Quinnipiac recognized for strong culture of employee health, well-being

February 16, 2018

A member of the university community participates in gong therapy.

Quinnipiac was one of 44 organizations recognized on February 14 by The Business Council of Fairfield County at its Healthy Workplace Employer Recognition Program at the Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa. Quinnipiac was among the organizations recognized on the Platinum level, which is the highest possible level of achievement in the program.

"Quinnipiac University’s Living Well initiative promotes a strong culture of health and well-being for our most precious resource — our employees,” said Jean Husted, vice president of human resources at Quinnipiac. “Robust participation in our wide-ranging health and wellness programs keeps our workforce at its best, and we are proud to achieve our first Platinum level recognition from The Business Council of Fairfield County.”

The Healthy Workplace Employer Recognition Program was established to highlight the efforts of employers who understand the competitive advantage of a healthy workforce and who have implemented a diverse range of programs to promote a healthy workplace and assist their employees to live healthier lives.

“Not to state the obvious, but changing behaviors is hard,” said Matthew Fair, vice president, Key Insurance & Benefits Services and co-chair of The Business Council’s Wellness Roundtable. “Through creative programming, employee feedback and health assessment measures, our 2018 Healthy Workplace honorees are succeeding in improving the health and productivity of their employees while reducing overall health care costs.”

Anthony Aguanno, senior account executive, UnitedHealthcare and co-chair of The Business Council’s Wellness Roundtable, said, “Employers continue to make great progress on assuring a healthy workplace for their employees. Encouraging physical activity, promoting healthy eating choices and managing chronic illness are the cornerstones of success for this year’s honorees. Of interest to our panel of reviewers this year was the number of programs that broadened the definition of wellness to include financial and emotional health.”

This year, The Business Council of Fairfield County honored 44 companies in four categories of distinction — Platinum, Gold, Silver and Innovation — on the basis of program components and outcomes.

Research demonstrates that employers see increased productivity and reduced direct health care costs when they offer health and wellness programs to their employees.

“We have learned, not surprisingly, that more than two-thirds of health care spending is linked to behaviors that ultimately make us unhealthy. Yet we have also learned that productivity and health care costs are equally linked to health,” said Tanya Court, director, Public Policy and Programs, The Business Council of Fairfield County. “As costs related to health and health care escalate, business has responded in a variety of ways. Just as our recognition program has evolved, so too have the many ways our workforces have engaged on wellness.”

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