Work healthy, train hard, succeed and win!

A key to any successful business is lowering costs and increasing productivity. Many businesses have discovered that a critical strategy for achieving these goals is ensuring a healthy workforce. The city of Phoenix’s FitPHX program wants to make it easier for businesses to develop their own comprehensive worksite wellness strategies and is partnering with the Healthy Arizona Worksites Program to offer free training sessions.

The first training was held on Wednesday, February 5 at the Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Center. The successful event was well attended, and requests were made for future trainings. The next training is scheduled for Tuesday, May 13 and will be held at the same location. Participating businesses that complete the training and meet certain other criteria will be recognized as a Healthy Arizona Worksite and named FitPHX businesses.

Mayor Greg Stanton, Councilman Daniel T. Valenzuela and Olympic Gold Medalist Misty Hyman each spoke to those who attended the first training and are scheduling follow ups with in-person business visits. The training teaches employers how to design a healthy worksite program, with relevant tools and resources. Amongst the first group of participants were businesses that had robust wellness programs in place for many years, as well as companies that are just beginning to roll out a program. Shared feedback on best practices is a component of the trainings.

The Healthy Arizona Worksites Program is a public health initiative developed through a partnership between the Arizona Department of Health Services, the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, and the Arizona Small Business Association. The training curriculum is based on the curriculum offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Healthy Worksite Program.

Experience indicates that prevention pays at work. Studies show that costs rise as employee health risks increase:

• Employers in the U.S. lose $153 billion annually due to absenteeism from workers who are overweight or obese and have other chronic health conditions.
• Employers can see up to a $6 return on investment for every $1 spent on worksite wellness.
• A one percent reduction in excess weight, elevated blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol has been shown to save $83 to $103 annually in medical costs per person.

For more information on how to register, visit healthyarizonaworksites.org