Memorandum 12-140 Employee Wellness Program

Office of the City Clerk 491 E. Pioneer Avenue
  Homer, Alaska 99603
  (907) 235-3130
Jo Johnson, CMC, City Clerk (907) 235-8121
Melissa Jacobsen, CMC, Deputy City Clerk II ext: 2224, 2226, or 2227
Renee Krause, CMC, Deputy City Clerk I Fax: (907) 235-3143
      Email: clerk@ci.homer.ak.us

M E M O R A N D U M 12-140

TO: MAYOR HORNADAY AND HOMER CITY COUNCIL
FROM: CITY OF HOMER EMPLOYEE COMMITTEE
DATE: SEPTEMBER 5, 2012
SUBJECT: EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM

The Employee Committee met on Thursday, August 30 to consider the recommendation made by Councilmember Wythe to amend the monthly challenges to four per year. The committee had a proactive discussion weighing the advantages and disadvantages to this recommendation.

The point was raised in discussion that a requirement of the program is that monthly event challenges be established for employee participation with the goal of promoting teamwork within the organization. The monthly lifestyle challenge is something the Committee created to encourage people to try some different lifestyle experiences. The Committee’s intent in developing the lifestyle challenges is to encourage participants to introduce a healthy habit into their personal routine. Trying a new habit for 30-days is more encouraging and motivating than requiring the change be for 3-months. The other intent as we start off on this endeavor is to make the program fun, make the challenges something that participants look forward to each month, and hopefully learn something from. The Committee will consider Councilmember Wythe’s recommendation for future planning of the program.

Ultimately, Virgin Health Miles is a physical activity program that successfully motivates employees to get and stay healthy by being more active. Exercise is a key component in combating a majority of the preventable chronic illnesses that impact healthcare costs.

Walking is a gentle, low-impact exercise that can ease you into a higher level of fitness and health. Walking is a form of exercise accessible to just about everybody. It's safe, simple and doesn't require practice. And the health benefits are many.

Being more active is the long term change of lifestyle that the Employee Committee is working toward, and participants have 365 days to improve this habit and see the benefits. The Committee is not opposed to looking at quarterly lifestyle challenges in our future planning, but for now, the goal is encourage employees to participate and to make it an enjoyable transition.