Employers who invest in their employees by promoting a culture of health with comprehensive workplace wellness practices, evidence-based policies 
This often translates into improved employee engagement and a healthier, more productive workforce. For the third consecutive year, Kent State University is being recognized by the American Heart Association for its work toward achieving that goal.
Kim Hauge, director of employee wellness at Kent State, says the American Heart Association 2018 Workplace Health Achievement Index has awarded the university Silver level recognition for program design and results for building a culture of health in the workplace.
The American Heart Association created the Achievement Index with its CEO Roundtable members, a leadership collaborative of more than 40 CEOs from some of America’s largest companies who are committed to applying evidence-based approaches to improve their employees’ overall health. The index uses science-based best practices to evaluate the overall quality and comprehensiveness of workplace health programs. A unique feature of the index is that it calculates an average heart health score for employees of participating companies that securely submit aggregate health data.
“To receive recognition yet again this year from the American Heart Association for workplace health achievement is very gratifying,” says F. Jack Witt, Kent State’s vice president for human resources. “This demonstrates the comprehensive approach Kent State takes in its wellness programs. Participation in such activities continues to grow at the university, and the positive impact on employee health and well-being is notable.”
More than 1,000 employers completed the index assessment for 2018.
“After going through the rigorous review process, employers are notified several months later whether they may have qualified for a Gold, Silver or Bronze recognition,” Ms. Hauge says. “In addition, employers receive benchmarking reports, which allow for identification of potential areas of improvement. The benchmarking reports allow us to apply a continuous improvement process toward our workplace wellness program, advance our annual performance and move our workforce toward ideal heart health.
“Our employees take a lot of pride in working at Kent State and have expressed a real sense of gratitude that Kent State has made this investment in their continued health through our workplace wellness program,” she continues.
For more information about Kent State’s workplace wellness program, visit www.kent.edu/hr/benefits/wellness.