Butler Snow Health & Wellness

MASI Annual Fall Conference

September 26, 2013

Lance A. Bonner

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Workplace Wellness

• Is there a return for the investment? How do we measure it?

• What is the duty of the organization vs. the duty of the individual?

• What motivates our employees to change behavior and adopt more healthy lifestyles?

• How will PPACA change the role of wellness in the workplace?

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About Butler Snow

• General corporate defense law firm

• Approximately 525 employees and partners in 15 offices across the US and UK

• Growing significantly from 200 people 10 years ago

• Many highly-paid professionals who are not significantly motivated by small financial incentive

• Very hectic, stressful workplace

• Traditionally, a strong “family” feel, but difficult to maintain as we grow

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A bit of history…

Consumer Driven Plan

Options (2002)

HSA Introduced (2006)

Healthy Choices (2007)

BalancedLives (2009)

Wellness Incentive (March, 2010)

On-site Clinic (August,

2011)

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WHY…….?

• Because our employees are critical to us in a professional service business, and we see both a moral obligation and a financial benefit to doing so.

• Medical inflation was spiraling out of control at 8-14% per year

• Opportunities for more camaraderie, improved teamwork, better sense of belonging and increased productivity

• Ultimately, the only hope of maintaining affordable health care cost, after shopping reinsurance, adjusting co-pays, and pricing alternate networks

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What’s Worked

• Branding the Program

• Promoting the Program

– Keep SOMETHING about wellness in front of the employees constantly –

digital signage, OnePlace, emails, flyers, etc. Constant reminders.

• Recognizing that “Wellness” was more than just

physical

• Emphasizing Balance between Work and Personal life

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What’s Worked

• Onsite Clinic

• Incentive Program – Easy to Understand and promote

• Involvement in Community Events (walks, races, etc.)

• Offer healthy food options through “Power Snacks”

• Focus on stress management

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On-site Clinic

• Began in August, 2011• Staffed partly by MD and partly by NP• Primarily wellness, prevention and disease management focused,

but do acute care• 13% reduction in medical claims cost during first full calendar year

of operation• No charge for those on medical plan• More widely adopted by staff than higher-income professionals• Expanding in 2014 to larger space and will accept spouses and

dependents 14 and up

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Promotion through a Variety of Activities

• Health Fairs• Health Education• Medical Screenings• Health Coaching• Weight Management Programs• Wellness Newsletters• On-site Fitness Programs and Facilities• On-site healthy cooking/eating classes and demos• Allow flex time for exercise• Stress relieving activities and resources

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Health & Wellness in the Workplace:

It is Easier to Be Active When..

• We know what to do and have the confidence, skills and opportunity to do it.

• It’s fun. “Working out” at the gym does not appeal to everyone. Activities

need to reflect what individuals enjoy.

• Our friends, family or co-workers are active with us (or at least support us).

• We feel safe, thanks to well-lit streets or stairwells.

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It is Easier to Be Active When..

• Sidewalks, walking/biking trails, parks and gyms are nearby.

• We have money to pay for equipment, instruction or memberships.

• Active choices such as taking the stairs, having stretch breaks during

meetings and going outside during lunch are “normal” in the worksite.

• Managers support and recognize employee efforts. Better yet, they take part.

• We can juggle our work hours to fit in physical activity.

Health & Wellness in the Workplace:

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Some Lessons Learned

1. Begin with ‘Buy-in” from Senior Level Leadership. Discover

wellness champions at the top of the organization.

2. Communicate, communicate, communicate

3. Don’t rely on 3rd party resources that don’t have real experience

4. Keep it simple

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9 Lessons Learned

5. Start small and build on prior years

6. Keep employee expectations high through active communication

7. Money not always the best motivator

8. Offer creative ways for employees to exercise during the day

9. Ensure data access

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Final thoughts

• Top management “champions” are key

• It has to be relatively easy and enjoyable to “get started”, and a bit of positive peer pressure is helpful

• Everyone’s issues and needs are a bit different, so providing a variety of ways to improve health, and allowing for a “safe” coach to talk with pays big dividends

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Questions?