The City of Sanford was recently named the 2024 Healthiest Employer in the Triangle area in the 100-499 employee category by Healthiest Employers.
The City secured the top spot because of its focus on the physical and emotional wellbeing of its employees, which cultivates an atmosphere where employees can thrive and excel.
Since 2013, the City of Sanford has offered a range of wellness activities to employees. Hoping to increase employee excitement and participation, and achieve greater success, the City partnered with Piedmont Pharmaceutical Care Network (PPCN) and introduced the chronic condition care management program HealthMapRx in 2017.
The initial phase of the partnership focused on health management for employees, retirees, and dependents covered under the group health insurance plan who were diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Finding success, the City added hypertension management, biometric screening, and the zConnect mobile health app in 2019.
Program participants benefit from face-to-face coaching, nutrition education, behavioral modification support, and fully covered co-pays for diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol medications and supplies. There is a bi-annual monetary incentive for active engagement. Several positive clinical outcomes have been noted in diabetes and cardiovascular health, including:
- 41% of eligible diabetes participants enrolled in the program and recorded A1c levels below 7, a 23% improvement since 2020.
- 88% of hypertension participants lowered blood pressure to below 140/90, a 16% participation increase since 2020.
- 8% reduction in high-risk waist circumference.
- Participants have saved the health plan $4,878 annually compared to non-participants.
“These health and wellness programs have enabled the City to support its participating employees through their wellness journeys,” says Christy Pickens, Director of Human Resources. As a result, “employees are motivated to continue focusing on positive results.”
Participants surveyed anonymously underscore the success of the City’s wellness initiatives. “I never cared as much about my health until this program,” shared one respondent. “The program is informative, positive, encouraging, and provides me with the knowledge and tools I need to stay healthy,” shared another.
“I am proud of the City of Sanford's commitment to employee wellbeing through our comprehensive wellness programs,” says City Manager Hal Hegwer. “These efforts contribute to a healthier and more resilient workforce, ensuring that our employees can thrive both personally and professionally.”
Healthiest Employers is a national program that started in 2009 as a way to celebrate companies that are putting their people first by investing in the health of their employees. Employers are ranked on factors such as on leadership commitment, strategic planning, programming, and data analysis.