Previously, I suggested that being a smart employer and making significant strides towards becoming a “healthy company” would protect your bottom line and reduce turnover and absenteeism.

Last month, two companies – REI and Safeway, received the recognition of President Obama himself for doing just that. The CEOs of these companies have established innovative ways to bring meaningful, preventive healthcare to their employees.  RILA (Retail Industry Leaders Association) President, Sandy Kennedy, stated that “across America, retailers like REI and Safeway are pursuing a vision of bringing positive, lasting change to America’s healthcare system by providing quality and affordable plans that best meet their needs.”

REI and Safeway have expressed their commitment to employee health and fitness by offering incentives and discounts as rewards for healthy report cards, worksite clinics and discount prescription services, and wellness education programs.  This is meaningful change your employees can wrap their heads and arms around and apply to their work and family lives.  This is change that serves everyone from the CEO to the mailroom clerk.  This change points to new hope for health and fitness in our corporate world and in this country.  

Wellness is becoming America’s new reality.