Hartford Business Journal

18 Hartford Business Journal • December 3, 2018 • www.HartfordBusiness.com HEALTHIEST EMPLOYERS 2018 1 st PLACE | CATEGORY: 0-150 CT EMPLOYEES For Antea, employee well-being a top priority By Holly M. LaPrade Special to the Hartford Business Journal E ngineering and environ- mental consulting firm An- tea Group places employee health and well-being as a top priority. It offers a comprehensive well- ness program that encourages and strengthens employee efforts to achieve and maintain physical, emo- tional and financial wellness. Antea administers its wellness program through a third-party vendor called Vitality. By engaging in the program, participants earn points, which can be redeemed for gift cards as well as other incentives such as gym membership rebates and healthcare premium reductions. The program has received ac- colades from Antea's employees, including James Morrison, a project manager in the company's West Hartford office. "It has been a great program be- cause it forced me to take ownership of my health in ways that I wasn't before," Morrison said, adding that he was an early champion of the well- ness initiative. "... One of the great things about the program is you find ways to reach people who have differ- ent interest levels and lifestyles." Morrison said the program has built camaraderie within the orga- nization by providing opportunities to interact with fellow coworkers. Individual offices will frequently par- ticipate in health-related "challenges" that encourage employees to form support networks and work toward a common goal. As a direct result of the company's involvement with the Vitality platform, Antea Group has experienced risk reduction in many key areas, including a decrease in the number of tobacco users and the number of members with an elevated risk level for physical stress. These findings were made using data analyzed by Vitality. For Morrison, the program has pro- vided him with an incentive to place his health and well-being as a higher priority than he had previously. "One of the ways it's really benefited me is the annual screening," he said. "For me, I'm not really good about go- ing to the doctor's office for an annual checkup. It really forces me to take con- trol over my own health in that way." Although improving the physical health of its em- ployees is critical, Antea Group has also invested in promoting emo- tional wellness. This has involved providing access to resources to manage stress, anxiety and de- pression. They also launched an online cognitive behavioral ther- apy program — called Learn to Live — available to all employees and their family members. Confidential and at no cost, individu- als complete an online questionnaire and based on the results are directed to one of three modules. To date, 234 employees have en- gaged with the program. In 2018, Antea Group kicked off the year by bringing increased awareness to the importance of sleep. Each em- ployee received a "sleep enhancement gift box," which contained a sleep log, sleep mask and lavender essential oil, along with information about a newly launched online insomnia program. According to the company, over 53 percent of its employees have already engaged in the program. Antea Group Industry: Engineering and environmental consulting CT Office: West Hartford CT Employees: 12 Antea employees participate in a bike ride. Looking to create a custom publication? Let us take care of it for you. ADVERTISING@HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM WWW.HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM/CUSTOMPUBLISHING 860.236.9998 Whether it's the celebration of a major anniversary or the opening of a new headquarters, Hartford Business Journal's Custom Publishing Division can help you create a custom magazine for your business. Our division's top fl ight team of writers and designers can help you tell your story – and make your business look great! Based on our unique publishing model, it's surprisingly affordable. CALL TODAY! Medical Center Sanitas NOW IN HARTFORD! • Next day appointments • More time with your doctor • Support for managing chronic conditions • Brand new facilities 1-844-307-4827 mysanitas.com/ct 175 Main Street THE MEDICAL CARE YOU EXPECT

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