Employee Fitness Gaining More Attention

Des Moines, June 10th, 2004 - Slimmer waistlines in the workplace is a trend some area businesses are striving to find. It's not a hiring trend, but rather a new era in corporate responsibility.

Businesses are spending big bucks to get their employees in shape. That is the new trend. Many metro area businesses are taking on the added responsibility of making sure their employees get their exercise.

Angie Engle, a Wellmark employee, says, "I'm in here every morning, Monday through Friday and twice Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Engle has worked for Wellmark in downtown Des Moines for the past 14 years. She says when she began there was hardly any corporate incentive to get exercise. Now the company has 7 full time wellness trainers offering everything from treadmills to staff dietians.

There may be more behind the motivation than just slimmer employees. "With all the health risks and costs, related health care costs are in the billions of dollars and wellness is really the only way to go now," says Amy Jennings, Wellmark Health Improvement Coordinator.

Wellmark estimates they have saved some 200 thousand dollars on employee paid benefits in just the past 3 years because of their health center.

If you're company does not have a health care center built in you may want to check to see if a gym membership might be re-imbursed.