Community Health & Wellness Honored for Creating a Healthy Workplace

Torrington, CT - Community Health & Wellness (CHW ) has been recognized by the Business Council of Fairfield County for creating a healthy workplace and is being honored by its Healthy Workplace Employer Recognition Program. 

​The program is presented by The Business Council’s Health, Wellbeing and Safety Roundtable, with the leadership support of USI Insurance Services and UnitedHealthcare of CT, Inc. and assistance from ConnectiCare and Aon.

Now in its 11th year, the Healthy Workplace Employer Recognition Program has become the premiere award in Connecticut and was established to recognize the outstanding achievements of businesses and organizations in implementing employee health promotion and wellness programs. Recipient of a Silver Award, CHW is one of 57 companies to be honored for its employee wellness initiatives and achievements.

CHW was nominated for the award by Sean K. Smedley, account executive with Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. Nominations are reviewed by a committee of professionals in a formal process using detailed criteria and standardized application materials to review initiatives that facilitate and encourage employee heath, enhance productivity, and ensure a healthy work environment.

“Community Health & Wellness has been and continues to do more than most other employers,” says Smedley. “They are continually seeking wellness seminars and activities for their staff.”

Some of the health initiatives and activities CHW has offered to its employees—all at no charge—include:

• Chair massages
• Salad bar lunch
• Yoga mats and classes at area yoga studios
• Mindfulness and meditation training with a Zen monk
• Walking kits containing pedometers and water bottles
• Blood pressure screenings
• “MeYouHealth” wellness app and wellness walking challenges
• Lecture by motivational speaker and author David A. O’Brien

“We are extremely honored that our program to enhance employee health and wellness has been recognized with such a prestigious award,” says Joanne Borduas, CEO of CHW. “We formalized wellness initiatives as a benefit to our staff two years ago, and our program is coordinated by Dorothy Barrow, our human resources manager.” CHW’s employee health and wellness program is expanding in 2019.

​“We are gratified that Harvard Pilgrim gifted us with an annual budget of $2,500 for our program the past two years,” says Barrow. “In light of our commitment to and success with our employee wellness initiatives, they have generously increased our budget to $5,000 this year, which allows us to do more for our employees to keep them on the wellness track.”