Snagajob Mixes Work and Play to Stay Fit and Active
Snagajob's Innovative Employee Wellness Program Gives 'Snaggers' Ample Opportunities to Exercise In and Out of the Office Throughout the Day.
By: Nan Turner
When Snagajob moved into new offices in February 2012, one thing was a necessity: a state-of-the-art gym complete with showers and televisions that employees could use throughout the day to stay active. They also wanted to stay in the Innsbrook area because of the wealth of physical fitness amenities that it provides, as the company is committed to offering a wellness plan that gives employees ample opportunities to exercise while at work.
“Part of the reason we wanted to stay in Innsbrook was because we back up to this lake that has so many running and biking trails around it,” Betsy Kersey, Director of People at Snagajob said. “It’s exercise friendly, and there are a lot of cyclists. We started this at the old building and continued it here; we have bike racks so people can leave their bikes there because a lot of people cycle at lunch.”
Several employees have even started an official cycling club that bikes together at lunch every day. Snagajob also offers two bikes on site that any employee (or ‘Snaggers,’ as they’re called) can take out at any point during the day. Kersey said many will ride to Starbucks or just around the Innsbrook area for a quick break.
Although the old Snagajob offices had a gym as well, it felt more like a warehouse than a fitness facility, Kersey said. Still, for almost six years Snaggers have been given the option to work out while at work. This commitment to employee wellness has helped Snagajob earn Active RVA certification through the Sports Backers' new Active RVA Community Awards initiative, recognizing them as an exceptional employer for offering innovative programs to promote physical activity for employees. All Active RVA certified organizations will be honored at a luncheon ceremony in February 2013 for serving as ‘physical activity role models’ in the community, and there are other benefits as well – such as recognition through various Active RVA social media outlets, and access to wellness program best practices.
And after Snaggers work up a sweat, what better way to soothe achy muscles, or simply feel refreshed after working all day, than with a professional massage? Every day a masseuse offers chair massages for employees in an empty conference room. The massages are discounted at $10 for 20 minutes and $15 for 30 minutes, and the fee includes a tip as well.
Snagajob doesn’t want their employees to only be active in the workplace, either. They’ve also partnered with local fitness centers such as ACAC, American Family Fitness, and the YMCA to reimburse employees $35 per month for memberships.
Another benefit is free or reduced entry for local fitness events. “Lots of times we’ll pay for, or split entrance fees for walks and runs to encourage people to participate,” Kersey said. “We also have ‘Lunch and Learns’ where we have dietitians or American Family Fitness come out and discuss healthy eating and stress management.”
All of these programs are worked out by a group of 11 employees known as “The Culture Squad.” The group is made up of team members from different departments to make sure all areas of Snagajob are represented. They meet monthly to discuss topics such as wellness and company morale.
“We have to make a conscious effort to maintain as we grow and make sure we improve,” Kersey said.
Kersey believes a central part of Snagajob’s mission to stay fit comes from the fact that the company’s senior managers live an active lifestyle themselves.
“A lot of them have their own individual passion for wellness so that filters down into the organization naturally,” Kersey said. “We’ve found, truth be told, we take folks involved in athletics because they have some of the values we stress such as team building, goal focus, and being accountable. We’ve got marathon runners, cyclists, people who do cross fit and P90X. When Snaggers see fit leadership it encourages them to do the same.”
Outside of employees having an active lifestyle for the health benefits, Kersey said Snag-A-Job is also looking out for their general happiness and quality of life.
“They go hand in hand, naturally if people are well mentally and physically they perform better,” Kersey said. “Eating right, working out, you’re an overall happier person and can manage stress better. We want our Snaggers to be happy and the healthiest they can be. We want what’s best in their personal lives too.”
If your company or school is interested in Active RVA Community Awards program and certification, visit the Active RVA website to learn more about the initiative and complete the survey.