LIHU‘E — An island-wide, six-month Road to Wellness Worksite Challenge is under way, sponsored by Get Fit Kaua‘i in conjunction with the Nutrition and Physical Activity Coalition Worksite Wellness Task Force. The Worksite Wellness Challenge is a competition designed to
LIHU‘E — An island-wide, six-month Road to Wellness Worksite Challenge is under way, sponsored by Get Fit Kaua‘i in conjunction with the Nutrition and Physical Activity Coalition Worksite Wellness Task Force.
The Worksite Wellness Challenge is a competition designed to encourage businesses to implement healthy practices in the workplace and to create sustainable wellness policies and environmental improvements that focus on nutritional and activity-based change.
“Faced with dangerous situations and working the wires, electric-company crews are among the most safety-aware people in the workforce,” a Kauai Island Utility Cooperative press release said.
KIUC has joined the challenge with the goal of extending that awareness to the health and well-being of all employees.
Training topics range from fire safety and preventing falls to colon-cancer screening and living tobacco free.
Pia Gregorio and Sheryl Grady are heading up the effort for KIUC, along with coach Mary Williamson from the American Cancer Society.
Together they have pinpointed opportunities to help employees eat more healthfully and be physically active at their offices, base yards and power plants.
In addition, they have posted signs encouraging Lihu‘e and Port Allen staff to choose the stairs, and have employer-subsidized gym memberships.
“It’s been shown that a worksite environment that promotes good health can increase productivity, boost employee morale and control health care costs,” Williamson said. “KIUC is taking the right first steps.”
The cooperative is helping its staff make good food choices both at work and at home, including setting a policy of healthier food at meetings and in vending machines, designing a lunch-time walking map and bringing in insurance representatives to offer health-risk appraisals.
KIUC said one of the reasons it signed up for the contest is to honor former co-worker Jackie Cachero, who died this year.
“Jackie was an inspiration,” Gregorio said, “always setting up health and wellness talks and leading our team in Relay for Life.” Cachero completed the Road to Wellness pretest last spring, before the challenge began in June.
The Road to Wellness winner, determined in December, will be the workplace that has made the greatest improvements. The winning business will receive the bronze On the Road to Wellness trophy to display for one year.
To participate, e-mail wellness task force chairwoman Rose Murtagh at r.murtagh@sbcglobal.net.
