eating and by offering medical screening and counseling. The company efforts have been reciprocated by employees themselves, who have increased participation in wellness programs and in some cases have made significant improvements in their health. Three workers from winning companies were recognized at the lunch for losing 100 pounds or more aided by programs at their places of work, along with others who have made significant progress in improving their health.
The program is based on surveys that are given, scored and compared with national benchmarks by Healthiest Employers, an Indianapolis-based health and wellness researcher.
Bologna’s talk used her business, Shri Yoga, a Pawtucket-based yoga studio that works with youth, developmentally challenged children and adults, veterans, and incarcerated men and women, as an example of how positive actions can enrich a life and make a difference in a community. The studio was founded in 2009 as a nonprofit, but within the last year Bologna has created a line of snacks, called Shri Bark, that is being distributed in schools, with proceeds from the business going into supporting the yoga studio.
The 28 winning companies were grouped in five categories based on their overall employee base and ranked based on their Healthiest Employers’ scores. The five category leaders are:

  • CVS Health Corp., 5,000+ employees
  • FM Global, 1,500-4,999 employees
  • South County Health, 500-1,499 employees
  • Wright-Pierce, 100-499 employees
  • Banneker Industries Inc., 2-99 employees

The PBN special section profiling the 28 winning companies is included in the current edition of Providence Business News, with access to the e-edition available HERE.
Presenting sponsor for the program was Tufts Health Plan. Partner sponsors were the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and USI Insurance Services.

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