3 Companies Leading The Way For Healthy Workplaces

With the American Heart Association and CEOs of more than 20 major companies recently joining to encourage healthy lifestyle choices, stressing good health is important to companies and employees alike.

A number of other major corporations, meanwhile, have a history of leadership when it comes to promoting good health practices for their employees.

1. Nike NKE

Named the healthiest company to work for in America by Details, Beaverton, Oregon’s Nike lives the fitness lifestyle it sells.

In addition to deep discounts on fitness wear and equipment, company facilities include basketball, racquetball, squash, and tennis courts, a track field, weight rooms and much, much more. There’s even a Tour de France simulation studio.

2. General Electric GE

On a global basis, GE launched a campaign to address worldwide health conditions. Closer to home, the company has provided its employees with a comprehensive wellness Web page and runs a program called Small Changes encouraging small manageable lifestyle changes as part of their everyday routines.

For these reasons and more, Insidermonkey named General Electric the number one healthiest company to work for, also noting that GE employees have the opportunity to attend both balance and mindfulness seminars organized by the company for their benefit.

3. Google GOOG GOOGL

Known for workplace innovation and creativity, Google’s attention to employee health garnered it a number three slot nationally by both Details and Insidermonkey.

The lap pool, beach-volleyball court, fire pole and indoor slide are all impressive, but the company’s more subtle moves – such as stocking candy in opaque jars with nutritional labeling alongside transparent jars of healthy snacks have helped encourage healthy munching without seeming pushy.

Survey Results

As part of a new initiative, the American Heart Association CEO Roundtable conducted a survey, the results of which suggested employees who believe company management supports participation in disease prevention and healthy lifestyle were twice as likely to report improved health. Without CEO involvement, workers saw such programs as nothing more than a cost-saving strategy.

Related Link: Young Silicon Valley Interns Rake In The Dough And Perks

Focus On Fitness

As with all effective employee health initiatives, top-achieving companies pay attention to the specifics. According to the AHA CEO Roundtable initiative, these are "Life’s Simple 7."

They include smoking status, body mass index, physical activity, healthy eating, cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and blood sugar.

Recent Leaders

Companies participating in this latest movement included Macy’s, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., Merck, Humana, CVS Caremark and Kaiser Permanente, along with 15 others.

These companies made a commitment to redouble its efforts related to employee health.

At the time of this writing, Jim Probasco  had no position in any mentioned securities.