By: Stephanie Ferro, Graduate Student Worker, County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency

Worksite wellness initiatives can improve the health of employees, boost productivity, and reduce health costs, helping both an organization and its employees to thrive. Worksite wellness programs can help to make healthy choices easier and support employees to reach their wellness goals.

Altman Plants believes in helping their employees adopt and maintain healthy behaviors. Throughout the year, Altman Plants offers a variety of wellness programs and trainings that employees can participate in.

Alex Meador, Altman Plants HR Specialist for Training and Outreach, aids in the coordination and implementation of the worksite wellness programs and events. She currently works with 18 Altman Plants sites located in Valley Center and Escondido, reaching almost 1,000 employees.

“My favorite part is coming back out the next time and seeing the employees remember something that I've said previously,” said Meador. “Seeing the difference from the first time I go out to now, it's just great.”

Meador collaborates with various partners, including the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), to offer trainings to employees that cover a wide variety of health-related topics, such as preventing heat illness and avoiding sugary drinks.

Another employee wellness program offered by Altman Plants is called “Four Challenges”. Employees who participate in at least three of the four challenges offered throughout the year receive a discount on their insurance plan as an incentive. The challenges include using a food diary, maintaining an exercise journal, and participating in a boot camp. “We have one employee who lost 25 pounds by participating in the challenges,” said Meador.

With the help of Kelley Axelson, Director of Live Well @ Work at UC San Diego which is a program contracted by Public Health Services, Altman Plants also built a mile-long walking path around the perimeter of one of their main facilities to encourage employees to exercise during breaks.

“Becoming a Partner was really exciting,” said Meador of becoming an official Live Well San Diego Partner on May 25, 2018. “You don't really hear a lot of nurseries being recognized for having wellness as their culture, so we were really honored by that.”

Altman Plants continues to be innovative about worksite wellness, contributing towards the Live Well San Diego vision of a healthy, safe, and thriving region. For more information, please visit AltmanPlants.com.