Alcoa was recognized for their outstanding efforts in workplace wellness programming at the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce’s July Membership Luncheon. The Work Well Reno Award has been awarded quarterly since April 2012.
Alcoa’s Hutchinson facility, in cooperation with their corporate offices, offer a variety of ways for their employees to engage in a more active and healthy lifestyle. Programs include: smoking cessation classes, seminars with a nutritionist on healthy eating, and mailings to employees about ways they can stay healthy and get involved with company wellness activities.
The company also promotes active living through walking challenges, and built a ¾ mile walking path for their employees to use on-site. Alcoa strives to make their wellness activities fun for their employees and their families. They recently held the Alcoa Family Olympics at Gowans Stadium, which got employees and their families out and moving for a day of friendly competition.
The wellness committee, which helps coordinate the happening around wellness at Alcoa, meets regularly and includes representatives from all departments and shifts. The group is encouraging cultural changes like providing healthy food options at meetings, and providing a “fruit of the day.” Alcoa’s health care plan incentivizes employees to be tobacco free by giving a cash incentive. They are setting a standard of health by asking employees to improve or maintain good health.
Members of Alcoa’s wellness committee say they can feel a difference in their workplace’s culture and that people are talking about the wellness initiatives. Alcoa attributes the great hybrid of local and corporate ideas and programming to making their efforts successful. They said they know their efforts will pay off in cost savings and employee productivity in the future.
The Work Well Reno Award is sponsored by the Community Development Division of the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, and Hutchinson Clinic’s Healthy Connection Program. The next award will be given in October 2013, and nominations can be made on the Chamber’s website. www.hutchchamber.com.