For the second consecutive year, the City of Mesa has been recognized by the Healthy Arizona Worksites Program as achieving the Platinum level of excellence in worksite wellness, the highest level of achievement issued by the program.
The Healthy Arizona Worksite Award recognizes employers that are making efforts to positively affect the health and well-being of their employees, their families and their community by implementing comprehensive worksite wellness strategies. The minimum qualifications to be considered for this award include attending the Healthy Arizona Worksite Program training and developing a plan to improve employee health and safety. To qualify for the Silver and Gold levels of the award, employers need to support employee health through policy and systems changes. The Platinum award recognizes employers making an impact both within and beyond their walls addressing one or more of the many health challenges impacting communities across the state.
The City of Mesa received this recognition by supporting employee health in the following ways:
Healthy Living Workshops focused on nutrition, stress management, fitness and safety
Diabetes Education and Tobacco Cessation Programs
Mesa Wellness 360 Program Launch, including health coaching and a health mobile app
Monthly newsletters, weekly tips, recipes and ongoing communications
On-site fitness and yoga classes
Annual events, including a Wellness and Benefits Fair, challenges, flu shot campaign
oCommunity project and department recognized: The ASPIRE Academy, coordinated by Mesa Fire and Medical and Mesa Police, designed for high school girls to become exposed to careers in Public Safety
"Since employees spend nearly half of their waking hours at work, the workplace represents an important setting for promoting healthy behaviors," Employee Health and Wellness Manager Nicole Stec said. "Efficient, effective and sustainable worksite wellness initiatives have been shown to reduce healthcare costs. While results at each organization can vary, some employers have realized up to a $6 return for every $1 invested in wellness programs."
The Healthy Arizona Worksites Program is a public health initiative offered by the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH). Its mission is to help employers learn how to successfully implement worksite wellness initiatives to improve the health of their employees and businesses. For more information, visit www.healthyazworksites.org.
Public Information and Communications
Contact: Kevin Christopher
Tel. 480-644-4699
kevin.christopher@mesaaz.gov