Baylor awarded for health and well-being efforts

For the fifth straight year, Baylor College of Medicine has been recognized by Healthiest Employers LLC and the American Heart Association (AHA) for its outstanding health and well-being initiative, BCM BeWell. Baylor achieved the recognition of second place in Texas and 12th place nationally for the Healthiest Employers award, and received the Gold recognition from the AHA.

Baylor’s investment in its employees is part of a broad strategy to create a culture of wellness and support. Being named among the top 100 companies in the U.S. reflects Baylor’s continued efforts to support employees, even in the midst of the challenges faced this year. In response to the pandemic, Baylor added COVID-19 resources to its menu of wellness information and virtual options to keep employees engaged.

Healthiest Employers winners are selected based on a six-factor index: vision, cultures/engagement, learning, expertise, metrics and technology. Springbuk, a health intelligence platform, evaluates each applicant using its powerful, AI-driven technology that applies algorithms to disparate health and related data, generating insights and actionable opportunities to save money and prevent disease.

“At Baylor, everyone is involved in improving human health. Ensuring all our faculty, staff and students have the resources available to succeed allows us to better serve our community and patients at the highest level,” said Baylor Chief Operating Officer Joe Doty. “I am very proud of the BCM BeWell program and how it helps Baylor stand out as a top organization that truly cares about the people who choose to be a part of the Baylor community.”

“Each company on this list can be proud of their investment in health and well-being and the impact it has on the lives of its employees and our communities,” said Haley Elmore, Healthiest Employers program coordinator. “Not only are these companies demonstrating care for their people, but those businesses are thriving by having more engaged, focused and productive employees.”

Baylor’s Gold award from the American Heart Association 2020 Workplace Health Achievement Index recognizes significant steps to build a culture of health in the workplace. Baylor is one of 776 organizations that completed the Index assessment this year, evaluating the time period of July 30, 2019, to June 30, 2020. Of the organizations that completed the Index assessment, 35 percent received gold recognition, the highest percentage to date, 29 percent silver and 25 percent bronze.

“We have seen tremendous improvement in health risks among participants since the beginning of our program, and this has led to a positive result in our health claims,” said Dane Friend, vice president of human resources at Baylor. “The success of the BCM BeWell wellness initiative solidifies the hard work and commitment to employee health and well-being Baylor has made over the past five years. Going forward, we will continue to offer holistic resources that benefit our workforce and their families.”