Health and Benefit E-newsletter

April 2007

Minnesota Workplace Wellness Program
Minnesota was one of 13 states awarded a one-year grant from the National Governors Association, through their Healthy States Initiative. The goal of the Healthy Minnesota Workplace Initiative is to improve the health environment of workplaces in the state, raise awareness of and employee participation in, workplace wellness programs and convene public and private employers to explore and expand workplace wellness programs across Minnesota.

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce is 1 of 8 companies in the State of Minnesota who is pilot-testing the toolkit which will be rolled out statewide to all Minnesota employers at a summit hosted by the Minnesota Department of Health in late summer or early fall. For more information or to be added to the invitation list, please contact Wendy Hanson at wendy.hanson@health.state.mn.us.

The Initiative is administered by Minnesota Department of Health and guided by a Policy Team, consisting of Governor policy advisors, members of the Governor's Health Cabinet, Department of Employee Relations (DOER), contracted health insurers, employers from urban and rural Minnesota, academia, and nonprofit organizations dedicated to disease prevention.

Medica’s Wellness Resource Center
You can help your employees stay healthy by taking advantage of a wealth of free materials and resources from fitness initiatives to smoking cessation – through Medica’s online Wellness Resource Center. Medica customers have online access to turn-key tools and resources.

It’s easy to create or supplement your own worksite health promotion program. Plan a simple activity or an entire campaign – you choose what’s right for your organization. The Wellness Resource Center can help you get your ideas off the drawing board, promote your program, send a newsletter, host an activity and much more.

The more an organization can do to reinforce healthy messages, the better the outcome. This is particularly important because more than one-fourth of all medical costs result from unhealthy lifestyles. In fact, companies that have instituted health promotion and wellness programs have experienced:

• Lower turnover and absenteeism rates
• Lower health care costs
• Improved productivity
• Increased morale

For more information on this and other programs available to your employees, go to the Employer Resources under Medica’s Web site at www.medica.com or contact a Medica representative at (952) 992-2200 or (800) 936-6880.

Growing a Healthy Organization through Employee Wellness
The Minnesota Chamber is hosting a seminar on Tuesday, June 19 from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. in the Twin Cities. Attendees will hear from representatives from the health care plans (Medica, Blue Cross Blue Shield and HealthPartners) who will outline their individual wellness plans available to their customers. You will also have an opportunity to hear first hand from Minnesota employers who are currently implementing or have in place a wellness program and walk away with steps to develop a plan that works for your company. If you would like more information or to receive an invitation, please contact Mary Bethke at (651) 292-4672, (800) 821-2230 or mbethke@mnchamber.com.

2007-2008 National Personnel Policies & Benefits Survey
The Employers Association just released their 2007-2008 National Personnel Policies and Benefits Survey. The report contains information from 3,045 national organizations of which 316 are from Minnesota. The results are divided into seven major categories including pay practices, health and welfare benefits, recruitment, training and development as well as easy comparison between production, maintenance, clerical, technical and exempt and non-exempt status. MN Chamber members receive the affiliate rate price. For more information or to receive a sample of the survey, contact Mary Bethke at ( 651) 292-4672, (800) 821-2230 or mbethke@mnchamber.com.

Do you have outdated equipment laying around your business, looking for a business to recycle some old material, the Minnesota Chamber has an affiliate, Minnesota Waste Wise which is the one-stop shop for Minnesota businesses.

Minnesota Waste Wise
Minnesota Waste Wise was organized to assist businesses and organizations reduce waste, save money and protect the environment. Protecting our environment is good business because it protects human health and saves your company money. How do we help reduce waste? We offer technical and informational services to all our members to help them effectively manage their solid waste challenges. Below is a list of services available. If you have any questions on any of these items, contact Mark Blaiser at the Chamber office at (651) 292-4663, (800) 821-2230, or mblaiser@mnchamber.com.

Waste Wise Audit: Staff will come to your location, get to know your facility and help you discover new ways to reduce waste and save money. This annual service is free to all members and is a great way to start or enhance your waste reduction program. Just a short list of companies that have had an audit include, WCCO – TV, Great River Energy, DecoPac, SPX Service Solutions, NewMech Companies, Trane Company, Carleton College, and St. Mary’s Duluth Clinic.

Waste Wise Technical Assistance: Paying too much for waste disposal? Having trouble finding an outlet for a waste material? Looking to re-energize your recycling program? Contact us to get the answers and solutions to your waste reduction challenges. Call us at (651) 292-4681 or (800) 821-2230.

Waste Wise Recycling Programs:

• Cell Phones & Ink Cartridges - Participate in our free and easy recycling program for cell phones and printer cartridges.
• It's in the Bag - Does your company generate plastic bags and stretch wrap? This material can be diverted from the trash and recycled into plastic lumber. Visit our Web site to learn more about this program.
• Employment Activities: For more information on legislative activities that may affect your business, visit the Minnesota Chamber Web site at www.mnchamber.com.

For more information on this or other products and services available through the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce contact Mary Bethke at (651) 292-4672, (800) 821-2230, or mbethke@mnchamber.com or visit our Web site at www.mnchamber.com/benefits.

Site Map|Privacy & Security|Contact Us|Send Feedback
© Copyright 2008 Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. All Rights Reserved.

This web site is developed and owned by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. Any use or reprinting is strictly prohibited without prior consent of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.