Creating healthier opportunities for a nationwide staff
In West Virginia, organizations like NGK Sparkplugs are trying to change the narrative around employee health by focusing on customized healthcare resources and events that get workers more active and autonomous in their paths toward health and wellness!
One of the greatest assets to the NGK family is their in house nursing staff. Each site has at least a morning and night shift nurse that not only collects and protects health data including biometric scans, blood work, and weight loss metrics, but also focuses on Workplace Wellness to keep staff happy and working at their peak! We were able to catch up with the Sissonville Wellness Committee at their annual employee health fair to tour the facility and recommends ways to increase their already robust programming.
The Sissonville location has locker rooms with showers for staff to use. This gives employees the chance to workout in one of the onsite fitness centers before, during, or after work, with the option of not being hot and sweaty while transitioning from the gym to the office or floor. They also have a massive employee kitchen and eating space. This gives employees the opportunity to bring in healthier food options and share healthy meals with one another. Small additions to any workplace like an onsite shower, onsite food prep and storage, or onsite lactation space can help increase overall work enjoyment and productivity, and decrease healthcare related costs for both the employer and employee.
NGK does an outstanding job of providing services to their staff to create a lasting culture of wellbeing and health. Candi Hill and Becky Oxley, the two providers for the Sissonville location say “this group is like a big family” meaning everyone is looking out for one another. This helps to create support systems and communities of health within the workplace. With 600 employees, this is the largest NGK location in the United States, with smaller locations in Michigan, Illinois, and California. With the West Virginia plant leading sales (over $60 million dollars a year) it is easy to see why they are beginning to set a standard across each of their locations, with West Virginia leading the way. With 2 Work@Health certified employees, NGK is easily eligible to apply to Active SWV for capacity building funds. These funds (capped at $1,500) can be used to create long term Policy, System, and Environmental changes in the workplace. These changes can create a foundation of Workplace Wellness that will last through the life of the organization.
We are proud to provide all of our free Workplace Wellness resources to over 80 businesses throughout West Virginia. No matter the size of your organization, we believe health and wellbeing are at the forefront of creating healthier workplaces and communities while also boosting economic development for the New River Gorge region and state!
If you are interested in taking the FREE CDC Work@Health certification course through Active SWV, or would like more information on Capacity Building Grant opportunities, please check the link found here!
