Small Business Pilot Project Underway

Bangor, ME- In late summer of 2011, the Wellness Council of Maine, Eastern Maine Medical Center and Bangor Region Public Health and Wellness teamed up to offer a Small Business Pilot Project to four businesses in the Bangor area who were interested in health promotion programming for employees.

This Small Business Pilot Project included a one year membership to the Wellness Council of Maine (WLCME), a free Health Risk Assessment and a health/wellness presentation for employees from EMMC Wellness Services (EMMC) and assistance on policy development and environmental change from Bangor Region Public Health and Wellness (BRPHW), the local Healthy Maine Partnership.

The goal of this project is to help small businesses, who often struggle with worksite wellness, to help their employees improve their health and productivity and increase employee morale.  Each of the partners in this project, WLCME, EMMC and BRPHW had something unique to bring to the table.  WLCME offers training and resources to build the program, EMMC offers screening and education for employees and BRPHW offers assistance on policy development and access to Healthy Maine Works, a tool designed specifically for small businesses.

The businesses involved in this pilot range in size from 5-50 employees and include the Maine Discovery Museum, United Way of Eastern Maine, Parkside Children’s Learning Center and Nautel, Inc.  Although the initial stages of the project have been completed, outcomes of this project will be reported in the Fall of 2012.

Two Bangor-Area Companies Recognized at Breakfast addressing Healthcare

Both Bangor Hydro Electric and Penobscot Community Health Care will be congratulated on receiving the Gold Well Workplace Award.  These companies have demonstrated results-oriented worksite health promotion programs that have had an impact on their employee's health and productivity.  They have also worked to set an excellent example for other area businesses.

The Well Workplace Award is a designation given by the Wellness Council of America demonstrating that a company has embraced employee health and well-being as part of the overall business strategy and improved outcomes for their employees and their families.  The Well Workplace Award is awarded in five categories: Small Business, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.  To date, Maine has over 57 Well Workplace Award Winners including four Platinum designated companies and seven Small Business recipients.

Seminar will Demonstrate How Wellness Works for Small Businesses

Experts will meet in Portland to educate business leaders on the execution of health promotion programs in smaller worksites. 

Portland, Maine - Business leaders will gather on December 7 at USM’s Abromson Center in Portland to attend a wellness conference dedicated to the small employer.  The Small Business Worksite Wellness Conference will offer practical insight for companies looking to improve employee health, morale, engagement and productivity through a worksite wellness initiative. 

"Small businesses often struggle to address employee health due to limited resources, but that does not have to be the case.  Small employers can implement health promotion programs and there are a number of community resources available to help them succeed” said Willow Sherwood, executive director of the Wellness Council of Maine (WLCME).  WLCME, a licensed partner of the Wellness Council of America, is presenting the conference along with Maine Medical Center’s Lifeline Wellness Program and major sponsor St. Joseph’s College of Maine and St. Joseph's College Online.

Thanks to support from St. Joseph’s College of Maine, registration for the half-day conference is only $20.  Topics will center on the practical development of health improvement programs, locating and properly utilizing free resources, and maximizing benefits in small business settings.  

Attendees will hear from keynote speaker Mari Ryan of AdvancingWellness who will provide the fundamentals of a small business wellness program.  Attendees will also hear a case study from Mountain Machine Works, a review of community resources from local Healthy Maine Partnership, Healthy Casco Bay and about small business insurance and benefits from Acadia Benefits, Inc. 

Although the program is designed for businesses with fewer than 50 employees, those employers that are new to workplace wellness or operate with a very limited budget are encouraged to request one of the 50 available seats.

Three Maine Companies Receive the Well Workplace Award

Bethel, ME- Three Maine Businesses were the recipients of the WELCOA Well Workplace Award at the Wellness Council of Maine's Workplace Wellness Leadership Symposium October 13 and 14 at Sunday River.

Receiving the Gold Well Workplace Award were Norway Savings Bank and Penobscot Community Health Care.  Receiving the Silver Well Workplace Award was the Mount Desert Island Hospital. 

These companies have demonstrated results-oriented worksite health promotion programs that have had an impact on their employee's health and productivity.  Recipients received their award from Dr. David Hunnicutt, President of WELCOA. 

The Well Workplace Award is a designation demonstrating that a company has embraced employee health and well-being as part of the overal business strategy and improved outcomes for their employees and their families.  The Well Workplace Award is awarded in five categories: Small Business, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.  To date, Maine has over 55 Well Workplace Award Winners including four Platinum designated companies and seven Small Business recipients.