WORK WELL NEWS
WORK WELL NEWS June 2015
Meet Our Wellness Coordinator Jessica Sheets graduated from Drake University in 2009 with a Bachelor's Degree in Public Relations. While at Drake, she interned at Polk County Health Department assisting with the promotion of their flu clinics. After graduating, she was offered a contract with the health department coordinating Better Choices, Better Health, an evidence-based program designed to help adults with chronic health conditions (heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc.) learn to better manage symptoms such as fatigue and pain. Jessica was a certified facilitator of this program and taught several group workshops in the community. In 2012, Jessica was charged with overseeing a federal Community Transformation Grant the health department was awarded by the Iowa Department of Public Health. The core of this grant was to implement system and environmental changes at the community, workplace, and clinical level that would reduce morbidity, mortality from chronic disease and tobacco by 5% state-wide by 2017. While in this role, Jessica attended trainings provided by the Iowa Department of Public Health on how to successfully create a healthier workplace culture. These trainings provided Jessica with the tools and information she needed, along with her public health experiences, to provide support and guidance in the adoption of worksite wellness policies and environmental changes to several businesses and organizations in Polk County.
Jessica paddle boarding at Big Creek State Lake in Polk City, IA.
Jessica is also a certified Freedom From Smoking facilitator and in 2014 was awarded Volunteer of Year by the American Lung Association for her work in assisting property owners and managers of multi-family housing complexes implement smoke-free policies. Jessica has an 8-year-old daughter named Ava and currently resides in Norwalk. In the summer she loves to paddle board and work in her garden. Jessica is passionate about teaching her daughter the technique of gardening and the importance of growing her own healthy food. Jessica has worked in public health for more than 5 years and brings a true understanding of wellness to the Rasmussen Group. She is dedicated to helping others improve their overall health and encourages employees to give her a call, shoot her an email, or stop by her office if they have questions.
Jessica presenting at the 2015 company meeting in Branson, MO.
In This Issue
Meet Our Wellness Coordinator
2015 Work Well Employee Wellness Program
2015 Employee Wellness Survey Results
New Annual Physical Incentive Policy
Stretch ‘n Flex Program
2015 Work Well Employee Wellness Program What is Work Well? Work Well is the name of the Rasmussen Group’s employee wellness program. Currently, the Work Well program incentivizes employees for participating in Work Well Get Screened!, in which employees can receive a $50.00 gift card for participating in the biometric screenings provided by Mercy and/or for receiving an annual physical with their primary care doctor. Also, this last April the Work Well program implemented Stretch ‘n Flex, the employee stretching program. How can I get a $50.00 gift card? Currently, the only available option for an employee to receive a $50.00 gift card is by participating in Work Well Get Screened! and completing an annual physical with their primary care doctor. The annual physical exam form can be found under the Work Well tab at www.rasmussengroup.com. The form must be completed by the employee’s doctor and faxed to the screening administrator (Mercy) via the instructions on the form. For more information, please review the Employee Annual Physical Incentive policy on the Rasmussen Group website. The Mercy biometric screening clinics will be held November 2015 - January 2016 at various Rasmussen Group locations. What’s next for the Work Well program? There is a lot to be excited about as the Rasmussen Group grows its Work Well program! With the hiring of Wellness Coordinator, Jessica Sheets, the Rasmussen Group has decided to further invest in the health and well-being of its employees by re-energizing the current Work Well program. October 1, 2015 will be the official launch of the new program and will be available to ALL employees and spouses. The new program will now provide more opportunities than ever to earn incentives for participating in approved wellness activities, as well as access to great tools and resources through the new online Wellness Center. What is the Wellness Center? The Wellness Center is an online portal where employees can track their wellness points, redeem their incentives, as well as access their biometric screening and/or annual physical results. The portal will also be the hub for all communications about the Work Well program, including the employee wellness newsletter. Any information that needs to be communicated to participants about the program will be generated through the portal, so it will be very important enrolled employees are active on the portal.
How do I sign-up for the new Work Well program? Employees will be able to enroll beginning September 1, 2015. Enrollment will be year-round, but those who enroll BEFORE September 30, 2015 will be rewarded for participating in the early bird enrollment. Employees and spouses will be able to access the portal through Wellmark.com, even if they are not enrolled in the Rasmussen Group’s medical plan. Watch for more details in next month’s newsletter! What types of activities will earn me wellness points? Employees will be able to earn wellness points for participating in wellness activities such as the Health Risk Assessment (available on portal), participating in the biometric screenings, completing an annual physical with their doctor, being tobacco free or participating in a tobacco cessation program. The structure of the point system was strategically designed to help modify behavior. Making healthy lifestyle changes can be difficult, but having a program and portal that supports employees as they try to make those changes will make for a more successful program.
Will it be mandatory to participate?
The Work Well program and enrollment is completely voluntary. Employees can even pick and choose which activities they would like to participate in to earn points. The only requirements of the program will be to complete the Health Risk Assessment, and either the biometric screenings or an annual physical, before participants can earn points for other activities in the Wellness Center portal. What if I don’t have a computer? The Wellness Center portal also has an app for your smart phone. If an employees does not have a smart phone OR computer and wishes to participate, please contact the Rasmussen Group Wellness Coordinator, Jessica at (515) 266-5173. Who do I contact if I have questions? Any questions or concerns about the Work Well program should be directed to the Rasmussen Group Wellness Coordinator, Jessica Sheets. She can be reached at (515) 266-5173 or at [email protected].
2015 Employee Wellness Survey Results In April, employees were asked to complete the Employee Wellness Survey that was sent out via Survey Monkey. Thank you to those who participated. Below are a few of the results.
New Annual Physical Incentive Policy In April, the Rasmussen Group implemented a new policy for employees who want to participate in Work Well Get Screened! and receive the $50.00 incentive for completing an annual physical exam. Get Screened! is an incentivebased program that encourages employees and their families to get an annual physical exam. Employees and spouses that are enrolled in the company’s health insurance plan can receive a $50.00 gift card for completing their annual physical exam with their doctor. In order to receive the $50.00 gift card, employees must:
2015 Stretch ‘n Flex Poster
1) Schedule an annual physical appointment with their doctor 2) Complete the online health profile prior to their appointment per the instructions provided on the Employee Annual Physical Exam form 3) Take the Employee Annual Physical Exam form to their appointment, have their doctor complete the form, and fax per the instructions provided. The Employee Annual Physical form and policy can be found under the Work Well tab on our website at www.rasmussengroup.com For more information please contact the Rasmussen Group Wellness Coordinator: Jessica Sheets (515) 266-5173 [email protected]
Stretch ‘n Flex Program Last month the Rasmussen Group rolled out their new Stretch ‘n Flex program for all companies. The program is designed to encourage employees to stretch before their shifts and throughout the day. Benefits to stretching include:
Prepares body for work activities
Increases flexibility
Decreases muscle tension
Improves range of motion
Reduces the incidence and severity of injury
Stretch ‘n Flex posters can be found hanging at various Rasmussen Group locations including job sites, plants, and the corporate office. Laminated brochures are also available for drivers to place in the visor of their trucks for easy reference. Stretching guidelines can be found on Stretch ‘n Flex posters and brochures. For questions or concerns, employees should contact the Rasmussen Group Wellness Coordinator, Jessica Sheets, at (515) 266-5173 or [email protected].
Meet Our Wellness Coordinator Jessica Sheets graduated from Drake University in 2009 with a Bachelor's Degree in Public Relations. While at Drake, she interned at Polk County Health Department assisting with the promotion of their flu clinics. After graduating, she was offered a contract with the health department coordinating Better Choices, Better Health, an evidence-based program designed to help adults with chronic health conditions (heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc.) learn to better manage symptoms such as fatigue and pain. Jessica was a certified facilitator of this program and taught several group workshops in the community. In 2012, Jessica was charged with overseeing a federal Community Transformation Grant the health department was awarded by the Iowa Department of Public Health. The core of this grant was to implement system and environmental changes at the community, workplace, and clinical level that would reduce morbidity, mortality from chronic disease and tobacco by 5% state-wide by 2017. While in this role, Jessica attended trainings provided by the Iowa Department of Public Health on how to successfully create a healthier workplace culture. These trainings provided Jessica with the tools and information she needed, along with her public health experiences, to provide support and guidance in the adoption of worksite wellness policies and environmental changes to several businesses and organizations in Polk County.
Jessica paddle boarding at Big Creek State Lake in Polk City, IA.
Jessica is also a certified Freedom From Smoking facilitator and in 2014 was awarded Volunteer of Year by the American Lung Association for her work in assisting property owners and managers of multi-family housing complexes implement smoke-free policies. Jessica has an 8-year-old daughter named Ava and currently resides in Norwalk. In the summer she loves to paddle board and work in her garden. Jessica is passionate about teaching her daughter the technique of gardening and the importance of growing her own healthy food. Jessica has worked in public health for more than 5 years and brings a true understanding of wellness to the Rasmussen Group. She is dedicated to helping others improve their overall health and encourages employees to give her a call, shoot her an email, or stop by her office if they have questions.
Jessica presenting at the 2015 company meeting in Branson, MO.
In This Issue
Meet Our Wellness Coordinator
2015 Work Well Employee Wellness Program
2015 Employee Wellness Survey Results
New Annual Physical Incentive Policy
Stretch ‘n Flex Program
2015 Work Well Employee Wellness Program What is Work Well? Work Well is the name of the Rasmussen Group’s employee wellness program. Currently, the Work Well program incentivizes employees for participating in Work Well Get Screened!, in which employees can receive a $50.00 gift card for participating in the biometric screenings provided by Mercy and/or for receiving an annual physical with their primary care doctor. Also, this last April the Work Well program implemented Stretch ‘n Flex, the employee stretching program. How can I get a $50.00 gift card? Currently, the only available option for an employee to receive a $50.00 gift card is by participating in Work Well Get Screened! and completing an annual physical with their primary care doctor. The annual physical exam form can be found under the Work Well tab at www.rasmussengroup.com. The form must be completed by the employee’s doctor and faxed to the screening administrator (Mercy) via the instructions on the form. For more information, please review the Employee Annual Physical Incentive policy on the Rasmussen Group website. The Mercy biometric screening clinics will be held November 2015 - January 2016 at various Rasmussen Group locations. What’s next for the Work Well program? There is a lot to be excited about as the Rasmussen Group grows its Work Well program! With the hiring of Wellness Coordinator, Jessica Sheets, the Rasmussen Group has decided to further invest in the health and well-being of its employees by re-energizing the current Work Well program. October 1, 2015 will be the official launch of the new program and will be available to ALL employees and spouses. The new program will now provide more opportunities than ever to earn incentives for participating in approved wellness activities, as well as access to great tools and resources through the new online Wellness Center. What is the Wellness Center? The Wellness Center is an online portal where employees can track their wellness points, redeem their incentives, as well as access their biometric screening and/or annual physical results. The portal will also be the hub for all communications about the Work Well program, including the employee wellness newsletter. Any information that needs to be communicated to participants about the program will be generated through the portal, so it will be very important enrolled employees are active on the portal.
How do I sign-up for the new Work Well program? Employees will be able to enroll beginning September 1, 2015. Enrollment will be year-round, but those who enroll BEFORE September 30, 2015 will be rewarded for participating in the early bird enrollment. Employees and spouses will be able to access the portal through Wellmark.com, even if they are not enrolled in the Rasmussen Group’s medical plan. Watch for more details in next month’s newsletter! What types of activities will earn me wellness points? Employees will be able to earn wellness points for participating in wellness activities such as the Health Risk Assessment (available on portal), participating in the biometric screenings, completing an annual physical with their doctor, being tobacco free or participating in a tobacco cessation program. The structure of the point system was strategically designed to help modify behavior. Making healthy lifestyle changes can be difficult, but having a program and portal that supports employees as they try to make those changes will make for a more successful program.
Will it be mandatory to participate?
The Work Well program and enrollment is completely voluntary. Employees can even pick and choose which activities they would like to participate in to earn points. The only requirements of the program will be to complete the Health Risk Assessment, and either the biometric screenings or an annual physical, before participants can earn points for other activities in the Wellness Center portal. What if I don’t have a computer? The Wellness Center portal also has an app for your smart phone. If an employees does not have a smart phone OR computer and wishes to participate, please contact the Rasmussen Group Wellness Coordinator, Jessica at (515) 266-5173. Who do I contact if I have questions? Any questions or concerns about the Work Well program should be directed to the Rasmussen Group Wellness Coordinator, Jessica Sheets. She can be reached at (515) 266-5173 or at [email protected].
2015 Employee Wellness Survey Results In April, employees were asked to complete the Employee Wellness Survey that was sent out via Survey Monkey. Thank you to those who participated. Below are a few of the results.
New Annual Physical Incentive Policy In April, the Rasmussen Group implemented a new policy for employees who want to participate in Work Well Get Screened! and receive the $50.00 incentive for completing an annual physical exam. Get Screened! is an incentivebased program that encourages employees and their families to get an annual physical exam. Employees and spouses that are enrolled in the company’s health insurance plan can receive a $50.00 gift card for completing their annual physical exam with their doctor. In order to receive the $50.00 gift card, employees must:
2015 Stretch ‘n Flex Poster
1) Schedule an annual physical appointment with their doctor 2) Complete the online health profile prior to their appointment per the instructions provided on the Employee Annual Physical Exam form 3) Take the Employee Annual Physical Exam form to their appointment, have their doctor complete the form, and fax per the instructions provided. The Employee Annual Physical form and policy can be found under the Work Well tab on our website at www.rasmussengroup.com For more information please contact the Rasmussen Group Wellness Coordinator: Jessica Sheets (515) 266-5173 [email protected]
Stretch ‘n Flex Program Last month the Rasmussen Group rolled out their new Stretch ‘n Flex program for all companies. The program is designed to encourage employees to stretch before their shifts and throughout the day. Benefits to stretching include:
Prepares body for work activities
Increases flexibility
Decreases muscle tension
Improves range of motion
Reduces the incidence and severity of injury
Stretch ‘n Flex posters can be found hanging at various Rasmussen Group locations including job sites, plants, and the corporate office. Laminated brochures are also available for drivers to place in the visor of their trucks for easy reference. Stretching guidelines can be found on Stretch ‘n Flex posters and brochures. For questions or concerns, employees should contact the Rasmussen Group Wellness Coordinator, Jessica Sheets, at (515) 266-5173 or [email protected].
