On Oct. 11, Ontario County hosted its fourth annual Wellness Fair. Organized by the Ontario County Wellness Committee, the Wellness Fair’s objective was twofold: Introduce employees and their families to the array of health and safety resources available in the community, and provide a convenient place for employees to get their flu shot.
The Wellness Fair was a huge success on both fronts.
Ontario County Wellness Committee programs encourage all employees to live healthier lifestyles and create a culture of health at work and home. Not only did the 2016 Wellness Fair showcase Ontario County’s dedication to employees’ health but it also revealed a culture of health that is gaining momentum within the county.
“Making wellness a priority promotes employee health, productivity and performance in the workplace,” says Director of Human Resources Denise Morley. “This directly leads to high levels of personal satisfaction and happiness. Increasingly, people want and expect an organization whose culture advocates for the health of the people who work there and their families.”
Fourteen local vendors helped connect employees and their families to services available within Ontario County and the community. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. vendors set up booths that attendees perused at their own pace. The format allowed employees to stop and ask questions or participate in activities offered by the vendors.
Employees were treated to a wide variety of helpful resources and services. Wegmans talked about its medication home-delivery service. Excellus offered a flexibility screening and information about services provided through health insurance.
Ontario County Public Health gave complimentary blood pressure screenings and hosted a flu clinic where employees could get their flu shots.
Partners for Ontario County put the spotlight on emerging regional drug abuse, and Thompson Health shed awareness on stroke by sharing information and healthy recipes.
Vendors also donated door prizes, including mugs, handmade cards, monetary gift cards and a gift basket. Employees names were entered in the 17 drawings simply for showing up to the fair.
If employees didn’t win a door prize they could still collect fun giveaways at each booth — pencils, pens, magnets and hand sanitizer. Among the most valuable benefits was the flu shot clinic; after the fair, vaccines were available to the public for three hours.
Between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., 140 people attended the Wellness Fair and 143 people got a flu shot. This is a significant increase from the 2015 Wellness Fair, which was attended by 109 employees. Factoring in the afternoon flu clinic that was open to the public from 3 to 6 p.m., the 2016 total for administered flu shots jumped to 233. This is an increase from 2015 when a total of 220 people received flu shots.
“We had a really good turnout,” says Human Resource Analyst Emily Phillips. “It was great.”
Christy Richards, a health educator and registered nurse with Ontario County Public Health and a Wellness Committee member, attributes this increased attendance to the Wellness Champions who worked toward employee involvement.
Wellness Champions are individuals who represent a building or department as a Wellness Committee ambassador. Champions get feedback from employees, disseminate information and encourage participation wellness activities. The Wellness Champion model has been so successful it is seen as a best practice for the Upstate New York region.
“The Wellness Champions were absolutely instrumental in increasing participation in activities,” Richards says. “It’s been pivotal.”
