Local companies that prioritize health and wellness were recognized at the second annual Coachella Valley Workplace Wellness Awards presented by HARC, a local nonprofit that provides research and evaluation services related to health, wellness, and quality of life in the Inland Empire.
“With many working adults spending the majority of their waking hours at work, it’s critical that we make wellness in the workplace a topic of conversation,” says HARC CEO, Dr. Jenna LeComte-Hinely. “Workplace wellness programs not only benefit the individual employee, but also the community and the organization’s bottom line. Healthy employees are more productive and less absent, and have fewer injuries resulting in fewer workers’ compensation claims. In some ways, the benefits of a healthy workplace are immeasurable.”
At this year’s luncheon HARC recognized winners in three subcategories: nutrition/fitness/health screenings, safety/ergonomics, and mental health/well-being, as well as overall grand prize winners who excelled in all three. Organizations representing a wide range of industries across the Coachella Valley applied for the awards.
Desert Oasis Healthcare/Family Hospice Care, grand prize winners, large organization category
The grand prize winner among small organizations (fewer than 100 employees) was MSA Consulting, Inc. whose exemplary practices include healthy lunch alternatives, an in-office gym, regular safety trainings, standing desk options, flexible schedules, and mentorship programs. As a result, they have high employee morale and low absenteeism, and their turnover rate is very low.
For the second year in a row, Desert Oasis Healthcare/Family Hospice Care (DOHC/FHC) was the grand prize winner among large organizations (over 101 employees). DOHC/FHC provides a wide variety of wellness programs for employees including healthy meals, smoking cessation classes, walking clubs and flu shots. They have an active safety committee and offer stress management courses as well as an employee assistance program.
Subcategory award winners included:
- Nutrition, Fitness, Health Screenings: United Way of the Desert (small organization); Coachella Valley Water District (large organization)
- Safety and Ergonomics: Friends of the Desert Mountains (small organization); Desert Arc (large organization)
- Mental Health and Well-being: CVEP (small organization); Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort and Spa (large organization)
The goal of the awards is to highlight the efforts of companies that prioritize employee health and to inspire others to start similar initiatives. HARC views workplace wellness as a critical component of community health and looks forward to hosting the third annual Coachella Valley Workplace Wellness Awards in June 2018.
The event was made possible by Alpha Care, College of the Desert, Desert AIDS Project, Regional Access Project Foundation, Spotlight 29 Casino/Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, California State University San Bernardino Palm Desert Campus, and Clinicas de Salud del Pueblo. A special thanks to Master of Ceremonies, Janet Zappala of KMIR-KPSE.
For more information, contact HARC at (760) 404.1945 or visit www.HARCdata.org.
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