City Of Douglasville Earns 'Healthiest Employer Award'

Press release from the City of Douglasville:

Sept. 13, 2022

For the fourth time, the City of Douglasville has won the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Healthiest Employer Award for a medium sized agency (100 – 499 employees), also winning the 1st place award in 2017, 2018, and 2021.

The awards were announced at a ceremony on Wednesday, August 31st at Guardian Works in Atlanta.

The City’s Wellness Program, ‘D-Fit’, began in 2016 as an objective set forth by the Douglasville Mayor, Council, and City Manager Marcia Hampton and assigned to the Human Resources Department.

“The ‘D-Fit’ Wellness Program started as a method to reduce costs associated with health insurance coverage for our employees,” Human Resources Director Teaa Allston-Bing explained. “Our Wellness Program, the buy-in we’ve received from city leadership, employee engagement, direct healthcare provider Premise Health, and assistance from our insurance broker, NFP, have all helped us achieve and exceed that goal.”

The Wellness Committee, made up of city employees, introduced monthly HIIT classes, weekly yoga, walking step challenges, and quarterly lunch and learns among other programs. Other wellness benefits that staff have access to are unlimited complimentary gym access at our police department facility, Mindful Minute Seminars hosted by the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), complimentary sessions with a licensed therapist, an annual health fair with access to over 25 wellness vendors, and more.

Many of these initiatives are funded through a Wellness Funds Program provided by the City’s health insurance provider, Anthem. This program reimburses the city for activities, incentives, and equipment that improve employees’ health.

“Initially, about 30% of employees participated in some aspect of D-Fit,” said Allston-Bing. “Today, that number is more than 50%”.

The pandemic did not slow plans for an onsite employee Wellness Center that opened on May 16, 2020. The wellness center serves as an opportunity for employees, their dependents and city retirees to conveniently attend appointments, have an annual check-up, get COVID testing and the vaccine, fulfill prescriptions and much more. The wellness center also helps to reduce health insurance costs for the city. Premise Health serves as the provider for the Wellness Center.

“It is a great accomplishment to be recognized for our continued wellness efforts,” said Wellness Committee Chair Allison Parker. “I am thankful to our City Manager’s Office and Human Resources Department who both give great support when it comes to workplace wellbeing initiatives. We will continue to partner with our staff so that we can provide impactful wellness programs.”

For more information on the Human Resources Department and the Wellness Center at the City of Douglasville, please visit www.douglasvillega.gov .

This press release was produced by the City of Douglasville. The views expressed here are the author's own.