Featured Company — Cedar Falls Utilities
Cedar Falls Utilities (CFU)
1 Utility Parkway
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
http://www.cfu.net
Year the company was established
1888 with the formation of the municipal water utility
Company Mission statement
To provide our customers with innovative, high-quality services that bring the best value to the community.
Describe your main business in 5 sentences or less
Cedar Falls Utilities is the customer-owned provider of electricity, natural gas, water, cable television, and Internet services for the Cedar Falls community.
Total number of employees
177
Briefly describe your wellness program
Our wellness program incentivizes healthy behaviors through a points system. Employees earn points for engaging in healthy habits (annual physicals and screenings, self-exams, not smoking, exercise, eating a balanced diet, wearing seat belts, oral health, vision health, getting adequate sleep, and engaging in stress-reduction techniques). These points are then converted to “wellness reimbursement dollars” the employee may use toward qualifying purchases the following year.
In addition, we do an annual biometrics screening program, which measures blood pressure, blood cholesterol, body fat/BMI. For each goal that an employee measures at or below the target range, the employee receive $100. Those who make all three goals receive $500.
Finally, we offer an on-site fitness center, instructor-led stretching two days per week (on company time), free yoga classes and a free strength training class on a weekly basis. We offer chair massages (employee pays 40% of cost) two days per week and monthly educational sessions with a free lunch.
Approximately when did you begin a wellness program at your company
Our first “workout area,” which included a treadmill, a recumbent bike, and a few dumbbells, was placed in the corner of the employee break area in the late 1990s. It grew slowly over time, with the highlight of a dedicated “Fitness Center” that was completed in early 2001. The current wellness program didn’t take off until the completion of a Harkin Wellness Grant that concluded in spring 2007. The employee response to the grant indicated there was a high level of interest in ongoing wellness activities, so we rolled out our own “pilot program” in September 2007 that incorporated some of the concepts from the grant as well as ideas from our local occupational health provider.
Describe the one accomplishment and/or program in wellness that has been most successful to date
We have had an 85-90% participation rate in the biometrics incentive program, which is by far the highest level of participation we have for any program.
What has been your greatest challenge in wellness within your company
Overcoming feeling of mistrust about how biometrics information will be used; some employees feel the company is “spying” on them, or they will be “punished” if they are not healthy.
What goals do you have for 2009 for company wellness
Increase participation in biometrics incentive program; increase participation in free wellness offerings, including yoga/strength training classes, worksite stretching, and employee fitness center.
What is one idea/lesson that you have learned about wellness within your own company that you would like to share with other people
Don’t waste a lot of time and energy on people who persist in being negative or indifferent. Focus on the people who are already doing the right things and especially on those who need a little push to make a change. Even small changes can lead to big results.