NETC earns Working Well’s Platinum recognition in three areas

Northeastern Technical College (NETC) was recently recognized by Working Well for promoting employee health and wellness and achieving the highest standard of excellence in three key areas of wellness for employees. Initiatives recognized include the creation of a tobacco-free workplace, best practice standards in supporting emotional and mental wellbeing, and risk assessment and outreach efforts.

The college's comprehensive policy supporting a tobacco-free campus has been a key factor in receiving this recognition. NETC provides employees with effective quit programs, counseling, and comprehensive cessation benefits, including nicotine replacement therapy and prescription medications. The college also offers incentives to encourage employees to quit using tobacco. Additionally, NETC provides access to counseling, resources, and programs that support a positive work-life balance, education, and awareness campaigns to promote optimal emotional and mental wellbeing for employees and their families.

As part of its commitment to employee health, Northeastern Technical College conducts annual assessments of employees' health risks and chronic conditions prevalence rates. This assessment is carried out through biometric screenings, health risk assessments, and claims information. NETC uses this information to conduct tailored outreach for employees who are at elevated risk and for those who have chronic conditions. Through these efforts, Northeastern Technical College is demonstrating its dedication to supporting the health and wellbeing of its employees and their families.

"Employee health and well-being are essential for a productive workforce," said NETC Director of Human Resources, Christi Meggs. "Participating in the South Carolina Hospital Association's Working Well program has allowed us to improve workplace wellness and initiative new workplace wellness programs. NETC plans to implement further health and wellness measures that will benefit both employees and students through the resources made available through the SCHA Working Well Program."

Working Well helps employers develop a strategic plan to impact employee health by focusing on policy, systems, and environmental changes, which are often low or no cost. Working Well

aims to help employers create a sustainable culture of wellbeing by using effective, evidence-based best practices to create healthy worksites.

Research demonstrates that employees performing at optimal health can have a major impact on an employer's bottom line by contributing to lower health care costs, less absenteeism, higher productivity, and improved morale. Healthy employees perform better and are more productive and more engaged than their unhealthy peers.

"Northeastern Technical College not only assesses employees, but goes a step further in conducting outreach to educate employees and get them the help they may need now or in the future," comments Jen Wright, Working Well Program Director. "By conducting risk assessment and outreach, NETC is able to tailor its wellness programming around topics affecting their employees. We look for NETC to continue to find innovative ways to support their employees' health."

For information on how to improve your worksite's environment to better support employee wellbeing, contact Emily O'Sullivan, Working Well Program Manager, at 803.454.6969 or eosullivan@scha.org.

Working Well was founded through the support of The Duke Endowment and is managed by the South Carolina Hospital Association. Working Well is an effort to improve population health across the state of South Carolina by establishing cultures of employee wellbeing where the healthy choice is the easy choice.

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