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Published on Feb 11
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Just as the success of your business depends on the health of your employees, the vitality of Ohio rests on the wellbeing of its workforce. Charged with taking care of Ohio’s workers, the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) now offers the Better You, Better Ohio! program to create a healthier workforce. This program offers small employers in high-risk industries the opportunity to reduce their workers’ compensation costs by increasing the wellbeing of employees, while workers earn financial rewards while taking steps to improve their health and wellbeing. Learn more about this free program that has been designed with a simple, paperless process to help both you and your employees.
About the program
Did you know that in 2017, Ohio’s health ranking was 39th out of the 50 states? Major health challenges and chronic illnesses like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity are mostly associated with lifestyle behaviors. The Better You, Better Ohio! program is designed to help individuals improve these behaviors by providing health and wellness resources and support services.
Prevention is key to combatting and reducing these health issues. Implementing health and wellness programs allows employers and employees to take charge of their lifestyle and improve their overall health and wellness. By working to create a healthier workforce, Better You, Better Ohio! can:
• Prevent or reduce injuries
• Reduce absenteeism, thereby increasing productivity
• Reduce the severity of injuries sustained in the workplace
• Decrease recovery time
• Reduce time away from work as the result of a workplace injury.
Employer benefits
Healthy people are less prone to injury and illness. And that adage holds true in the workplace as well. Even when healthy employees sustain workplace injuries, their recovery period is less than that of their less healthy peers. It’s simple. Employers with a healthy workforce see lower workers’ compensation and health care costs – and who doesn’t want that?
Employee benefits
Better You, Better Ohio! gives employees the tools they need to proactively pursue a healthier lifestyle. Employees are able to take ownership of their health by utilizing free:
• Health and wellness awareness, education and training;
• Health assessments and biometric screenings for better understanding of their health and well-being;
• A member engagement website that allows them to develop health plans and track their progress to achieve their health goals;
• A state-of-the art mobile app for creating weekly action plans and getting health tips;
• Digital coaching to help them on their journey to better health.
In addition to these tools, workers can earn financial rewards for taking steps to improve their health and wellness such as completing a health assessment and a biometric screening.
How do I participate?
Your workers can participate in the program, if your company employs fewer than 150 employees, you do not have an existing health or wellness program, and you are in an approved industry. The industries served by Better You, Better Ohio! are: agriculture; automotive repair and service; construction; firefighters; health care; manufacturing; police and public safety; public employers; restaurant and food service; transportation and trucking; trash collection; wholesale and retail.
Employers who want to participate can sign up by visiting Better You, Better Ohio! and clicking on the “Request to Enroll” button and completing the online form. Within five days of your enrollment request, you will receive a confirmation email from ActiveHealth (who administers the program for BWC) confirming your eligibility and your employees will be able to begin using the online program resources. All individual health information is kept private and confidential – ActiveHealth does not share it with your employer or BWC.
Effective workplace wellness programs can have positive health outcomes for employees. Such programs require a commitment from you, the employer, to ensure that employees participate and are able to get the most benefit from the program.
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