Corporate Wellness on the Menu at Active RVA Awards Luncheon
38 local companies were honored for their employee wellness programs at the event, which also featured group exercises and a high-energy keynote speaker.
By: Pete Woody
Richmond, VA – “YOU SEXY THING, DON’T YOU EVER DIE!”
Not exactly what you expect to hear 250 people from some of Richmond’s biggest companies shouting in unison during a business luncheon, but along with group exercises, numerous fist bumps, and a high-energy presentation from a keynote speaker described as ‘the past president of everything,’ this wasn’t your typical event.
Companies of all sizes are embracing a culture of physical activity and active movement in the workplace, and this enthusiasm served as the backdrop as the Sports Backers hosted the first-annual Active RVA Fitness Awards Luncheon presented by Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. The luncheon took place at The Westin Richmond on Tuesday, February 12.
Thirty-eight companies from around the Richmond area were recognized at the luncheon for receiving ‘Active RVA Certification’ through the Active RVA Community Awards program, which aims to recognize the region’s exceptional employers that are implementing innovative programs to promote physical activity and serving as role models in the business community. The certified businesses represented a wide range of industries, including banking, construction, marketing, health care, insurance, consulting, and accounting, as well as several local governments, among others.
“Having so many companies emphasize the importance of corporate wellness and physical activity is great for the Richmond region,” said Sports Backers Executive Director Jon Lugbill. “As we strive to make Richmond the most physically active region in the country, having all these business leaders say ‘I’m in’ for creating a culture of physical activity in the workplace will play a big role in motivating and inspiring people.”
Snagajob was recognized at the luncheon as the ‘2013 Outstanding Company of the Year’ for the variety of innovative fitness and wellness programs that are available to their employees – including an on-site fitness center and locker rooms, indoor bike racks and company bikes available for staff to use, flex time for walking meetings or working out during the day, and their partnership with Team Adrenaline to offer group training sessions at their Innsbrook headquarters.
Snagajob CEO Shawn Boyer embraces the idea that incorporating physical activity during work has a wide range of benefits for employees. “The company is a firm believer in the fact that if you are physically active, that yields better mental health and provides more energy as you go throughout the day,” said Boyer. “We really want to promote the overall well-being of our people, and we think that physical activity is a huge component of that.”
“I’ve never worked anywhere else that supports physical fitness as much as Snagajob does,” added Bridget Walsh, a visual designer for the company and frequent participant in the Team Adrenaline sessions.
Many of the programs and incentives at Snagajob come from the company’s ‘Culture Squad,’ an 11-member group that meets monthly to discuss a variety of topics. The squad is made up of team members from different departments, and having groups from across the company involved helps build consensus about the importance of physical activity as a daily part of life at Snagajob.
In addition to the recognition of certified groups, the luncheon also featured keynote speaker Dr. JoAnne Owens-Nauslar, also known as Dr. Jo, one of the nation’s top speakers on how physical activity can positively impact health. Her interactive presentation offered attendees advice on incorporating active movement into their daily work schedule as well as cutting-edge research into the benefits of physical activity for business and employees.
While the luncheon was a celebration for those that had achieved ‘Active RVA Certification,’ there is still an opportunity for other area businesses to get involved in the Active RVA movement. The Sports Backers are now accepting applications at www.sportsbackers.org from companies wishing to become Active RVA certified.
2013 Active RVA Certified Companies
Adams, Jenkins & Cheatham
Advanced Wellness Center
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
Boehringer Ingelheim Chemicals, Inc.
Bon Secours Richmond Health System
CapTech
CarLotz, Inc.
CarMax
CBRE Richmond
Chesterfield County Government and School Employees
City of Richmond Government and School Employees
CJW Medical Center
County of Prince George Government
Dominion Payroll Services
Dominion Resources
Dynex Capital
Elephant Auto Insurance
Free Agents Marketing
General Electric
Health Diagnostic Laboratory (HDL, Inc.)
Heritage Wealth Advisors
Independent Container Line
James River Genco
James River Insurance
KBS, Inc.
KSA Interiors
NaturalRunningStore.com
Partnership for Nonprofit Excellence
RCM&D
Rutherfoord, a Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Company
Snagajob
Supervalu, Inc.
The Brink's Company
The Frontier Project, LLC
Timmons Group
University of Richmond
Virginia Commonwealth University
Wells Fargo