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The Richards team with Dr. Levine. Photos by Ian Thomas Jansen-Lonnquist.
The wellness conference focuses on resilience in times of change.
Vermont Business Magazine Seventy-two Vermont employers received the Governor’s Excellence in Worksite Wellness Award this week at the annual Workplace Wellness Conference at the Vermont College of the Arts in Montpelier. 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 shows that promoting employee safety in the workplace, actively supported by policies and programs, can have a significant impact on employee health and well-being. These practices provide benefits to employers, such as a positive work culture for future employees, improved employee morale, and reduced absenteeism and health care costs.
The Worksite Wellness Conference brings together Vermont business owners, HR professionals and health professionals from across Vermont to share ideas and best practices for promoting healthy workplaces. This year’s conference – the first to be held in person since 2019 – was themed “Cultivating Security and Resilience in Times of Change”. The event featured a panel discussion, workshops and a keynote address by Vanessa Santos Eugenio, City of Burlington’s Manager of Development and Diversity and Executive Director of We All Rise Yoga and Meditation. The conference is presented by the Vermont Governor’s Council on Fitness and Sport and the Department of Health.
Presenting the award, Health Commissioner Mark Levin MD thanked the participants for their cooperation in promoting health and wellness. Dr. Levine acknowledged the challenges employers and employees have faced as a result of the pandemic and called on employers to do their part in efforts to ensure stability in the workplace.
“The past two and a half years have required all of us to travel and experience new challenges in many areas,” Dr. Levin said. “Our state’s recovery and revitalization includes addressing our ‘health debt’—the accumulation of negative health behaviors during the pandemic that exacerbated and prolonged chronic disease for years to come. We want people to not only improve their lifestyle choices at home, but to support safety in our workplaces.”
The Department of Health provides support and guidance to businesses seeking to implement health policies. Some key things employers can do include developing family-friendly policies such as being a breastfeeding-friendly employer, promoting employee tobacco use, providing opportunities for exercise and stress reduction during the day, and making healthy food choices available in the workplace.
To learn more about workplace wellness initiatives for employees and businesses and to find sample strategies and policy templates, visit healthvermont.gov/3-4-50/businesses and healthvermont.gov/worksite-wellness.
Your local health office provides support for employee wellness initiatives. Find your local office at healthvermont.gov/local.
List of 2022 Governor’s Excellence in Workplace Safety Awardees:
Albert Bridge School
AN Deringer
ASIC North, Inc.
Aspire Living and Learning, Inc.
Ben and Jerry
Berlin Elementary School
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
Burton
Caledonia Central Control Union
Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity
Chittenden Solid Waste District
Chroma Technology Corporation
City of Burlington/HR
Collins Aerospace
Community care network
Cooperative insurance companies
Engelberth Construction, Inc.
Franklin County Home Health Agency
Gifford Healthcare, Inc.
GlobalFoundries
Grace Cottage Hospital
Grand Island Regulatory Union
Hallam-ICS
Hartland Elementary School
Heritage Family Credit Union
Hickok & Boardman HR Intelligence
Hickok & Boardman Insurance Group
Hill
Howard Center
Injury and Health Management Solutions Inc.
IVEK Corporation
Jericho Elementary School
King Arthur Baking Company
Lamoille County Mental Health Services
Lamoille Health Partners
Lane Press
Maple Run Unified School District.
Mascoma Bank
Mount Mansfield Unified School District.
Ascutney Hospital
MVP Healthcare
New Chapter, Inc.
North Country Hospital
North Country Federal Credit Union
North East Kingdom Community Action
North East United Kingdom Human Services
Northfield Savings Bank
Northwest Consulting and Support Services, Inc.
OneDigital
OnLogic
PC Construction
ReArch Company, Inc.
Springfield Hospital
State of Vermont
The Richards group
University of Vermont Medical Center
Vermont Country Store
City of Brattleboro
Union common
United Counseling Service
University of Vermont
Vermont Electric Cooperative
Vermont Federal Credit Union
Vermont Information Processing, Inc.
Vermont Mutual Insurance Company
Vermont packing house
Vermont Precision Equipment
Vermont School Boards Insurance Trust
Vermont Student Aid Corporation
VNA and Hospice of the Southwest Region
Whitefield Elementary School
Washington County Mental Health Services
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