PVCC was recognized recently by the Healthy Arizona Worksite Program as achieving the Platinum level of excellence in worksite wellness.
The Healthy Arizona Worksite Award recognizes employers that are making efforts to positively affect the health and well-being of their employees, their families and their community by implementing comprehensive worksite wellness strategies. The minimum qualifications to be considered for this award include attending the Healthy Arizona Worksite Program training and developing a plan to improve employee health and safety. To qualify for the Silver and Gold levels of the award, employers need to support employee health through policy and systems changes. The Platinum award recognizes businesses making an impact both within and beyond their walls addressing one or more of the many health challenges impacting communities across the state.
PVCC received this recognition by supporting employee, student, and community health. Their efforts included Employee Health and Wellness programs and initiatives, counseling support, and community collaboration efforts like Covid-19 testing, drive thru food distribution, creating face shields for frontline workers.
“Our current environment poses a lot of health issues to our valued employees. Most employees spend nearly half of their waking hours working, and working from home has caused a rise in some unhealthy and sedentary behaviors. The workplace, whether from home or on campus, has to represent an important setting for promoting healthy behaviors,” explained Korey Martinez. “While the focus is on our employees’ health and the eight dimensions of wellness… It is important to see that efficient, effective and sustainable worksite wellness initiatives have been shown to improve productivity, reduce absenteeism, and cut healthcare costs. While results at each organization can vary, some employers have realized up to a $6 return for every $1 invested in wellness programs.”
The Healthy Arizona Worksites Program is a public health initiative offered by the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH). Its mission is to help employers learn how to successfully implement worksite wellness initiatives to improve the health of their employees and businesses. For more information, go to www.healthyazworksites.org