Wellness Award 2009
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RJF Agencies receives fourth Wellness by Design Gold Award
Award recognizes RJF’s culture and commitment to employee health.
MINNEAPOLIS (June 19, 2009)—Hennepin County has awarded RJF Agencies, a risk management and insurance firm, with a gold Wellness by Design Award for the fourth consecutive year. This award recognizes employers that demonstrate achievements in promoting healthy lifestyles for their employees.
“Our Wellness Rewards program has proven popular with our employees,” said Bill Jeatran, CEO of RJF Agencies. “Every employee who participates saves $400 off their health insurance premium.” RJF’s program requires employees to complete a health assessment, consumerism workshops, and eight of 10 healthy behaviors over the course of the year, most of which are simple preventative care steps such as being current on annual exams, and committing to exercising several times a week.
Over the last year, RJF has implemented new wellness initiatives, including:
• Installing two walk stations with computer and phone access in a conference room, allowing employees to walk while working.
• Implementing a healthy foods policy that stipulates that any food purchased by RJF must meet basic health guidelines. A list of suggestions was also created.
• Adding healthy foods to vending machines
• Holding a self-care workshop series for employees.
The wellness program was designed to perpetuate a culture of wellness and support employees as they work to improve their and their families’ health. This past year, RJF Agencies’ health initiatives included “Relaxation Wednesdays,” where employees could spend 20 minutes in guided relaxation. Other family-friendly activities were held throughout the year, as well as softball and volleyball teams.
RJF’s Health Management Consultant Rosie Ward, Ph.D., leads RJF’s wellness program and works with clients to develop similar programs for their own health initiatives. For more information on RJF’s services, contact Ward at wardr@rjfagencies.com.
The Wellness by Design Worksite Award recognizes organizations that have strong senior management support for health promotion, and realize that employee health and productivity are closely intertwined. Organizations should also have a wellness infrastructure in place and provide supportive environments for developing lifelong, healthy behaviors. Award criteria are based on guidelines from The Wellness Councils of America. In 2008, Hennepin County honored 39 worksites and 10 schools. For more information on the Wellness by Design Award, visit the Hennepin County Web site at www.hennepin.us and do a “Wellness by Design Award” key word search.
About RJF Agencies
Founded in 1986, RJF Agencies is one of the “Top 100 Brokers of U.S. Business” according to Business Insurance magazine. Its values-driven approach facilitates growth and strengthens companies by reducing the cost of risk for more than 5,000 corporate clients through five offices in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Its services include employee benefits, commercial insurance, alternative risk programs, loss prevention, claim management, human resource consulting, health management and financial services. More information is at www.rjfagencies.com.
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