🔒New Maine wellness programs encourage work-life balance

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Stand-up desks, lunch 'n learn sessions, groomed hiking trails, yoga classes and employee cruiser bikes.

Workplace wellness programs are prospering in Maine — and growing in popularity. They encompass health risk assessments, biometric screenings and programs related to tobacco use, weight loss and lifestyle/behavioral coaching.

“We get to see some of the extraordinary things going on,” Roxane Dubay, executive director of the Wellness Council of Maine, says. While she does not have hard data showing how many Maine companies offer wellness initiatives, she has witnessed the growth.

“The national trend is toward employee wellbeing, where the wellness program isn't just about physical activities you can do in the workplace,” she says. “It's more of a well-being program, and incorporates everything employees need for support. For example, it includes such things as financial wellness, which is a big part of stress management.”

Wellness plans have a range of offerings

The Maine State Council of the Society for Human Resources Management recently announced its finalists for the “Best Places to Work in Maine 2016.” From the finalists' responses, Mainebiz has compiled a sampling of wellness programs around Maine:

• The Geiger Group, Lewiston-based publisher of the Farmers' Almanac, has a robust “Wellness Works” program. The program started as a grassroots initiative, but has evolved into a sophisticated program based on the idea that the best way to keep down health care costs is to keep associates well and help them manage health challenges. The program includes onsite biometric testing with incentives for achieving ratings in the normal or healthy ranges, coupled with “know your numbers” consultations with an onsite nurse. There's also an eight-week wellness coaching program for those who want to impact their numbers. A fitness center offers membership for $1 per week for associates and up to two guests. Another program allows associates to earn points for getting a flu shot or engaging in exercise, blood pressure testing, weight management, a 5k run or one of the “lunch 'n learn” events. Points are applied to a drawing for cash gifts ranging from $50 to $200. “Weigh to go” is a weight loss support group with weekly weigh-ins and incentives. A farmers market allows associates to purchase a share or buy from the open market. A “NutriSavings” program encourages healthier eating through financial incentives and discounts at the supermarket, offering recommendations for healthy options.

• Bangor Savings Bank this year reinvigorated its focus on wellness by incorporating chair massages, workplace fitness challenges and a stress-reduction series of educational workshops. To increase physical activity among teams, the company in 2015 provided every employee with a free Fitbit and launched several bank-wide activity challenges, such as a “Scale the Trail,” which simulates hiking the Maine portion of the Appalachian Trail.

• Allagash Brewing Co. in Portland contributes $25 each pay period to health savings accounts, and pays 100% of other health and disability insurances immediately after hire. The company built a free fitness studio and yoga room with showers and locker rooms. There's an employee lounge with games like ping-pong and darts. Fitness classes include high-intensity interval training and strength training. There's onsite massage.  The company recently purchased surfboards, stand-up paddleboards and canoes so people can sign them out via a “Gash Gear Library.” Two shared cruiser bikes are designated for running errands or riding on lunch breaks. Throughout the winter, Allagash has fresh fruit available. Spring through fall, Allagash has a weekly Community Supported Agriculture program for employees.

• Tyler Technologies, which has three sites in Maine, has a fitness facility in the Falmouth office offering cardio and strength-training equipment. It is equipped with showers and lockers. At the Yarmouth offices, snowshoes are available to use on nearby groomed trails. Outdoor basketball hoops are available to encourage friendly competition and promote healthy relief of workday stress. The company's newly renovated game room promotes movement and exercise with ping-pong, foosball and Wii gaming. In the Bangor office, massage therapist provides chair massages in the Bangor office.

• Casco Systems in Cumberland Center recently purchased standup desktops for all employees.

• Diversified Communications in Portland invested in a state-of-the-art, 24/7 fitness facility for employees and families. There are exercise classes, plus wellness challenges, educational sessions and incentives to participate. Chair massages are also available.

• Bangor Federal Credit Union offers $200 annual reimbursement for gym memberships and fitness classes, $200 annually for farm share and nutrition programs and $100 annually for fitness equipment or clothing and shoes.

• Patriot Subaru in Saco has a full gym with showers. It developed a hike-and-bike trail system on its grounds that links to surrounding trails. There's an organic vegetable garden. Decreases in health plan deductibles are offered as incentives to maintain healthy activities.

• CES Inc. in Brewer developed a “Taking Shape” program with gift card incentives for participation. In the Brewer office, the company joined local dodgeball and kick-ball leagues.

• MPX in Portland offers employees annual gym reimbursements up to $250 in addition to the insurance carrier's $150. Lunch & Learn Wellness Programs provide healthy lunches while learning about health topics. MPX often has toss games during breaks. There are places where employees can relax or exercise along a walking-jogging path.

• Bernstein Shur in Portland offers standing work stations, ergonomic desk evaluations with its Maine Employers' Mutual Insurance Company representative, flu shots and healthy snacks at meetings. There's an annual chiropractor visit, Fitbit Zip raffle and branded water bottles for exercise time. Lunch walking is encouraged.

• Consigli Construction Co. in Portland partners with Interactive Health Solutions, a program involving biometric screenings and health and risk assessments for the opportunity of lower health insurance premiums. For many years, the Wellness Team has arranged “Consigli's Biggest Loser” contest. Consigli offers free local gym memberships or contributions toward fees for alternative gyms.

• Damariscotta Bank & Trust offers annual onsite health screenings with year-long coaching through Employee Benefit Solutions. Walking events challenge employees to increase their steps: This year, they walked “across the United States” using an online program to track steps.

• Dahl-Chase Diagnostic Services in Bangor offers themes such as “healthy soups,” along with chair massages, walk-a-thon, and the “5 Fruits/Veggies a Day Challenge.” It provides Weight Watchers classes on site and pays for gym memberships.

• Finance Authority of Maine offers semi-regular check-ins with a wellness nurse onsite, sets healthy lifestyle goals and offers wellness coaching. An in-house gym contains free weights, treadmills, elliptical, stationary bike, full-body workout machines, showers and changing rooms.

• GreenPages Inc. in Kittery has an annual “biggest loser” contest, Weight Watchers, and annual wellness fair that includes blood pressure and cholesterol screenings, flu shots, chair massages and several wellness vendors.

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