Keeping the crumbs out of the keyboard

We’re all guilty of it: full of stress, strapped for time, and stuck at our desks at lunchtime. Inevitably, sandwich crumbs fall into our keyboards. The wellness team at Brown University came up with a creative way to try to curb this phenomenon, all while getting their employees to be more active and healthier. “With an employee population of more than 4,000 spread out over multiple locations throughout Providence, trying to find a unique way that anyone can get involved in our wellness activities is always a challenge,” says Kimberly Almeida, Senior Manager for Finance and Work/Life Programs. That was the goal of “No Crumbs in the Keyboard Week,” a unique wellness promotion that Kim and her wellness team created last year.

Get up and take a break!

The premise is simple…for one week, the wellness team challenged employees to get up from their desks at lunchtime (thus avoiding sandwich crumbs in the keyboard) and participate in a healthy (or at least non-work) activity, then post a picture on the Wellness At Brown Facebook page to inspire others to do the same. Participants were also eligible for a work/life prize package at the end of the week.

The wellness team has run the “no crumbs” promotion a couple of times, and employee response has been very positive. Posted photos have included employees taking yoga classes, knitting, enjoying a pot-luck salad bar lunch, walking, and more. Some even incorporate their pets in their photos. “This is a fun activity that any employee can participate in no matter which office they work in, and it inspires physical activity and creativity…both important parts of wellness,” says Jennifer McKay, Work/Life Programs Specialist.

Walking the walk

The neighborhoods around Providence where Brown’s offices are located lend themselves to getting out and walking, and one of the most popular wellness team challenges is an organized walking program. This year’s challenge, which lasted six weeks (from April through June), had close to 550 participants. The goal was to walk 6,500 steps every day (for a total of 273,000).

“Many employees formed walking groups and motivated their coworkers to walk every day,” Jennifer says. “It’s one of our most popular activities because it’s so simple, with an added health benefit.” The healthy competition the challenge creates among employees is really fun and adds another dimension to it as well.

Random acts of wellness rewarded

Another outside-the-box wellness activity the Brown team incorporates into their program is called “Random acts of wellness.” It’s literally a team of representatives “on the street” rewarding employees who are engaging in healthy activities with wellness prizes. (Think the Publishers Clearing House Prize Patrol, but without the giant checks.)

“‘Random acts of wellness’ is another way we’re encouraging our employees to practice health and wellness as part of their everyday routine,” Kimberly adds. It’s become a big part of the wellness culture at Brown University, one crumb at a time.

A beautiful, lasting partnership

With 131 stores across eight states, Ocean State Job Lot (OSJL) faces a challenge similar to many multi-state companies of its size: how to effectively promote a workplace wellness culture to all of its associates regardless of where they work. One strategy has been to provide support for associates to participate in charitable, health-focused events in their communities, through the Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation. Associates across OSJL’s northeast locations have participated in dozens of charitable events each year.

Building on that strategy and “practicing what they preach,” the company began a corporate partnership in 2016 with the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation (Gloria Gemma) that has increased and flourished very quickly. That year, the Hope Bus, the key component of the Gloria Gemma community outreach program, visited all 15 Rhode Island OSJL store locations, in addition to the company’s North Kingstown corporate offices and distribution center.

Spreading hope through education

The purpose and goal of the Hope Bus is to deliver breast cancer education and awareness across southern New England through a variety of programs, services, and resources. The Hope Bus is unique in that survivor volunteers, many who have been working with Gloria Gemma for many years, are available to talk to visitors. “We wanted to provide this opportunity to our associates and customers to share information about how to get low- and no-cost breast cancer screenings,” says Sarah Perlman, HR Generalist who spearheads wellness initiatives at OSJL.

The response was so positive that in 2017 OSJL expanded the number of store visits to 37, across Massachusetts and Connecticut as well. “The impact the Hope Bus has is powerful and immeasurable, and it’s touched the lives of so many who might not have otherwise been able to learn first-hand the importance of breast cancer detection and screening,” Sarah continues.

A “Glori-ous” event

The partnership between the two grew even more impactful in 2017, when OSJL was asked to become part of the annual GloriDays weekend walk in early June. This walk, which originated from Goddard State Park in Warwick, celebrates, honors, and remembers those touched by breast cancer. OSJL’s corporate offices are along the walk route, and they’ve hosted a barbecue lunch for walkers on their grounds the past two years.

Last year, to get all OSJL store locations involved in this special day, one shoe was sent to each store to be decorated with messages of hope and encouragement. All of the shoes were displayed along the roadway from the main entrance to the picnic lunch area as a way to inspire the walkers as they arrived. This year each store and each department at the main office decorated martial arts breaking boards, which were proudly displayed at the event. Each board is “purchased” as a $5 donation direct to Gloria Gemma, and survivors are taught how to break the boards by teachers at Mastery Martial Arts (the studio also donates the boards for purchase).
“This was such a rewarding way to say ‘thank you’ to our partners at Gloria Gemma, who have given so much time and effort to help educate and support our associates and customers about breast cancer awareness,” says Bob Selle, Chief Human Resource Officer at OSJL.

The next level of support

The partnership will expand even more this year, as OSJL will sponsor the 5k race during the Flames of Hope weekend in October, Gloria Gemma’s biggest and most important fundraising and awareness event of the year. It’s another example of the wonderful partnership that’s been formed. The martial arts breaking boards will also be displayed during Flames of Hope Weekend and broken by survivors during a ceremony.

Maria Gemma-Corcelli, Executive Director at Gloria Gemma (as well as Gloria’s daughter), says “Ocean State Job Lot has become one of our most loyal, devoted corporate partners and sponsors. The levels of support they’ve shown have been truly amazing, and we’re so proud to have shared our message to and through their associates and customers.”

Making an impact around the world and around the corner

You might not know their name, but chances are you know many of the products their products are a part of. “They” are Cooley/Group (Cooley), a Pawtucket-based manufacturer of high-performance polymers and industrial fabrics used all over the world for industries like building products (the roof of U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, site of Super Bowl LII), commercial graphics (the outside wrap of the 2012 Olympic Stadium in London, the majority of billboards in North America, and signage for many outdoor advertisements), and engineered membranes (like the oil boom products used to contain the BP “Deepwater Horizon” oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010).

And when it comes to employee wellness and giving back to its community, Cooley really shines. “We’re absolutely committed to keeping our employees healthy and well, and to ensuring we help keep our community well by giving back,” says Dan Dwight, President & CEO. Under the direction of Debra Bedrosian, VP of Human Resources & Social Responsibility, Cooley’s robust wellness program gives employees many options to feel good AND do good at the same time. These include providing financial support for employees who want to participate in fundraising efforts on their own, through the Cooley/Cares program. “We want our employees to feel good physically, and to feel good about working here and helping their community,” Debra says.

A challenge for a cause

One of Cooley’s most popular annual wellness events is a physical challenge every September that’s also a local fundraiser. Last year’s event benefited local schools in Pawtucket and Lancaster, SC, site of Cooley’s other main manufacturing facility. Now in its ninth year, the event has a different theme each year. In 2017, it was it was a football-themed challenge called “Complete the Pass,” where employees had to throw a football through holes in wooden cutouts of their favorite pro football players. (The previous year’s theme was “Shoot the Hoops.”)

Cooley donates money to the school departments—based on the number of employees who participate in the challenge—in the form of gift cards to be used to purchase school supplies. “Typical participation in this event is nearly 100%, and it’s a great way for employees to be engaged, have fun, get some physical activity as a team, and help out a very worthy cause,” Debra adds. They even “took the show on the road” to their R&D/production facility in Cranston so employees there could also participate. This fall, they will continue to support the schools in their communities with a “Kick for a Goal” event, where employees will have an opportunity to kick soccer balls through wooden cutouts of famous soccer players.

A well-rounded program

Cooley’s approach to employee wellness spans from ensuring safety in their manufacturing environments (their Cranston facility saw a record 1,580 days without an incident) to providing multiple resources and programs for employees to be healthier. The focus this year is on preventive healthcare, with incentives and programs that encourage them to get regular care such as an annual physical, dental cleanings, and eye exams.
The “Annual Wellness Challenge” is a quarterly challenge that lets employees earn points for completing certain healthy activities, such as weight loss, submitting healthy recipes, participating in walking challenges, and others. Every quarter, 30 employees are eligible to win prizes including gift cards, wellness vacation days, and wellness items like exercise equipment and blood pressure kits.

Twice a year, the “Keep Fit/Be Healthy” program rewards employees for taking steps and staying active. Those who meet the goal of 10,500 steps each day for a specified time period (usually six weeks) receive eight hours of wellness vacation time (four hours for taking 5,500 steps per day). In fact, since they started this program more than seven years ago, Cooley employees have walked a total of 76,540,000 steps, or approximately 24 times around the Earth!

There is also an annual on-site Health and Finance Wellness Fair at all three locations, which includes presentations, vendors, and information on home safety, healthy nutrition, financial well-being, flu shots, gym memberships, chair massages, and much more. This year’s fair will feature a putting green called “Putt for Fund” and will also support the Providence Journal’s Summertime Fund, which is dedicated to providing opportunities for underprivileged children to learn life skills, build friendships, and gain positive lifelong memories.

Program: HealthTrax promotion – Physician Referral Exercise Program – 60-day challenge
The City of Warwick has a long history of dedication to worksite wellness. Their employee population is well engaged, thanks to an on-site Community Wellness Nurse and an incentive program designed to improve their health. In 2017, the City of Warwick partnered with HealthTrax Fitness and Wellness to create a wellness contest. Employees were able to address any specific health or medical needs. This program helped them meet their personal fitness goals. Employees could also invite a family member to participate with them, because having the support of a family member or friend helps increase success with health and wellness goals.

Program: Raised beds
Hexagon Metrology’s unique and innovative wellness program incorporated upcycling and gardening. In addition to resulting in nutritious fruits and vegetables, gardening is thought to encourage relaxation. Hexagon turned gardening into a creative and friendly competition, awarding recognition for the “Best tended bed,” “Best tomato,” “Best cucumber,” “Best strawberry,” “Most colorful and heartiest herbs,” and many others. By using unused wood pallets from their production area as well as rain barrels to collect rain water, the beds also took advantage of recycling and encouraged conservation of resources.

Program: Planksgiving and 30 Days of Thankfulness
This was a month-long fitness and thankfulness campaign throughout November. A calendar was distributed to employees with the Planksgiving and 30 days of Thankfulness training plan. Each day had recommended plank (a specific exercise that helps improve core stability, abdominal strength, posture, and balance) times that increased throughout the month, up to three minutes. The calendar also posed a “thankfulness” question to reflect on, such as “What life challenges are you thankful for,” “What small thing happened today that you are grateful for,” and “What memory are you grateful for.” The goal of this program was to increase fitness and take time to reflect and give thanks.

Program: Mindfulness in a Chaotic World
Mindfulness is a research-based meditation that improves physical and mental health, including boosting the immune system, improving social relationships, reducing anxiety and depression, promoting restful sleep, and increasing well-being and positivity. In 2018, Child & Family added a mindfulness component to their existing wellness program to help staff quiet their minds and find balance in moments of chaos and stress. By integrating mindfulness, employees have been able to wake up their lives and live intentionally, while providing valuable services to the Rhode Island community.

Child & Family’s robust wellness program is based on their two core beliefs: 1.) That individuals and communities thrive when supported by strong families; and 2.) That a community works best when it is willing to accept responsibility for all of its members. These beliefs also extend to the health and wellness of the agency’s employees, and help them deliver exceptional service to our community. Their strategic plan incorporates four initiatives designed to instill a positive, enhanced health work culture:

1. Explore opportunities for increased physical activity
2. Explore opportunities for healthy eating
3. Explore opportunities for stress management
4. Promote health awareness and disease prevention

Within six months of launching the program, 50% of Child & Family’s employees were engaged in the wellness platform, with great participation in online personal challenges and healthy habit challenges.