Lawton’s healthy attitude toward wellness
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, wellness is defined as “the quality or state of being in good health, especially as an actively sought goal.”
The C.A. Lawton Co. encourages employees to strive to reach their individual wellness goals, no matter what they are. This includes mental, financial and overall well-being, not just physical health. For example, one person may be preparing to run or walk their first 5K. Another person may be striving to have a positive outlook on life.
“Today many people are at serious risk of health problems right now or later on in life because of habits they have formed. Our wellness program allows employees to work at their own pace and earn points through a variety of activities. We want our people to live long, happy lives. We want to help that in any way that we can,” explains Carley Becker, Human Resources Generalist. Lawton has operated an employee wellness program since 2011.
Lawton also has an occupational health nurse, a nurse practitioner, a physical therapist, nutritionist and a massage therapist on-site to support employees in their pursuit of healthy living. “Our on-site providers are a great resource for our employees to consult about concerns they are having. In addition, each provider has additional resources they can share with our employees,” Becker indicates.
Iron Man raises the bar on healthy living
To encourage healthier lifestyles, Lawton operates a wellness program called the “Iron Man.” Employees participate in a variety of activities, including monthly challenges, lunch and learns, completing annual physical exams and more in order to earn points. Employees must earn a minimum of 25 points in order to receive a year-end payout. But they also have the option to purchase health- and wellness-related items throughout the year.
Data for these challenges is captured in myInertia, a web portal site that enables Lawton to host both group and individual step and weight loss challenges, which help to bring some friendly competition to the workplace. myInertia lets employees link their Fitbit, Garmin and Apple Watch devices to the online portal in order to track activity and earn Iron Man points.
So far, 20 percent of Lawton employees are actively participating in the Iron Man program, and 10 percent have already earned the minimum payout for 2018. To grow employee involvement in Iron Man, the company’s human resources department is encouraging new employees to join it during their on-boarding process. “To attract more employees to participate, we also ask them to share their ideas for health challenges and lunch and learn sessions that would appeal to them,” Becker points out.
Executive Edge expands the wellness impact
For the first time this year, Lawton fielded two teams of four employees to participate in Prevea Health’s first-ever Executive Edge challenge. Fifteen Green Bay area teams participated in the wellness challenge to improve their biometric score and earn points by participating in healthy activities. “We have many more employees who are hoping they get picked to be a part of the next Executive Edge,” Becker indicates.
Lawton has also joined forces with Western Racquet and the Green Bay area YMCA to offer discounted memberships and group fitness opportunities to employees. “This allows family members of Lawton employees to get involved on their own wellness journey,” Becker adds.
The bottom line: health matters
Helping Lawton employees stay healthy isn’t just a great employee recruitment and retention strategy. It’s also good for the company’s health and vitality.
“Maintaining a healthier workforce can help to lower insurance premiums and worker’s compensation claims. It also can positively impact absenteeism and productivity,” Becker explains.
But it’s more than just HR metrics. Caring for the whole person is an integral part of Lawton’s values. Employee wellness is a natural outgrowth of that mindset. “We know that by taking good care of our employees, they’ll give their best efforts to the company and to their families,” Becker concludes.