A healthy investment: Creating an employee wellness programme

18 May 2012News

Managing partner Michael Angelides shares how the Simmons Firm's wellness programme has kept employees and business in shape

Managing partner Michael Angelides shares how the Simmons Firm’s wellness programme has kept employees and business in shape

Key takeaway points:

Employee wellness programmes are being rapidly adopted by law firms in the US.
Investing in a healthy workforce can deliver unexpected rewards for your firm, its reputation and its retention of top talent.
Look at wellness as a comprehensive issue, including employees’ physical, mental and financial well-being.

Over the past decade, US employers have increasingly turned to wellness programmes to fight the continued dramatic rise of health insurance. Although US law firms tend to be slow adapters of corporate innovations, this is one area in which the legal industry (my firm included) has been on the cutting edge.

According to a 2011 study by Frenkel Benefits on trends among national law firms, nearly 70 per cent offer wellness newsletters, 64 per cent offer employee assistance programmes (EAPs) and 43 per cent offer health club discounts, outperforming other industries in these categories by at least '¨20 points.

At our firm, we have established newsletters, EAPs, discounts and more, steadily adding wellness benefits for our employees over the past decade. Wellness has always been part of the collective Simmons identity and, as a result, we have seen a number of positive outcomes, including strong employee retention and an enhanced reputation.

Despite its potential to help mitigate rising health insurance costs, our focus on employee wellness was not born of a number-crunching exercise. Rather, it has been the natural outgrowth of our firm’s culture, which was established by founder John Simmons.

Operating on a shoestring budget, John started the firm in his early 30s with just eight employees. John cast a clear vision as the team worked tirelessly in close quarters using rented folding tables and computers. He wanted to build a progressive, world-class plaintiff’s firm that truly cared about its clients, community and employees.

Today, that vision has become a reality. The Simmons Firm is one of the largest plaintiff’s law firms in the US. Litigating a wide range of complex matters for individuals and businesses, we employ 220 employees, nearly 60 of which are attorneys.

John smartly built a management team comprised of both attorneys and non-attorneys. Through the years, this has kept our thinking entrepreneurial and open-minded, allowing the creative thinking necessary to build a wellness programme.

From the beginning, John knew that to build a successful practice, he wanted to create a positive workplace environment. It is our clients who inspired his thinking. The firm represents victims of mesothelioma, a rare and terminal cancer caused by asbestos exposure that most often occurred in '¨the workplace.

Suffice it to say, our attorneys and '¨staff are in frequent, personal contact with a number of gravely ill people. It is this daily reminder that I believe fuels our desire to stay healthy and to support research and patient care for mesothelioma and cancer victims.

This common cause has driven us to pledge $10.2m to the Simmons Cancer Institute in Central Illinois. The firm is also the leading donor of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation and, in 2010, established its own foundation to actively support leading mesothelioma physicians and medical programmes. With over $15m pledged, we are one of the largest donors to cancer research among law firms in the US.

A life saved

Perhaps our most powerful wellness tool is when nurses conduct annual fall checkups, called the personal wellness profile (PWP). This screening involves a battery of blood tests to determine employees’ current health. The testing is free and extremely comprehensive, far beyond any typical blood test obtained by a doctor’s office.

Employees also answer questions about their lifestyles. Combined with blood test results, the PWP provides employees with a customised report of their current health status, a prediction of future health concerns and recommended items that they should act upon or monitor.

One thing we stress to employees is that all screenings are kept strictly confidential and compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. We do not screen for drugs, alcohol, HIV or STDs, and individual results '¨are not received by the firm or any insurance agency.

The PWP is an invaluable tool. In the first year we implemented this particular benefit, an employee discovered that he had a severe blockage in the arteries in his heart. He was just days away from having a severe heart attack. Fortunately, he immediately underwent surgery and is now doing well.

Comparatively, all it takes is one person diagnosed with a serious illness to drive claims up for everyone else. By implementing the subsequent wellness initiatives, we have not only been able to offer life-changing medical benefits '¨to employees, but have also been able to assume more control over risk factors caused by preventative illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure and '¨kidney functions.

A comprehensive approach

Our wellness programme promotes healthier choices to employees that empower them to lead happier, healthier lives. Orchestrated by the CEO, HR director and an array of third-party '¨vendors, it offers full-time employees '¨a complete set of physical, mental and financial support tools.

The programme creates a work environment where participants make daily health-conscious decisions. These decisions can be as small as eating an apple instead of a chocolate bar or as big as developing a plan to manage a lifelong disease like diabetes.

Employees encounter the firm’s focus on healthy living the moment they are hired through their medical benefits package. The emphasis on health continues during regular offices hours, with monthly nurse visits from the firm’s wellness company, H&H Health Associates, and an additional programme developed by the HR department. We also encourage healthy lifestyle choices beyond the office through a gym membership.

We also try to cultivate an environment of volunteerism by allowing employees two PTO days per year for charitable activities. Several employees have used these days to work at events organised by the Simmons Employee Foundation, which has raised more than US$1m since 2004 for area charities.

None of the firm’s wellness benefits are mandatory. However, we believe so strongly in the programme and our vision for the firm that we make nearly all aspects of it free to employees and strongly encourage participation.

Medical benefits package. All employees’ individual health premiums are fully covered. In addition, we provide preventative care packages that completely cover annual doctor and dental exams.'¨
Monthly nurse visits. Nurse Debbie, as she is fondly known, visits our office each month to conduct blood pressure screenings and distribute a wellness newsletter. Employees are encouraged to track their blood pressure. If any concerns arise, employees consult the nurse to develop a tailored plan that helps them to reach their health goals.'¨
Annual flu shots. We provide annual flu shots at no charge for all employees. Immediate family members can also receive flu shots at a discounted price.
Fresh fruit. We partner with local farmers’ markets to have fresh fruit and vegetables delivered to the office weekly. As a result, employees often skip using the vending machines '¨for snacks and opt instead for a '¨pear or tangerine.'¨
Healthy competition. Wellness challenges take place every few months. The most popular has been the stairs challenge. Employees compete for prizes by using the firm’s six flights of stairs over the elevators.'¨
Company kitchen. As an alternative '¨to dining out, we have a small, in-house cafeteria service that delivers fresh, nutritional snacks and meals to the lunchroom. '¨
Financial services. Once a month, a financial adviser visits the office to meet individually with employees. He answers employee questions about retirement, fund allocations, Roth vs traditional 401(k) options, basic financial planning and more.'¨
Free gym membership and reimbursement. Employees also receive a free membership to one of six local gyms. This benefit includes a $25 reimbursement to employees and spouses covered by the plan who visit the gym at least eight times a month.

A personal touch

Physical health is important, but we understand employees cannot do their jobs well if they are not emotionally healthy.

To support employees’ emotional health, we also offer an EAP, which is a confidential service designed to help employees and their families with personal or work/life balance issues.

The EAP helps employees to move toward an early resolution of most personal concerns, such as stress management, emotional issues, elder care resources, job stresses, childcare needs, career frustrations and financial resources.

The newest initiative we have added '¨is free coaching services. This is available to all employees and their families.
Coaching programmes provide employee support in areas such as '¨weight management, fitness and '¨exercise, smoking cessation, prenatal '¨and postnatal care.

Enrolled employees receive unlimited personal wellness coaching via phone, email or through online instant messaging. They are also provided with tip sheets and online tools, as well as 24/7 access to online wellness programmes.

Weighing in

Employee feedback to wellness initiatives has been overwhelmingly positive. As I walk through our office, it’s impossible not to notice some of the dramatic transformations we’ve experienced. A number of employees have worked hard to reach their desired healthy weight and are now running weekend races. One employee has even started biking to work.

We use surveys to keep feedback and new ideas flowing. We recently revamped our free gym membership programme to include more gyms.

One employee told us: “I have really benefited from the gym membership and truly value this benefit. I’m working out more than I have in years and feel much stronger and healthier”.

In a separate survey about our company kitchen service, an employee said: “I very rarely leave the building, so it’s good there’s healthy food here”.

We have also received external validation and publicity for our efforts. Earlier this year, the firm was named as a finalist in the awards for the best places to work in the St. Louis area by the St. Louis Business Journal. This is the second time we have received such a distinction, which is based on confidential, independent surveys completed by employees. Happily, 99 per cent of our employees who responded said they wanted to be working at our firm a year from today.

In 2011, the Simmons Firm was a finalist for the healthiest employer in St. Louis award, also presented by the local journal. This award honours the most outstanding health and wellness programmes created and implemented by local companies.

Beyond accolades and awards, our most important return on investment can be seen in employee retention. Over 60 per cent of our attorneys have been with the firm for five or more years, and over 70 per cent of all employees have been with the firm for four years or more.

Retaining top talent gives us a competitive edge in a market in which turnover is notoriously high among attorneys. This preservation of internal knowledge and experience helps to keep our firm competitive and efficient, while also giving clients a consistent and predictable experience.

A long-term investment

Measuring wellness programmes against premium expenses in the short term will end in disappointment. Instead, the return on investment includes cultural growth, human growth and, hopefully, some day a reduction in healthcare costs.

The most rewarding benefit is the creation of a work environment in which you have healthier, happier, stress-free employees who are not missing work, are more productive and engaged, and enjoy an enhanced lifestyle.

By building on John’s vision for the firm, we have learned that keeping employees healthy will ultimately help keep our business healthy in the long term.

What are you waiting for?

Take action. Launching a wellness programme is easier than you might think. Investigate local consulting businesses that can help you. By dedicating a modest amount of internal resources, you can bolster employee retention and satisfaction.
Listen to your employees. Your attorneys and staff are your greatest resources. Ask them what they want and they will tell you. Surveys can be an excellent tool for feedback, helping you to put the right resources against the right initiatives. Check out SurveyMonkey – it’s free and easy to setup.
Stay flexible. Even the best ideas don’t work out sometimes. Don’t be afraid to revamp portions of your wellness plan as your employees’ needs change.

mangelides@simmonsfirm.com