Commonwealth Health Corporation - Recognized as an American Heart Association Fit-Friendly Worksite

Worksites take steps to decrease healthcare expenses, increase productivity

Commonwealth Health Corporation has been recognized as a Platinum-Level Fit-Friendly Worksite by the American Heart Association for helping employees eat better and move more. This is the fourth year CHC has achieved the Platinum Level.

“Physical activity and employee wellness are important priorities at Commonwealth Health Corporation. We are honored and excited to be recognized by the American Heart Association as a Platinum-Level Fit-Friendly Worksite,” said Lynn Williams, Vice President of Human Resources. “We’re committed to providing the best workplace environment possible. This will benefit our employees’ health and produce even more positive results for our worksite overall.”

Platinum-level employers:

• Increase healthy eating options at the worksite.
  
• Promote a wellness culture in the workplace.
  
• Implement at least nine criteria outlined by the American Heart Association in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and culture.
  
• Demonstrate measurable outcomes related to workplace wellness.
  

“At CHC, we support our employees who each have unique wellness needs by offering a variety of health and wellness opportunities,” said Williams. CHC focuses on offering healthy vending options and encouraging smarter choices in its cafeterias. CHC offers incentive-based activity programs, activity/food-based challenges and on-line health workshops, and recognizes employees who achieve health and wellness goals.

The Fit-Friendly Worksites program is a catalyst for positive change in the American workforce by helping worksites make their employees’ health and well-being a priority.

American employers are losing an estimated $225.8 billion a year because of healthcare expenses and health-related losses in productivity, and those numbers are rising. Many American adults spend most of their waking hours at sedentary jobs. Their lack of regular physical activity raises their risk for a host of medical problems, such as obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. Employers face $12.7 billion in annual medical expenses due to obesity alone. The American Heart Association is working to change corporate cultures by motivating employees to start walking, which has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity.

Recognition is a critical component of the Fit-Friendly Worksites program. Employers that join this program qualify for official recognition by the American Heart Association. They are listed on the program’s national website. Qualifying worksites also have the right to use the program’s annual recognition seal for internal communications and with external, recruitment-related communications.

For more information about the Fit-Friendly Worksites program and how it’s helping to improve the health of Americans by focusing on the workplace, visit heart.org/worksitewellness.